Experts Help - Cause @Home has NO Clue

[Scottbo]

Every other time I boot up, I get this error message. And if I don't get it when I boot up, I get it within an hour. Some nites I get the message 20 times, and some times I don't.

<I>The system has detected a conflict for IP address 24.13.206.146 with the system having hardware address 00:E0:29:6B:4A:10.</I>

After this, I cannot connect to the internet via anything.

??? Any Clues ???

Scottbo

[glc1]

@home gave the same IP address out twice, to u and someone else. Tell them someone else is using ur IP and u need another assigned to ur modem.

[This message has been edited by glc1 (edited 10-04-2000).]

[Kip Patterson]

glc1 is, as usual, on the scent! Another possibility is that someone has decided to set up the IP address assigned to you as a static address.

[Scottbo]

Could there be ANY other solution?

They have changed my IP address twice in the past hour and STILL I get that message at boot-up.

The IP address changes to the one they assign me....

Scottbo

[Murman]

Is it with the same MAC address as you stated before?

00:E0:29:6B:4A:10

Their tech support prob dosnt have a current list of static IP's or are just giving them like candy. Usally the "static IP pool" is seprated from DHCP so this dosn't happen.

Do they have you setup a static IP or are yougetting one from DHCP?




Originally posted by Scottbo:
The IP address changes to the one they assign me....

Scottbo

[PowerfullSquid]

Before @home stopped connecting to my computer about 4 days ago...i used to get the same message every once and awhile but i'd still be able to connect to @home and the internet.this doesn't help much but just figured i'd share with you guys.also i'm just throwing this out there and i'm probably wrong but it might have something to do with your modem or NIC since it mentions a problem with a hardware address..but again i'm probably wrong,kip and glc1 know a ton more than me...i'd just figure i'd throw it out there and give it a shot and be as much help as possible.

[Rosco]

Could this be a WINSOCK problem?

[tc720]

windows has a default adapter called your ppp adapter, sometimes it will pull your default IP and try to override your nic with that IP, of course it doesn't work. Another thing is your nic can either be bad or conflicting with other hardware even though your computer might say it's working fine ( isn't windows wonderful). Also, you need to make sure your TCP/IP protocal for your nic is your default protocal.

@Home tech, Ft Worth

[This message has been edited by tc720 (edited 10-05-2000).]

[Kip Patterson]

Maybe we should have asked some basic questions:

1) How many computers do you have hooked to the modem?

2) Is there more than one NIC in the computer with the problem?

3) After they changed the IP address, when you get the error message, is the IP address with the conflict the newly-assigned address?

4) Are you sett up for DHCP? That is, in the TCP/IP configuration, do you have "obtain IP address automatically" checked?

Hang in there, we'll get this sucker.

[MtCableman]

I think you have a bad IP address.
Here is a traceroute to that IP:
| 6 | | 24.7.64.6 | c1-pos3-0.lnmtco1.home.net | Longmont, CO, USA | 56 | x- | @Home Network |
| 7 | | 24.7.65.185 | - | ?Redwood City, CA 94063 | 69 | x | @Home Network |
| 8 | | 24.7.65.126 | c1-pos7-0.dllstx1.home.net | Dallas, TX, USA | 77 | x | @Home Network |
| 9 | | 24.7.64.186 | c1-pos1-0.hstntx1.home.net | Houston, TX, USA | 81 | x | @Home Network |
| 10 | | 24.7.64.190 | c1-pos1-0.btrgla1.home.net | Baton Rouge, LA, USA | 88 | x- | @Home Network |
| 11 | | 24.7.72.122 | bb1-se4-0.btnrug1.la.home.net | Baton Rouge, LA, USA | 123 | -x------ | @Home Network |
| 12 | | 24.13.206.146 | - | ?Redwood City, CA 94063 | 120 | x---- | @Home Network |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here is a traceroute to a "good IP":
| 8 | | 24.7.65.126 | c1-pos7-0.dllstx1.home.net | Dallas, TX, USA | 82 | -x | @Home Network |
| 9 | | 24.7.64.186 | c1-pos1-0.hstntx1.home.net | Houston, TX, USA | 80 | x- | @Home Network |
| 10 | | 24.7.64.190 | c1-pos1-0.btrgla1.home.net | Baton Rouge, LA, USA | 87 | x | @Home Network |
| 11 | | 24.7.72.122 | bb1-se4-0.btnrug1.la.home.net | Baton Rouge, LA, USA | 110 | x------- | @Home Network |
| 12 | | 24.13.206.145 | c170748-a.btnrug1.la.home.com | Baton Rouge, LA, USA | 118 | x-- | @Home Network |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


------------------
Closed course and Professional user.
Don't try this at Home!

[Scottbo]

Still getting the problem. Let me see if I can't answer all your questions.

First to Kip:

Only 1 computer is hooked to the modem. Only 1 NIC in the computer. After they changed the IP address, the error message IS the new one they just assigned. DHCP IS set-up on my computer. We have tried this statically too with the same problem presenting itself too.

I have been VERY skeptical as far thinking that the problem is on my end. Why? How does my computer, with this modem installed, work PERFECTLY for 4 months straight and then all of a sudden, I get this problem? My modem won't sync for 2 hours, I call the help, they change me from static to dynamic (yes, it was working perfectly for 5 months atatically), and then all of a sudden I get this problem every other hour. Sometimes, I get the message when I boot up, sometimes I don't. If I don't get it upon boot-up, I am SURE to get it sometime during my session. Sometimes, I won't get it for 8-10 hours straight, then sometimes I get it 10 times in an hour.

They had a tech come out to look at it, and of course he thought by chaning the IP address, the solution would be solved. Since the error message didn't come up - it works, right? 26 minutes after he left, I get the msg http://www.speedguide.net/ubb/frown.gif

We have changed the IP address, removed the software TCP/IP and added it back, "Released All" with one of the software programs that he told me to run.

It's strange and really aggravating. If we change something, reboot and I don't get the error message, of course, he can ping my computer, and it looks like everything is perfect. And at that time, everything IS fine, but I still get the message, and then my modem is completely disabled. Last nite, I got the message 8 times (when I was asleep).

Can anyone trace the MAC address that I gave and find out what piece of hardware this is?

I'm beginning to think that this is on my end, and not @Home's now. I haven't added anything to my computer in over 2 months so it can't be with any software I added.

tc720:

How would I find out if this is a PPP conflict that you speak of. I am beginning to feel that SOMETHING, a driver or software, is conflicting with the modem. By changing the IP address, @Home has ruled out that my computer's IP is also assigned to someone else. How do I make sure my TCP/IP for my NIC is the default protocal and how do I find out if my NIC is bad or conflicting?

MTCableman:

When did you run that test? They changed my IP address at 7:05 pm Central Time on Wednesday nite. I am at work and don't remember the new IP address. I will get that when I get home. I don't think it has to do with the IP address any more since they have changed the IP address and I still get the same error message with the NEW IP address.

Thanks for all your guys help so far! I just hope I can eventually get this thing working.

Scottbo

[Kip Patterson]

The MAC address is for an SMC product, almost certainly a NIC. Please run WINIPCFG and see what it shows for your adapter address. Is it the same as the one in the error message?

Thanks for the info. I'm still baffled, but let me think about it a bit.

It would appear that @home has changed from static assignments to dynamic since you got your service. This is happening in a number of places, and it suggests that the problem is theirs.

[Scottbo]

Kip, that is what they said too - that Baton Rouge had changed to a dynamic service rather than static.

I can't do what you said, but from what I remember, the MAC address is NOT the same as what is listed on the program. That MAC address is the same as what is on the bottom of the modem and I remember it starts off 00:A0:..... not E0 like what I am getting.

Can the NIC card and the modem have two different MAC addresses? If so, could the NIC card have this address? If so, what should I do?

Oh, I forgot to say, cause I thought this was kind of strange. When I run that program, there are two devices listed, my Ethernet Card and a PPP device, like what someone on this thread said. If I go to that PPP device, it doesn't have a MAC address listed and most of the info is blank.

Scottbo

[This message has been edited by Scottbo (edited 10-05-2000).]

[Kip Patterson]

There should never be duplicate MAC addressses anywhere in the world.

If you run winipcfg, it shows you the address of your NIC. To get the MAC for your modem:

1) from a dos prompt, type ping 24.13.206.1

2) type arp -a, and note the MAC address, which is that of your modem.

How do these two addresses compare with the message? I understand you can't do this until this evening.

I think I know what is happening. As they transition from static to dynamic, they have to exclude all the statically-assigned addresses on the DHCP server until they get all the existing PC's reconfigured to use dynamic. I bet they didn't do this, in which case you are not alone in having this problem.

[Scottbo]

Kip - IF this is the problem, what can I do to fix this problem? Other than a phone call, is there anything on my end that I can do?

Scottbo

[Kip Patterson]

Post a message this evening with your results, and we'll figure it out. Then you can go to @home with hard data, hopefully.

[Scottbo]

Ok Kip, I will do that.

What is the address 24.13.206.1 to They changed my address by a couple of numbers last nite. Should I be pinging something else?

Scottbo

[Kip Patterson]

You should ping your default gateway, which you can look up with WINIPCFG. This ensures that the arp table has an entry for your modem (it's dynamic, and loses entries after some time).

[MtCableman]

I tracerrouted this morning. Maybe they changed the IP address already.

Here is a traceroute to that # you wanted:
| 6 | | 24.7.64.6 | c1-pos3-0.lnmtco1.home.net | Longmont, CO, USA | 57 | x- | @Home Network |
| 7 | | 24.7.65.185 | - | ?Redwood City, CA 94063 | 70 | x | @Home Network |
| 8 | | 24.7.65.126 | c1-pos7-0.dllstx1.home.net | Dallas, TX, USA | 92 | -x---- | @Home Network |
| 9 | | 24.7.64.186 | c1-pos1-0.hstntx1.home.net | Houston, TX, USA | 99 | -x----- | @Home Network |
| 10 | | 24.7.64.190 | c1-pos1-0.btrgla1.home.net | Baton Rouge, LA, USA | 101 | -x---- | @Home Network |
| 11 | | 24.13.206.1 | - | ?Redwood City, CA 94063 | 99 | x- | @Home Network |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


------------------
Closed course and Professional user.
Don't try this at Home!

[PowerfullSquid]

Damn...i feel stupid reading what you guys are posting.I know alot more than my friends...but nothing compared to you guys.of course i AM still pretty young..hehe..but i still never thought so many people knew so much on an internet bulletin board.just figured i'd share like always.i get kind of bored without my cable.but they're coming saturday to fix it hopefully http://www.speedguide.net/ubb/smile.gif .

[Scottbo]

MT Cableman. They changed it yesterday. I will get home in 2 hours and will post on what it is and what I am supposed to try.

Scottbo

[Scottbo]

Alright, here we go.

I am at home.

Arp -A produces:

Interface: 24.4.46.26 on Interface 0x2000003
Internet Address Physical Address Type
24.4.40.1 00-50-0b-07-44-1c dynamic
24.4.40.33 08-00-69-05-67-c7 dynamic

----------

Pinging 24.4.40.1 with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 24.4.40.1: bytes=32 time=23ms TTL=255
Reply from 24.4.40.1: bytes=32 time=22ms TTL=255
Reply from 24.4.40.1: bytes=32 time=23ms TTL=255
Reply from 24.4.40.1: bytes=32 time=30ms TTL=255

Ping statistics for 24.4.40.1:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% lo
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 22ms, Maximum = 30ms, Average = 24ms
------

Pinging 24.4.40.33 with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 24.4.40.33: bytes=32 time=39ms TTL=255
Reply from 24.4.40.33: bytes=32 time=19ms TTL=255
Reply from 24.4.40.33: bytes=32 time=22ms TTL=255
Reply from 24.4.40.33: bytes=32 time=28ms TTL=255

Ping statistics for 24.4.40.33:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% los
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 19ms, Maximum = 39ms, Average = 27ms
-----
Does this help. I went to work and 8 hours later came back - no errors so far. I will reboot next and see if I get any problems.

Scottbo

[Kip Patterson]

Now we're getting somewhere. 24.4.40.1 is your default gateway. 24.4.40.33 is your proxy server. The conflicting MAC address is an SMC Ethernet card in somebody else's computer that is or was set up as static. When DHCP assigns an address, part of the protocol is to check and be sure the DHCP server didn't screw up. @home's did.

If they now have it right, you should be OK. DHCP servers require the entry of statically-assigned addresses one at a time, unless the ISP has the luxury of using a seperate block of addresses for the dynamic and the static.

Out of curiosity, what brand is your modem, and would you check its MAC address (Ithink you said it had a label on it?) and let me know? It looks to be a Cisco, but I think it isn't, that the MAC address corresponding to 24.4.40.1 is that of the CMTS.

[glc1]

Kip, let me see if I got this straight...
@Home's DHCP server issued Scottbo a MAC address of a NIC that was/is already in use by someone else (i.e. the NIC was configured to be on an @home server)?


Originally posted by Kip Patterson:
DHCP servers require the entry of statically-assigned addresses one at a time, Doesn't this void the whole purpose of using DHCP to run a network instead of static? I.E. DHCP = esier on admins b/c they don't have to deal with/keep track of static IPs.



[This message has been edited by glc1 (edited 10-05-2000).]

[Kip Patterson]

You're real close. It issued an IP that was already statically-assigned on his portion of the network, almost certainly at another subscriber. In his locality, they are changing from statically-assigned addresses to dynamic. Imagine a block of addresses, say 256, and 60% are assigned statically. You now want to do DHCP from that same block. It's two lines to enter the block into the DHCP server configuration, plus 130 lines to enter the 60% that are static. Not easy, plus you must have an accurate list of the IP's you have already assigned.

The other way this problem happens is when somebody decides to get clever and set a dynamically assigned address as static in his TCP/IP stack. This is a favorite kiddie stunt to make it easy to run a server, and you can get away with it in some systems for a while.

[Scottbo]

The MAC address on the bottom of my COM21 modem is:

00A0731940C7

I am going 10 hours now w/o an error. I just jinxed myself I know but....

I hope your right and that the problem is fixed. I appreciate all the help so far!

Scottbo

[Rosco]

Did anyone from @home give you a valid explanantion?

Since just about everything these days uses cache, for instance ARP, web pages, MAC ID's etc. in a variety of different places(Headend, routers,IE etc). Could a previously leased IP, that would have been attached to another NIC ID, been leased out to Scottbo without anyones knowledge. And then they reset,re-configured or removed it from cache server, UBR or CMTS program/database, or wherever this is information is stored and magically it works, because the old one has dissappeared, with no problems.

[Bouncer]

Most likely reason is that someone in the same subnet has choosen to put in a static address. You get one guess as to who that address is supposed to be going to via DHCP. (If you need a hint look in a mirror) http://www.speedguide.net/ubb/smile.gif

Now, guess what happens every time they fire up their machine while you're online.

This ties into the authentication.

It expects to see your NIC and your cablemodem. When it does everything is fine.

Unfortunately when the other fellow boots up and authenticates a conflict occurs because two authorized people are now trying to use the same address. I wouldn't be surprised if there was someone else out there on your subnet pulling out their hair wondering what in the heck is going on.

Best bet is to do this. Next time it happens, Go offline, (unplug your modem) call @home and have them ping the address.

If they get a valid ping then they DEFINATELY need to assign you a different address mapped to your cable modem.

The authentication procedure ends up passing info to the DHCP server which then boots one or the other, and possibly BOTH. It usually depends as to who was on first, but not always.

Insist on a new address mapped to your cable modem. Or the DHCP server will continue the cycle since it doesn't really "lose" your mac address for as long as three days.

Regards,
-Bouncer-


------------------
"Yeah Baby, YEAH!!!"

[Scottbo]

Ok, I am going almost 18 hours without an error. I will repost in the morning.

Basically what I am hearing is that, someone else also has my IP. Everytime the log in, their address conflicts with mine, info is sent, and I get an error (he is prolly getting the same error). That sucks!

So maybe, if I DIDN'T get this error tonight, that maybe he didn't log in.

Hmmmm, we will just have to wait and see if I get the error again!

Scottbo

[glc1]

Originally posted by Scottbo:
Basically what I am hearing is that, someone else also has my IP. Everytime the log in, their address conflicts with mine, info is sent, and I get an error (he is prolly getting the same error).Pretty much.


Originally posted by Scottbo:
So maybe, if I DIDN'T get this error tonight, that maybe he didn't log in.Or maybe they finally mapped a diff IP to ur modem (or his). Who knows, he may have been complaining to @Home all of this time too http://www.speedguide.net/ubb/smile.gif



[This message has been edited by glc1 (edited 10-06-2000).]