Fix for "Unidentified Network" / No Internet Access

I also have the problem of unidentified network, public and am unable to access the internet.

Is this the place to post my problem by joining in to this discussion and to seek help (I've never posted anywhere in the world before)?

The PC is my main work PC with my files and e-mail. It is one of several towers and laptops in the house, it is Windows 7, was on the internet for most of its 2 year life, though this problem happened twice before. Last time I did a system restore, which failed, but the internet did come back anyway, by doing the restore. That was Aug 2010.

All the other PC's belonging to family members, myself in other rooms, or visitors all just go on, wired or wireless.

This failed 5 days ago and is driving me crazy!! The Windows gadgets / RSS desktop feed seem to see the internet and I can fx it by doing a diagnostic on the NIC (which has the latest driver) or by uninstalling and re-installing the NIC - but it goes absent again, always, within approx 60 seconds. I changes from a named Home network with Homegroup, to an unidentified betwork with a public profile. Then it says that the Internet is still available, but I cannot browse or use e-mail.

I have tried ans succeeded, a few seconds at a time because of time-limited connection, to obtain the latest Intel 82566-DM2 drivers, the diagnostics say no valid gateway, they auto repair that, giving me another 60secsw or so.

I have tried setting the IP and default gateway by hand with Google DNS servers, no connection. I do not have Bonjour. I replaced my antivirus and firewall and spyware protection.

Historically there are 2 broadband sources here, one cable and one phone line, with two wireless routers and mainsnetworking and a switch going to NAS media drives. The idea was to have reliability, especially as the downstairs router couldn't send wireless to the bottom of the garden building where my wife runs sports club admin. In fact, originally I didn't know if it would work with the 2 networks linked together via the switch going to the NAS drives. But for years and months all machines would use either broadband, though not all machines could reliably see the music library. It led to the interesting situation where one ogf the mains networking pair is on 192.168.1.x and the other one is on 10.0.0.x as these were the respective IP areas of the two broadbands.

But, from here, upstairs, this all just works - it has continued to work ever since I started this upstairs PC also about 2 years ago and it works now - I can see the broadband and the machine downstairs and its shares. But tthis upstairs PC doesn't have all the programs on that I have and need in my downstairs. To simplify things though, I did separate the 2 supplies from mingling at PC level a couple of days ago, including removing the wireless link from the main machine to the alternate broadband.

Earlier, three days ago I also tried simplifying everything. I switched off the broadband router the machine normally uses, I hard wired from the alternate supply i.e direct from the cable router to the main machine usong tens of metres of network cable, then switched off the cable modem and the PC and re-booted first the modem and then, 3 minutes later, the PC, so that it would negotiate the correct ip and dns and it worked. For about 60 seconds, before the Home neywork again became unidentified. Resetting and fiddling with the NIC gave the usual very brief connection.

I have checked other things. As soon as it fails, the network discovery service becomes switched off, though the 3 services that MS Windows Help (on board) says that are needed, do continue to run. The default gateway disappears. I can see no iterms in MSConfig or in Services or in the Programs list or as candidates for removal, that worry me.

All this an much more troubleshooting has happened over the past 5 days since it stopped connecting out of the blue, I may have mis-remembered bits but have done my best and am at my wits end to get my internet back on the main PC.

Thanks anone who can suggest the solution.

rickyQ

RickyQ;
Hello and welcome to the forums.
Probably as good a place as any for the post. If it gets too confusing we'll move you to your own thread.
I like the fact that you seem to have done quite a bit of troubleshooting on your own, but the narrative is a bit difficult to completely get my head around. So let's start simple
Turn off your computer. Plug the cat5 ehternet cable back into your ISP provided device, reboot that device and start your computer in safemode with networking by tapping the F8 key as the machine is booting.
Please let us know if the problem persists with the machine in safemode with networking.
If not (meaning the connection seems to work fine) please boot back into normal mode and use the Microsoft Information Utility by typing
msinfo32 into the search or run dialog box and hit enter.
Use the File->Save menu to save a copy to your desktop
Zip it up and attach it to your next post by clicking reply and then Go Advanced and using the paperclip from the menu bar to upload it here.
If the problem does persist, even in safemode with networking then please provide as much information about your network adapter as possible by;
Opening device manager
Expanding network adapters, selecting the right clicking the wired adapter and choosing properties.
Then select the "Details" tab
click the drop down arrow and change it to "Hardware Ids"
Right click the value box area and choose select all
Right click it again and choose copy
Paste the results into your next post here.
Keep us posted
Randy

Randy / Trouble. Thank you, yes I did try hard before seeking help, I've not remembered or advised all that I tried (including safe mode with etworking and a lot of network adaptor fiddling, trying to get a default gateway and also removing and re-installing Nokia PC Suite in case of conflict somehow) because it all started off ad hoc and I imagined I'd quickly crack it. Then I tried to put it back to normal i.e auto ip etc before contacting you.

What seems to distinguish my problem is that internet works for about 60 secs before the network become unidentified, also that it has reported internet connected in the network summary, though internet explorer and mail do not work whilst feeds seem to work.

Going into Safe Mode with Networking was hindered by some of the recently available Windows Updates being downloaded during the very brief internet access periods, they installedduring the shut down. Cold starting into Safe Mode with Networking looked like normal mode after the avalable Updates had finished during the boot - no mention of Safe Mode and no internet access. An nfo file relates to this, it is the older of the three (they are named and dated).

Bypassing an attempt to download the balance of the Windows Updates by logging off and shutting then directl down, I entered Safe Mode w Networking and achieved Internet access. I exect email would also work, but didn't try in the abasence of the antivirus. The middle nfo file shows this, along with the presence of the default gateway, which I think is relevant. It is wortmetioning that PC Suite reported aloading error relsting to not having found its language file and also that PC Suite was recently updated before the problem w internet started.

Back into nomal mode (and this PC Suite error has now become a feature of the startup), no internet access and the nfo file - the newest - relates.

Originally I had also w/l access, but this too failed and now it is disconnected, then I tried USB NIC's and again disconnected these and I also tried the direct supply from the other broadband, so I presume whatever is causing the problem relates to any network adaptor I choose being knocked off course.

My next step when I get back in later will depend on whether you have been able to respond, but if I am awaiting a reply I will most likely test after removing (again) the PC Suite.

Many thanks.

Rick.

Originally Posted by Trouble

RickyQ;
Hello and welcome to the forums.
Probably as good a place as any for the post. If it gets too confusing we'll move you to your own thread.
I like the fact that you seem to have done quite a bit of troubleshooting on your own, but the narrative is a bit difficult to completely get my head around. So let's start simple
Turn off your computer. Plug the cat5 ehternet cable back into your ISP provided device, reboot that device and start your computer in safemode with networking by tapping the F8 key as the machine is booting.
Please let us know if the problem persists with the machine in safemode with networking.
If not (meaning the connection seems to work fine) please boot back into normal mode and use the Microsoft Information Utility by typing
msinfo32 into the search or run dialog box and hit enter.
Use the File->Save menu to save a copy to your desktop
Zip it up and attach it to your next post by clicking reply and then Go Advanced and using the paperclip from the menu bar to upload it here.
If the problem does persist, even in safemode with networking then please provide as much information about your network adapter as possible by;
Opening device manager
Expanding network adapters, selecting the right clicking the wired adapter and choosing properties.
Then select the "Details" tab
click the drop down arrow and change it to "Hardware Ids"
Right click the value box area and choose select all
Right click it again and choose copy
Paste the results into your next post here.
Keep us posted
Randy

I tried to reinstall the Nokia PC Suite which had been loading with an error msg at Windows start up (it could not could not find the language file), but it said it could not register a .dll file during the re-instllation, so I completely uninstalled PC Suite.

This not help, I still have no internt access.

Try this first.
Open the configuration utility by typing
msconfig
into the search or run dialog box and hitting enter
select the startup tab
you should see these listed.

Code:

 
EPSON SX600FW Series c:\windows\system32\spool\drivers\w32x86\3\e_fatieke.exe /fu "c:\windows\temp\e_sba49.tmp" /ef "hkcu" NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM HKU\S-1-5-18\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Sidebar %programfiles%\windows sidebar\sidebar.exe /autorun NT AUTHORITY\LOCAL SERVICE HKU\S-1-5-19\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Sidebar %programfiles%\windows sidebar\sidebar.exe /autorun NT AUTHORITY\NETWORK SERVICE HKU\S-1-5-20\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Dropbox dropbox.lnk PCS-Lenovo-PC\Rick Startup
ERUNT AutoBackup erunt autobackup.lnk PCS-Lenovo-PC\Rick Startup
Sidebar c:\program files\windows sidebar\sidebar.exe /autorun PCS-Lenovo-PC\Rick HKU\S-1-5-21-549673039-1852390550-3995489233-1005\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
EPSON SX600FW Series c:\windows\system32\spool\drivers\w32x86\3\e_fatieke.exe /fu "c:\users\rick\appdata\local\temp\e_sd474.tmp" /ef "hkcu" PCS-Lenovo-PC\Rick HKU\S-1-5-21-549673039-1852390550-3995489233-1005\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
swg "c:\program files\google\googletoolbarnotifier\googletoolbarnotifier.exe" PCS-Lenovo-PC\Rick HKU\S-1-5-21-549673039-1852390550-3995489233-1005\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Skype "c:\program files\skype\phone\skype.exe" /nosplash /minimized PCS-Lenovo-PC\Rick HKU\S-1-5-21-549673039-1852390550-3995489233-1005\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
SmartRAM "c:\program files\iobit\advanced systemcare 3\sup_smartram.exe" /m PCS-Lenovo-PC\Rick HKU\S-1-5-21-549673039-1852390550-3995489233-1005\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
TomTomHOME.exe "c:\program files\tomtom home 2\tomtomhomerunner.exe" PCS-Lenovo-PC\Rick HKU\S-1-5-21-549673039-1852390550-3995489233-1005\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
PC Suite Tray "c:\program files\nokia\nokia pc suite 7\pcsuite.exe" -onlytray PCS-Lenovo-PC\Rick HKU\S-1-5-21-549673039-1852390550-3995489233-1005\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
EPSON SX600FW Series c:\windows\system32\spool\drivers\w32x86\3\e_fatieke.exe /fu "c:\windows\temp\e_sba49.tmp" /ef "hkcu" .DEFAULT HKU\.DEFAULT\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Easy-PrintToolBox c:\program files\canon\easy-printtoolbox\bjpsmain.exe /logon Public HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
VirtualCloneDrive "c:\program files\elaborate bytes\virtualclonedrive\vcddaemon.exe" /s Public HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
EEventManager c:\progra~1\epsons~1\eventm~1\eevent~1.exe Public HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
IgfxTray c:\windows\system32\igfxtray.exe Public HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
HotKeysCmds c:\windows\system32\hkcmd.exe Public HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Persistence c:\windows\system32\igfxpers.exe Public HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
SunJavaUpdateSched "c:\program files\common files\java\java update\jusched.exe" Public HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Cobian Backup 10 Interface "c:\program files\cobian backup 10\cbinterface.exe" -service Public HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
MyGarminAgent c:\program files\garmin\mygarminagent\mygarminagent.exe Public HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware "c:\program files\malwarebytes' anti-malware\mbamgui.exe" /starttray Public HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Windows Defender %programfiles%\windows defender\msascui.exe -hide Public HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
DLSService "c:\program files\dymo\dymo label software\dlsservice.exe" Public HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
avast5 "c:\program files\alwil software\avast5\avastui.exe" /nogui Public HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

Uncheck them all with the possible exception of Avast (that shouldn't be an issue), reboot and test the internet and see what happens.
If it works fine in safemode with networking but not in normal mode, then it is almost certainly a running application or process/service.
You may want to read this article regarding Clean Booting the system and go through the steps. It's very time consuming but along with a lot of apps running at startup you also have even more processes running under normal boot which is to be expected but you really have a lot. And if the startup tab doesn't do the trick then you are going to have to start next with services (hide all Microsoft services) and selectively turning them off as suggested in the article. You may want to divide them into smaller groups than half at a time, but that is up to you.

Thank you Trouble.

Events didn't proceed as expected. We know I can see the internet in Safe Mode with Networking achieved by interrupting the boot by F8, indeed I am back there now, on the problem PC.

Using the msconfig utility to disable first all the Start Up (SU) items except Avast, leaving all Services intact, did not yield the Internet.
Re-instating the SU items except a few I always have preferred are off, then disabling all the Services, did not yield the Internet connecting.
Avast would start anyway, so I then managed to switch it off after the Selective start had completed, using Task Manager (TM) at which point the PC was said by Avast to be completely unprotected, though the Avast service was also showing as running. No Internet. Bear in mind that this problem started during a long period of AVG Internet Security, so using Avast was troubleshooting anyway.

No internet meant actually that IE8 actually stopped functioning whilst displaying "Connecting" and had to be unfrozen via TM. However Firefox announced "Oops.. cannot load page" and behaved as I might expect when no internet was available.

Then I used MSConfig to load with no SU items and no Services and obtained... no Internet.
Then I used config to load a basic diagnostic boot... no Internet.

And then I used MSConfig to load a Safe Boot with Network and obtained... no Internet.

Worrying that I could no longer troubleshoot on a level playing field, I concluded by loading a Safe Boot with Network via the F8 key and here is the internet (no protection, no printing, cannot do the office part of my job or play, but it is the Internet.

So, there is a difference between an MSConfig Safe Boot with Networking and one obtained via the F8 key when booting.

Where next with this??? When I get back in from work, I am minded to produce 2x MSInfo32 reports, one for each method of starting, but this might be like looking at a huge list of symptoms. I am wondering if anything is SHOUTING out "OK, in that case it has to be xyz, voilá monsieur!"

Bear in mind that this problem started during a long period of AVG Internet Security, so using Avast was troubleshooting anyway.

Didn't know that. And if you mentioned it before, please excuse my poor reading skills. So, next
Run the AVG uninstaller from here AVG Worldwide - Download tools
Uninstall Avast from the control panel then run its' uninstaller from here http://files.avast.com/files/eng/aswclear.exe
Install MSE from here http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/
Keep us posted.

AVG had previously been uninstalled and the uninstallation had said it was successful.
Ran the AVG removal program, it did not appear to complete, there was no message of confirmation.

Uninstalled the Avast. Ran the Avast removal program, completed.
Rebooted, no internet.

Re-installed AVG, no internet. Uninstalled AVG, said to complete successfully. Finally, ran the AVG removal program, this time expecting it to announce completion. It did not announce this. Rebooted, obtained for a minute a post-uninstallation of AVG survey on the internet, but by the time I completed it and tried to submit the internet had gone.

Installed MSE in case this fixed any settings left wrong from previous protection, or in case it ran even in Safe Mode with Networking (SMwN), rebooted, it failed to update as no internet. No internet.

Booted into SMwN by interrupting boot w F8. MSE does not, by the way, run in SMwN, despite my hopes of some usability of the PC in this state.

8 days, no internet. Something kicks in to switch it off. What?

To summarise:

8 days no internet, except in Safe Mode w Networking obtained by interrupting the boot by F8, where the internet remains available.

Also, internet for approx 60 seconds if the NIC drivers are uninstalled and re-installed, or if Network Discovery is turned back on. But it only stays on that briefly and the named Home network then reverts to Public and Unidentified.

However, no internet if MSConfig is used to invoke a Safe Mode with Networking boot (what's the difference?).

No internet except for approx 60 secs if other sources of broadband or other connection devices (USB NIC, W/L NIC) are used.

Avast is uninstalled and removed; AVG Internet Security is uninstalled (confirmed by uninstaller), but removal program did not complete and reviewing my notes I need to correct - the remover actually crashed. Then I re-installed AVG and then I uninstalled it, to give the remover a second chance, but it crashed again. I see no AVG Internet Security e.g. I cannot find an AVG driver persisting in thenetwork connections, though I may not be looking in the right place.

There were problems similar to mine in Vista and to a degree in XP, it seems, but I do not know if I can cure this by trying some of the fixes or whether I might completely break my Windows or my SMwN internet, or if these methods do not exist in Windows 7. Those fixes seem to include (from other discussions):

1. manual reset of TCP/IP by using a command prompt netshell
netsh int ip reset c:\resetlog.txt
then reboot the PC

2. examine network protocols in MSInfo32 to see if the Winsock2 key is corrupted - my list runs into the 20's and it is said, at least in Vista, that 10 is the correct number (I posted MSInfo32 reports earlier, though I have since engaged in system troubleshooting, so details may have changed, the sysmptoms have not!). What I can or need to do about this, if anything, I have no idea.

3. possibly use netshell to reset the Winsock at the command prompt
netsh winsock reset

4. flush the DNS cache
ipconfig /flushdns

Don't want to try any of these unguided in case I break things.

Driving me mad, I just cannot get on & do what I have to without internet in normal mode. Help!!! Please.

Difficult for us to say at this point and guided or not, things can "break". That's why you will often see us stress the importance of manually creating system restore points, backing up the registry, exporting registry keys before making any edits as well as backing up all your critical personal data and using a good hard drive imaging product (like Acronis True Image Home 2011) to make sure you have a good strong fallback position.
What progress have you made in regards to using the step by step guide to clean booting the OS from Microsoft that I linked to in an earlier post. Specifically regarding non-microsoft services starting up at boot time.
As you can see below there is an incredible disparity between the running tasks during a safemode with networking boot where in your network seems to work ok as compared to a normal boot wherein your network seems problematic.

Code:

"Latest posted normal boot ""Running Tasks"" Internet interrupted after brief period:"
atchksrv.exe
audiodg.exe
avastsvc.exe
avastui.exe
btntservice.exe
cbinterface.exe
cbservice.exe
cbvscservice.exe
csrss.exe
csrss.exe
dllhost.exe
dlsservice.exe
dropbox.exe
dwm.exe
e_s40rp7.exe
e_s40st7.exe
eeventmanager.exe
explorer.exe
googletoolbarnotifier.exe
googleupdate.exe
hkcmd.exe
igfxpers.exe
igfxsrvc.exe
igfxtray.exe
ipssvc.exe
iuservice.exe
iviregmgr.exe
jusched.exe
lms.exe
lsass.exe
lsm.exe
mbamgui.exe
mbamservice.exe
mdm.exe
memeobackgroundservice.exe
msinfo32.exe
mygarminagent.exe
ose.exe
printisolationhost.exe
searchfilterhost.exe
searchindexer.exe
searchprotocolhost.exe
services.exe
sidebar.exe
skype.exe
smss.exe
smsvchost.exe
spoolsv.exe
sppsvc.exe
startskysolsvc.exe
sup_smartram.exe
suservice.exe
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
system
system idle process
taskeng.exe
taskhost.exe
taskhost.exe
tomtomhomerunner.exe
tomtomhomeservice.exe
tvttcsd.exe
uns.exe
vcddaemon.exe
wininit.exe
winlogon.exe
wlidsvc.exe
wlidsvcm.exe
wmiprvse.exe
wmiprvse.exe
wmpnetwk.exe
wuauclt.exe
wudfhost.exe
yahooauservice.exe

Code:

 
"Last posted safemode with networking boot ""Running Tasks"" Internet seems to work fine:"
csrss.exe
csrss.exe
ctfmon.exe
explorer.exe
iexplore.exe
iexplore.exe
lsass.exe
lsm.exe
msinfo32.exe
services.exe
smss.exe
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
system
system idle process
wininit.exe
winlogon.exe
wmiprvse.exe
wmiprvse.exe

You can also see a similar disparity between the two boot options when looking at "System Drivers" ->Started vs. Stopped
As well as "Loaded Modules"
It's a difficult, time consuming and arduous task to track down the offending process or combinations of processes that is causing your issue. But if you use the Clean Boot guide and take the time and make the effort to track down the problem you may be able to resolve your issue.
I'd like to be able to pinpoint the problem for you, but that's just not possible for me to do. I'd like to be able to tell you to run msconfig and under the startup tab uncheck everything and under the services tab, hide all microsoft services and uncheck everything that remains, but that might not be the best solution for you, because at some point you are going to have to start rechecking things and it's probably better to find the problem on the way down, then on the way back up.