Bizzare internet access problem

[#1]

The DHCP server on my Netgear router - DG834GT (wireless)  appears to hand out addresses from 254 (downwards?)
It was only because I'd screwed up the config that I discovered this - I use low numbers 192.168.0.2 upwards for static IP addresses and 100-254 for DHCP addresses.
You can configure your setup though.
Have you looked in your hosts file to see if there is anything peculiar in there?

[#2]

Quote from: Spark

The only other thing I can think of is whether I need to assign static IP addresses to the other 3 computers on the network too... what do you think? Or any other ideas?

It may be worth a try but it shouldn't be an issue.
Out of curiosity, are you able to ping your router and/or get to the router's configuration screen from the PC that's having the trouble?
If you go to a command (DOS) promt and type ipconfig /all, what are the results?  It should report back what was set up earlier (i.e. IP address, gateway etc,...) Can you post the results here?
Have you also checked that, if your ethernet card is a PCI card, that it's correctly seated on the motherboard?
On a side note you should be able to limit the IP address range the router hands out.  Looking at the manual again you need to go to LAN IP Setup and under the "Use Router as a DHCP server" change the end address to one less than 254 (199 for example).  That way any addresses you assign manually between 200 and 254 won't clash with DHCP assigned addresses.
@God
The OP is using Win98 - no system restore unless he's taken an image using Ghost or similar.  May be a rebuild if all else fails!

[#3]

ipconfig *should* work AFAIK (it's been a while since I've had to do anything with Win98 )
Description of ipconfig command

[#4]

Quote from: Paul_B

< snip> If you go to a command (DOS) promt and type ipconfig /all, what are the results?  It should report back what was set up earlier (i.e. IP address, gateway etc,...) Can you post the results here? Have you also checked that, if your ethernet card is a PCI card, that it's correctly seated on the motherboard? <snip> @God The OP is using Win98 - no system restore unless he's taken an image using Ghost or similar.  May be a rebuild if all else fails!

Good spot that, I had forgotten about 98 not having restore 
Surely the fact that the OP can reach some web sites shows that he his is getting past the router?

[#5]

Quote from: God

Surely the fact that the OP can reach some web sites shows that he his is getting past the router?

You're right - and that's why I'm leaning to some sort of hardware issue.  Possibly an ethernet card that's not fully home in its slot or a dodgy ethernet connector/cable.
I asked for the results of an ipconfig /all to try and rule out the TCP/IP setup on the PC as things are often missed or the wrong adapter configured.
Once that's ruled out, and assuming the router hasn't been configured other than to enter ISP details (i.e. it's in its default condition) and is connecting OK, then I think we're probably looking at some sort of hardware/driver issue (or possibly a re-install of Win98 if all else fails).

[#6]

Thanks God. I've been trying to avoid having to do that but I guess it's the sensible next step unless any other genius out there has any other suggestions.

[#7]

Thanks for the help.  When I do ipconfig/Batch to a file I get:
Windows 98 IP Configuration
0 Ethernet adapter :
IP Address. . . . . . . . . : 0.0.0.0
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . : 0.0.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . :
1 Ethernet adapter :
IP Address. . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.2
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
From winipcfg I get [does that tell you what you need to know?  I couldn't work out how to copy the detail given from /all from DOS to here.  As a non-techie person I'm wondering why there isn't a gateway given for the 0 ethernet adaptor, but I guess that may be alright.
Apart from that, further to your other question below once the connection to webpages goes down I can't any longer connect to the router configuration screen either from that PC, although I can from the others.  I'm afraid I don't know what you mean by 'can you ping the router'.
Here's still hoping you can save me a rebuild...

[#8]

Are you using internet explorer?
If so it sounds like you need to clean out the browser cache.
There is a bug in IE where the cache gets stuck and you you have problems logging into certain sites using SSL.
Tools -> Internet Options -> General -> Delete Files
Also a bad set clock/date can stop sites with padlocks working.

[#9]

Thanks Ed, but I've tried that I'm afraid.  The cache is clear, and the date and time is good.  I also get the same problem with Firefox, so it looks like it isn't a browser issues.

[#10]

I've seen similar issues, have you tried chainging the MTU setting on the affected PC?

[#11]

Thanks, no I haven't tried that yet.  I'll give it a go.  A quick look around seems to suggest I ought to use Dr TCP for this.  Would you agree?
Also, have you any thoughts why this might suddenly start to be a problem on a machine that's run happily for a long time before?
Chris.

[#12]

Hi all. just browsing the forums for the first time....
I had a similar problem last year. Hardware!
try re-seating everything - ethernet cable, ( try a new cable ) nic - and try a different port on your router. my problem turned out to be a duff port on my switch causing odd, intermittent network issues.

[#13]

Quote from: Spark

Thanks, no I haven't tried that yet.  I'll give it a go.  A quick look around seems to suggest I ought to use Dr TCP for this.  Would you agree? Also, have you any thoughts why this might suddenly start to be a problem on a machine that's run happily for a long time before? Chris.

Yes try DR TCP and see how it goes.  Have you tried another NIC?

[#14]

Just a thought...
Have you tried pinging a few of these bad sites - note that not all web sites respond to a ping command.
Next step is traceroute and nslookup...

[#15]

Your ipconfig results seem to show that you have been allocated an IP address by your router.  However, your screen shot of your winipconfig result would seem to show that you've no IP address!
When you manually set the IP address, what IP address did you allocate? Your ipconfig results show an address of 192.168.0.2 - are you sure you unchecked "obtain an IP address automatically"?
I would suggest carefully going through the steps on this page again, using the following values (make sure you select your ethernet (10/100 lan) card from the list of TCP/IP components as shown at step 4 on the linked page).
At step 5 enter 192.168.0.200 for the IP address and 255.255.255.0 for the subnet mask.
Follow the steps till step 7 and enter 192.168.0.1 as the default gateway and make sure that it's the only gateway in the list - remove any others there if need be.
At step 8 enter either your router's IP adress 192.168.0.1 as the DNS server IP *OR* enter the PlusNet DNS servers' IP addrsses: 212.159.6.10 and 212.159.6.9
You should leave the domain box blank.
Click OK all the way out (i.e. in each screen to close it) and then reboot.
If still no joy, check that all your cables, cards etc. are connected properly and try again!!