Spent 3 hours with COMCAST ISP and DELL tech support trying to get my Inspiron to connect to the internet. Power cycled the modem/computer, re-imaged the hard drive, re-mapped the network drive. COMCAST says the modem is working fine- which I believe since my old COMPAQ still connects to the internet. I also tried my friend's brand new Inspiron with XP and it wouldn't automatically recognize the modem either. The modem is an Aris I believe. Can anyone help? DELL is sending me a new computer but I'm doubting that will fix the problem.

CMFMM

A. Do you have a router? If not, you should, even if you only have one computer. Far better for security.
B. Try powering down both the cable modem and your Vista machine for one minute. Power the cable modem up, wait one minute, power the Vista machine up.

While you're trying that, provide us some info. Is this cable modem USB or network RJ45 connection to your computer?

A model number would also help for the cable modem.

If the above doesn't help, open a command prompt by typing cmd in the search bar off the start menu. Type IPConfig /all >ipconfig.txt and copy and paste that text file up here for us to look at.

"Enough, enough bowing down to disillusion!
Hats off & applause to rogues & evolution!
The ripple effect is too good not to mention.
If you’re not affected, you’re not paying attention!"

I don't have a router. I believe the cable is an ethernet USB cable. I'll need to check on the model of Aris modem I have and will try the powering up and down again.
thank you.

CMFMM

well if you are trying to connect the modem with a usb cable you are going to have to install some drivers. If you have something listed below you should be able to connect to the computer and get it working.

http://www.shopping.com/xPC-Belkin-...

Jim R

And if you have just a straight RJ45 port on the cable modem, I highly recommend not using the USB-ethernet adapter anyway. An actual NIC is faster and uses less system resources. Chances are your new machine has a NIC in it, so you could just plug in to that and use it.

"Enough, enough bowing down to disillusion!
Hats off & applause to rogues & evolution!
The ripple effect is too good not to mention.
If you’re not affected, you’re not paying attention!"

CMFMM,

Isn't Comcast Arris (not Aris) modem both usb and ethernet enabled? Why not just use the ethernet port since Inspiron E1505 has the NIC?

i_XpUser

True dat!

"Enough, enough bowing down to disillusion!
Hats off & applause to rogues & evolution!
The ripple effect is too good not to mention.
If you’re not affected, you’re not paying attention!"

Thanks for all the assistance- having a hard time replying since I must do it from work and old computer at home blacks out frequently and new Dell isn't connecting at all. Yes, the router is an Arris Model TM402P/110 with both ethernet and USB options and I tried both last night with no luck. I power cycled both the modem and computer with no luck. The ethernet port does light up which the Dell tech indicated was a good sign - is that what the reference to RJ45 was about? Here is what cmd ipconfig produced:
Windows IP Configuration
Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 2:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::7160:87d1:f40f:fe98%13
Autoconfiguration IPv4 Address. . : 169.254.254.152
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :

Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Autoconfiguration IPv4 Address. . : 169.254.47.187
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 6:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 7:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::5efe:169.254.254.152%14
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 9:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 10:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::5efe:169.254.47.187%12
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :

CMFMM

"I power cycled both the modem and computer with no luck."

You can't just power cycle.

Power both off for a few minutes. Power the cable modem on, wait one minute, power your computer on. Do this with the RJ45 connection from your computer to the cable modem, leave the usb completely disconnected.

"Enough, enough bowing down to disillusion!
Hats off & applause to rogues & evolution!
The ripple effect is too good not to mention.
If you’re not affected, you’re not paying attention!"

Tried the above this morning. Still won't connect. The error msg blames it on the ISP, but I am still able to connect with my old Compaq so I don't think it's the modem or the ethernet cable or the RJ45 port. Any other suggestions?

CMFMM

Did Comcast sent you an installation CD? You probably need to use it to sync your new Dell with Comcast. Otherwise the NIC may be defective so wait until the replacement Dell arrives.

Curious - is there an exclamation or question mark placed next to the Network Adapters in the Device Manager?

i_XpUser

Success! The problem was that my modem also provides my telephone service VOIP...so unplugging the modem power cord does not totally turn it off. If I'd pulled out all the cords while talking to the tech reps, my phone would have been disconnected. So a friend recommended pulling out all the cords (telephone and cable as well as the ethernet and power cord) and then restarting the modem/computer. When I unplugged all the cords, there were still lights lit and I realized there was a battery inside that I needed to remove as well. Removing the battery and then re-inserting it, hooking up all the cords then made all the difference. Thanks for all those that took the time to assist.

CMFMM

I am having the exact problem as above, however my modem is a Terayon (Comcast). I still can't get a connection when I power down completely. Running ipconfig/all I have

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
Media Stat: Media disconnected
Description: Bradcom 440x 10/100 Integrated
Controller
Physical Address: 00-16-C5-05-04-64

I don't understand why it will not see any connection? Any help would be great!

Vista is such a dumbed down way of connecting your internet that it doesn't work most of the time. Cable modems with ethernet connections generally don't need a login/password yet the only settings Windows Vista allows are broadband connections using a login/password, ahhh yes, its great when a company dumbs things down so much that it actually makes people dumber by using the software