question for Pam

[Mark]

When pinging an IP, what is the difference between "no reply" and "reply from xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx destination host unreachable, where xxx is the device you are pinging from?

[Sean Qendra]

Hope this helps...

http://www.onlinecomputertips.com/networking/ping.html

[SimplyPam]

Hi Mark, the answer is what Sean said 

Usually when I am doing a continuous ping to see when a server or computer is up after a reboot...I get Destination Host Unreachable until I start getting successful replies.

I am not sure why you would get Destination Host Unreachable when pinging the computer you are pinging from. I usually get timeouts when I ping my own IP address, but can ping the loopback IP (127.0.0.1) and by host name with good replies. Is Zone Alarm installed on this computer? I've seen a lot of strange messages generated by Zone Alarm even when it is disabled that did not clear up until ZA was completely uninstalled.

[Mark]

I didn't phrase what I was doing very well, but it doesn't matter.  After talking with our connectivity guru today, I have found it is the same thing.  One is used by Vista and the other is used by XP.   I was hoping for some grand difference that would give me some insight to a customers problem.

Thanks to both of you!

[SimplyPam]

Do they have a static IP set up? I've worked for hours with people after they came back from a business trip and jumped through hoops to connect to a different network only to find that they had set a static IP just to get online.

Have you reset the TCP/IP stack yet? Not sure if this works with Vista but I bet you can Google stack reset for Vista    I'd run both commands to restore defaults. If Zone Alarm is involved, uninstall it, then reinstall after you get the connection running.

TCP/IP stack repair options for use with Windows XP:

For these commands, Start, Run, CMD to open a command prompt.

Reset WINSOCK entries to installation defaults: netsh winsock reset catalog

Reset TCP/IP stack to installation defaults. netsh int ip reset reset.log

[Mark]

Thanks Pam.  I think the issue may be resolved.  I will see in the morning.  Customers ISP installed a new wireless router and I was trying to get their copier reconnected.  Turns out the wireless was dropping in and out.  ISP returned today and supposedly the issue with the router is fixed.  While I was trying to reconnect the copier, I could ping and get a response and then ping again and no response.  I am going first thing in the morning with a fresh mind.  This type of thing would normally go easily, if it wasn't for the wireless card in the copier, which can only be set up from the copier control panel and will not even recognize that there is a network until everything is set correctly.   It took me an hour to get that set the other day because of a security setting in the router that was not compatible with the card.

[Fuzzy]

Fascinating stuff... There's not much of it that I understand, but for some weird reason I still read every word.

[SimplyPam]

I hope that it's resolved for you Mark 

Fuzzy, the more you read, the more you understand 

[Fuzzy]

I keep trying Pam. What else can a doofus on 'puter stuff do?

[Mark]

Fuzzy, the best way to learn is to just get in and play with it.  It helps to write down everything you do so if something screws up you can go back and undo anything you did.

Went back this morning and a different tech from the ISP had completely reconfigured the router.  After completely reconfiguring the wireless card everything went swimmingly.

[Fuzzy]

Fuzzy, the best way to learn is to just get in and play with it.  It helps to write down everything you do so if something screws up you can go back and undo anything you did.

A number of years ago a good friend and computer nut gave me the same advice.