Websites won't load on networked pc's, please help

E

esm

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hi
I'm having a problem with my MyWireless 128k connection and so far no one (including a network administrator for a large company) has been able to give me a solution. I was hoping that someone, somewhere will be able to help me.
First some background:
I have three pc's networked via a base 100 hub. My wireless modem is connected via USB to one of the pc's (PC-A, running XP home). The other two pc's (PC-B, both running XP proffesional) are set up so that they connect to the internet via an "always on" connection on PC-A.
On PC-A I have no problems accessing the internet. However, on PC-B most things work perfectly except for quite a few websites which just refuse to load.
These include:
- www.theonion.com
- www.fastcomm.co.za
- www.myadsl.co.za/forum/ (the main page loads fine)
- www.kazaalite.com
I often get the background colour the website header but never the full page or any text. In addition I can't download anything using GetRight. I'm also unable to ping either the web address or the IP address of any of the sites mentioned above. Every now and again 2 out for 4 packets will receive an answer but 99% of the time it just times out.
Any help or suggestions would be appreciated!
eSm
 
ha! the joys of Internet Connection Sharing!

I had EXACTLY the same problem! Been struggling with it for a week now! The only thing was that even after I sorted the surfing part out, I can still not play my favourite game...

anyway...

unfortunately the only way you're going to get past this, is if you load some kind of gateway software.

you can try the MTU setting stuff that some of the guys here suggest, but I tried it with no success.

try setting the MTU and see, maybe it works, but if it doesn't, get yourself some gateway software like Kerio (which I HIGHLY recommend!)

My website that wouldn't load was news24.com and a few others. It only worked once I loaded Kerio.

Good luck!

if all else fails... influence with hammer
 
the MTU could well be your problem. You must be using ICS. Its possible that different sites react differently to MTU settings. So do a search on the forum for MTU.

If that doesnt work and you come to the realisation that ICS is in fact, a pipe dream then contact either chemicalX or myself and we will help you get your LAN set up perfectly for web browsing etc [:D]

It is possible. Anyway the "network administrator" should have at least suggested installing an old linux box as a gateway or some kind of solution. Otherwise, with all due respect, I dont want to be on his network when theres a major problem..

I have a "PC A" which is my gateway (mywi modem PC) and 3 other PCs on the LAN (using XP and 98 throughout) and all work 100%. I'm sure if you used any OS (even Linux) as a workstation on the LAN it would work ok. So let us know if you need any help [;)]
 
absolutely! we're the Children of Kerio! LOL!

hmm... just had a thought greedy - wonder if a linux box would do the trick?

ack! only problem is that i have NO idea how to "work" linux!

if all else fails... influence with hammer
 
the major problem is the physical box. and then getting the modem to work in linux. I do think that kerio operates much like linux. The thing is, in Linux you will need to set up IP tables or access lists. Its essentially a hardware router that you configure. Not that I have done it but I know it is fairly simple to set up actually. All the info is out there - if you know some Linux gurus. And everyone should know of some linux guru somewhere [:D]

I think it may be a viable option. Do a search on the web. Remember, Linux calls NAT <i>masquerade</i> for some reason so look that up as well.
 
i do know a linux guru, believe it or not! haha!

might be worth a try... let's see what my ethernet cable question reveals... and i'll take it from there.

if all else fails... influence with hammer
 
I still dont quite understand if you can just plug the modem straight into the switch. How would it dial then? Surely this is not possible. Pardon my ignorance by "dial".. maybe the modem actually connects rather like ISDN instead of "dialing" when using ethernet.. I really wouldnt know
 
don't understand it either, but if it works - cool! :)

just been reading the manual (there's a thought! [:D]) and it says there that you still need to install it using the USB cable, then install something called LANConnect...

some more reading to be done... [:)]

if all else fails... influence with hammer
 
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by greedyflyza</i>
<br />I still dont quite understand if you can just plug the modem straight into the switch. How would it dial then? Surely this is not possible. Pardon my ignorance by "dial".. maybe the modem actually connects rather like ISDN instead of "dialing" when using ethernet.. I really wouldnt know
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

Sentech dialing has two authentication phases:

1. When dialling, and connecting to the remote end, it uses a username/password, and "telephone number" to request a 3G data session.

2. When the PPP layer comes up (RAS) it uses CHAP to authenticate against the ISP's Radius server.

You have to configure the modem with USB first, to "configure" it with your username/password, and the "telephone" number. This, it remembers in flash, and is part of the first authentication step.

The modem dials the last dialled number, and uses the last used username/password to request a data session with the tower kit, automatically as soon as it sees a PADI (PPPoE session initiation/discovery) packet.

After this, the PPP negotiation (authentication step 2) kicks in, and your PC authenticates using CHAP to the remote Radius server. This is where you get assigned an IP etc...

All this means that the Ethernet modem will work with the builtin Windows XP PPPoE driver (XP should pick it up on the LAN), or with Sentech's custom PPPoE drivers. All you need to do is configure the PPPoE connection with your username/password on XP, or use the Sentech dialler with their PPPoE drivers.



<center><h5><font color="red">Oo. MyWireless <s>Hacks</s> Tweaks & Tech Info.oO </font id="red"></h5>
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so after all that is done, would i still need a machine to do ICS?

that's the only thing that i'm miffed about - Internet Connection Sharing is a royal pain in the butt - it doesn't work for me, so I have to find some other way of getting all the PCs on my LAN to connect to the Net.
 
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by greedyflyza</i>
<br />I still dont quite understand if you can just plug the modem straight into the switch. How would it dial then? Surely this is not possible. Pardon my ignorance by "dial".. maybe the modem actually connects rather like ISDN instead of "dialing" when using ethernet.. I really wouldnt know
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

Sentech dialing has two authentication phases:

1. When dialling, and connecting to the remote end, it uses a username/password, and "telephone number" to request a 3G data session.

2. When the PPP layer comes up (RAS) it uses CHAP to authenticate against the ISP's Radius server.

You have to configure the modem with USB first, to "configure" it with your username/password, and the "telephone" number. This, it remembers in flash, and is part of the first authentication step.

The modem dials the last dialled number, and uses the last used username/password to request a data session with the tower kit, automatically as soon as it sees a PADI (PPPoE session initiation/discovery) packet.

After this, the PPP negotiation (authentication step 2) kicks in, and your PC authenticates using CHAP to the remote Radius server. This is where you get assigned an IP etc...

All this means that the Ethernet modem will work with the builtin Windows XP PPPoE driver (XP should pick it up on the LAN), or with Sentech's custom PPPoE drivers. All you need to do is configure the PPPoE connection with your username/password on XP, or use the Sentech dialler with their PPPoE drivers.

All in all, using an Ethernet cable is pretty much NO different than using the USB cable. The logical setup remains the same. It's just the physical wiring that's different, and the device that windows sees is a PPPoE device, instead of a Serial device.

<b>ChemicalX:</b>
An Ethernet cable isn't a "quick fix" to your ICS problems, or routing/NAT issues. If you can't manage to get it going with a PC and USB, then you're not going to fare much better with a PC and and Ethernet cable.

Your problem is obviously at the higher level of packet forwarding, portforwarding and NAT. Get THAT right, before considering using the Ethernet cable. Yes, the router might help you, but it might be even more complex to configure than ICS.

As I said. There must be plenty of people trying to play your game via ICS, and there must be plenty of people sharing using ICS that are perfectly capable of surfing.

I've never used ICS myself, and I never will, but it is a pretty well known and used Windows feature.

<center><h5><font color="red">Oo. MyWireless <s>Hacks</s> Tweaks & Tech Info.oO </font id="red"></h5>
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<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by TheRoDent</i>
An Ethernet cable isn't a "quick fix" to your ICS problems, or routing/NAT issues. If you can't manage to get it going with a PC and USB, then you're not going to fare much better with a PC and and Ethernet cable.

Your problem is obviously at the higher level of packet forwarding, portforwarding and NAT. Get THAT right, before considering using the Ethernet cable. Yes, the router might help you, but it might be even more complex to configure than ICS.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

so what do i do then? how do i sort out the packet forwarding and port forwarding?

would you be able to help me, please? I have Kerio Wingate set up to do the NAT etc and to act as a DHCP server.

The requests from SWG are going out, but they don't seem to be coming back, or the default rule on Kerio is stopping them from coming back... or something...

i'm desperate... [:(]

if all else fails... influence with hammer
 
thanks for all your help so far. as soon as i have a free second (probably tonight) I'll try the gateway software. sounds complicated though and my skills with any sort of netwoking stop at anything XP doesn't o for me. Anyway, I haven't tried online gaming yet but news24 doesn't load with me either. Any one think there's any way I can get Sentech to fix this or is it entirely my fault?
 
it's XP that is all wonky.

Kerio is REALLY easy to set up. it runs a wizard with about 7 easy steps - and then you're sorted! :)

i'm checking something else on XP tonite, and will let you know if it worked, then you might not have to load Kerio

if all else fails... influence with hammer
 
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by TheRoDent</i>
All in all, using an Ethernet cable is pretty much NO different than using the USB cable. The logical setup remains the same. It's just the physical wiring that's different, and the device that windows sees is a PPPoE device, instead of a Serial device.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

Rodent, I wish it was, I've never yet got an Ethernet connection to work, whether using RasPPPoE or the Sentech dialler. Ras says 'No answer' and Sentech dialler says in effect 'can't find a modem'.
 
I seem to recall that XP home isn't designed for networking. I think you nee XP Pro.
 
The Only diffrence between XP pro and home are the following on the netwoking side.

1. Pro will logon to a domain, home will not

2. XP has a limitatiation of 10 con-current connectionions, Pro comes with IIS. home does not.

So Home will work 100%

Keep Surfing
 
I had the same problem, sites would only load partialy or not at all, using ICS. But you can fix that with the small, simple and free AnalogX Proxy from:

http://www.analogx.com/contents/download/network/proxy.htm
 
I can see a good market for setting up peoples internet connection sharing developing.

- Colin Alston
colin at alston dot za dot org

"Warning: Use with extreme caution."
 
LOL! very true Karnaugh!

i tried the MTU stuff again, setting it to 1530 and 1450 on the client machines, rebooting and then trying - no luck...

i can't load a proxy program, 'cos i play online games as well, so that wouldn't work for me...

any other ideas?

[:(][:(][:(]

if all else fails... influence with hammer
 
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