When Simple Logical Troubleshooting Works Best.
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I just spent 15 minutes at a listeners home to repair their desktop computer after they spent 2 hours on the phone with their ISP, Comcast, and an hour and a half on the phone with Microsoft. What they were trying to find out is how to get back on the internet. The connection had failed and would not come back.
He told me what the support person on both calls had him do. It is amazing what the troubleshooting flow charts that tier 1 tech support people read actually make you do.
However, none of it helped. Basically because none of it stepped the user through some basic troubleshooting steps.
When I arrived with my laptop and disk case in hand I asked the user to review for me what the problem was.
He could not get onto the internet from the desktop computer. The IP address was the default 169 IP range that Windows uses when there is no DHCP server found.
Their wireless laptop was able to browse and send email though.
Here are the steps I used to troubleshoot and fix the problem.
1. I connected my laptop to the ISP provided router/modem with my own patch cable. I obtained an IP address and browsed the web. That meant the modem was working fine.
2. I did the same thing with his cable with the same results. That meant his patch cable was good also.
3. I set the computer’s IP to an address in the range of the router, 192.168.1.105, and tried to ping the router. No luck this time.
4. I pulled a CD out of my case that I keep some utilities on and ran a little freeware program that has been around for a long time called Winsocfix. Bottom line it repairs the Windows Network Socket Layer. Oh, I did backup the registry first. Viola! After a reboot, we were back online.
This all took 15 minutes to do. It took an hour each way to get there!
Windows sockets have been know to get corrupted from time to time for years. This fix has been around for that long also. And I have used it many hundreds of times over the years.
So, why is it that the two tech support people at Comcast and Microsoft don’t know about this simple fix? Why is it not written in any of the Windows books at the book store? How come all those “Windows Tips and Tricks” books say nothing about this little tiny fix?
If you know the answer, let me know.
Mike DiMichele
Technology Specialist
Steve and Johnnie’s Website Wednesday Night
WGN Radio - Chicago
www.wgnradio.com
www.savemybutt.com
3 Comments
Jeber
March 31st, 2007
at 9:56am
It really does help to have a mental flowchart when trying to diagnose computer and networking issues. When I worked on the Gateway and D-Link help desks, the Winsoc issue was perhaps the 3rd fix offered to those who reported an IP of 169.xxx.xxx.xxx (AIPA address). We ran into this frequently on a new setup. It’s inexcusable that MS doesn’t know to suggest this fix.
abhishek
November 10th, 2007
at 1:27am
mate u r lucky to find out, but many of the company do not belive on winsock,but it is really helpfull…..even i don’t understand this. but other than this there r many ways.
Ram V
July 20th, 2008
at 8:34am
I wonder what would u do if u were over the phone. maybe you will be wondering how to get n run the WINSOCKFIX on the customer;s computer. Luckily u had one in ur utility disk and ur in front of the crashed computer :)