Limited or No Connectivity WinXP SP2 Bug

**Bailey** · 01-22-2005, 10:18 PM

I'm sure some of you have heard of this problem. There is a NAT bug in the SP2 for WinXP which Microsoft has addressed but not fixed yet. It causes a wireless (and sometimes wired!) connection to not be able to acquire an IP address, claiming the "Limited or No Connectivity" error message. MS deployed a hotfix which doesn't work. Many people have tried fixing it different ways but I have tried them all, and I have resorted to the last step: downgrading to WinXP SP1. I have just nlite'd an ISO and I'm going to install it in a minute.

I have wasted an entire day trying to fix it. Things I have tried to fix it:

Micro$oft's hotfix
Some .reg file I found
Cleaning/resetting winsock
Setting LAN IP manually
Setting nic speed manually
Shutting down all devices for several minutes, restarting router, ap, computers (in that order)

Last step - Uninstalling SP2

**fantomas** · 01-22-2005, 10:23 PM

welcome to the wonderful world of windows. i installed sp 2 back in august and completely lost my network. i ended up having to reinstall windows to get everything working again. i have wasted many days on this operating system.

**rando** · 01-22-2005, 11:47 PM

I've never had any problems with XP SP2 -- using wired or wireless networks. It just works.

**lara** · 01-23-2005, 12:07 AM

I have been using XP SP2 & have no issues. You just need to disable the firewall that comes along.

**big_cali_dave** · 01-23-2005, 12:19 AM

I've had great luck with sp2. I get those limited connectivity messages, but usually cause I'm pushing the limits of my wifi networks around home. When it gets a better signal, it works fine. I think the linksys software that came with all my cards works better at keeping a connection, but then I have too many things running and it took too long to connect to "open" aps.

Dave

**Bailey** · 01-23-2005, 02:34 AM

Originally Posted by big_cali_dave

I've had great luck with sp2. I get those limited connectivity messages, but usually cause I'm pushing the limits of my wifi networks around home. When it gets a better signal, it works fine. I think the linksys software that came with all my cards works better at keeping a connection, but then I have too many things running and it took too long to connect to "open" aps.

Dave

This isn't an issue with the signal. It's an issue with the software used to control it. The strength of the signal could be 100% but it still gives an error.

Downgrading to WinXP SP1 fixed the problem.

**Hcomplyr** · 01-23-2005, 11:45 AM

Its more of a driver issue, my dlink network card stopped working after i got SP2, and the only driver on dlinks website was the driver that came with the card. my buddy installed the G network card driver (this was a B) on the same card and it worked fine

**marley1** · 01-26-2005, 10:08 PM

its not a serious problem.

it happens because the network card doesn't acquire the full network address usually or it cna be caused from spyware.

Usually you can fix it quick by right clicking on the network connection and clicking repair. if that doens't get it their is something called VBSockFix which will get it all.

**Laidback** · 01-27-2005, 03:46 AM

Originally Posted by marley1

if that doens't get it their is something called VBSockFix which will get it all.

And where would that be?

**RedGTiVR6** · 01-27-2005, 08:18 AM

Originally Posted by lara

I have been using XP SP2 & have no issues. You just need to disable the firewall that comes along.

not true!

at work we have just gotten in something around 50 new computers. We immediately turn off the firewall since we can't have it on while the computers are on the network.....it poses a problem for us trying to see the computer....After booting them all up and starting to install the needed software, we get the SAME error message. We were thinking that it was a problem with the network.....but I guess not....I will sure be forwarding this on to the guys at work!