Trouble accessing Internet after new SSD installation

Win 7 is now working on my new SSD. The problems aren't really fixed but the problem is solved.

To make a very long story less long.....
This is my 4th day attempting to get a fresh install of Win 7 on my SSD. I've made about 6 different attempts of different alternatives and each one failed in some way. I spent a lot of time searching the net for solutions including posting here. Nothing worked. Therefore, out of frustration I did what I didn't really want to do. I got EaseUS ToDo Backup Home and cloned my old Win 7 to the new SSD. This appears to be working.

Thank you to everyone who took their valuable time and provided me with suggestions.

OMG - As I'm typing this note, my wife came to me to say that her computer had frozen. (It's her computer that I was working on) A reboot got it working again but this worries me. I may be back with another post if the freezing continues.

Thanks again!

The new SSD has been working fine but my ipv4 connection problem has returned.

I've attached a partial screen shot of a working and non working "ipconfig/all" result. When the internet is working the "Autoconfiguration Ipv4 Address is "192.168.0.16". When it is not working, it is "169.254.165.20(Preferred)". Therefore, I can't connect to Ipv4 addresses.

Sometimes, rebooting the computer will resolve the issue. Other times, rebooting the cable modem/router will resolve the issue.

The computer is directly connected to the router/modem through a 5 port switch.

My main computer (running Win 10 Pro) is connected directly to the modem/router using a 6 foot Ethernet cable. The problem has not happened on this main computer.

It is also interesting to note that when the Win 7 computer is unable to connect, I also have trouble signing on to WiFi from my tablet. A router reboot resolves the problem but it seems to randomly return.

As samuria suggested, I've moved the Ethernet cable (of the Win 7 computer) to a different port on the router to see if that helps.

In the meantime, can anyone suggest what the source of the problem might be?

If you remove the second switch does it wok it sounds like there is something else on the network giving out ips or the switchs are not passing dhcp

samuria said:

If you remove the second switch does it wok it sounds like there is something else on the network giving out ips or the switchs are not passing dhcp

It will take me some time to test this premise.

The Win 7 computer is a distance from the combination Router/Modem. I have a 65' cable from the modem/router to the switch. There are other devices close to the switch but the Win 7 computer is connected to the switch using a 35'cable. This gives me a total cable length of 100'. My research indicated that the maximum cable length for internet over Cat 5e is 328' so I though that this shouldn't be a problem. However, as you suggest maybe the addition of a switch causes a problem.

I'll order a 75' ethernet cable and wire it directly (different cable routing) but I'll have to order it on line so it will take a few days. Before I do this, would there be any advantage in ordering a cat 6 cable instead of a cat 5e? (I don't think that cat 7 would work because I understand that it needs different connectors.

Tranquil Hegemo said:

Which device is the Win7 computer on the diagram you posted a few days back as I can't figure that part out from your posts. What also is the garynancy 5g device? Some sort of Wifi extender? Looks to be from the diagram but if you could confirm that would be helpful.

Add to that the question of the cabling - the 100m (or 328 feet) relates to a single run from point A to point B so that is very unlikely to be an issue.

The network diagram that I posted was generated on my Win 10 Pro computer ("Office" on the diagram). It is working perfectly. The diagram is not really complete probably because a number of devices on the LAN were turned off at the time the diagram was created.

The PC labeled "Nancy-PC" is the Win 7 computer that is giving me grief. As I mentioned in my previous post, that computer connects to a 5 port switch using a 35' cat 5e cable. The switch is connected to the cable combination router/modem using a 65' 5e cable.

"garynancy-5G" is the 5G WiFi band and my Denon A/V receiver connects via the 5G band (i.e.for internet radio).

Thanks for that - it rules out the second switch probably being the issue at the minute to my way of thinking.

dsscottage said:

When the internet is working the "Autoconfiguration Ipv4 Address is "192.168.0.16". When it is not working, it is "169.254.165.20(Preferred)".

OK so when you have an issue getting a 192.xx.xxx.xxx address can you ping the router (default gateway address) from another device that already has an IP address assigned via DHCP (the Win 10 PC maybe). If yes can you access the internet?

dsscottage said:

It is also interesting to note that when the Win 7 computer is unable to connect, I also have trouble signing on to WiFi from my tablet. A router reboot resolves the problem but it seems to randomly return.

Given the above I suspect it is the router where the problem lies given a reload sorts the issue.

How old is the router? Is it somewhere where air flow is restricted and causing it to get too hot?

Tranquil Hegemo said:

OK so when you have an issue getting a 192.xx.xxx.xxx address can you ping the router (default gateway address) from another device that already has an IP address assigned via DHCP (the Win 10 PC maybe). If yes can you access the internet?

Yes the other computer is able to access the internet.

Tranquil Hegemo said:

Given the above I suspect it is the router where the problem lies given a reload sorts the issue.

How old is the router? Is it somewhere where air flow is restricted and causing it to get too hot?

A router sounds logical given that WiFi access is also compromised at the same time. The combination router/modem is supplied by my ISP (Hitron_CODA-4582). It is less than a year old and is located in a well ventilated area.

Before I try to have the modem/router replaced, here is my troubleshooting plan:

1. I have moved the Ethernet cable connecting the switch and problem PC to a different router port. So far it is working fine (2 days).
2. If I get a failure on the new port, I'll move the modem/router to the location where the switch is currently located. This would allow me to connect the problem PC directly to the modem/router with a 35' Ethernet cord. (i.e. thereby eliminating the switch as a potential trouble spot.)

In the meantime, is there anything short of replacing the modem/router, that I could do to troubleshoot a potential router problem?

dsscottage said:

Before I try to have the modem/router replaced, here is my troubleshooting plan:

1. I have moved the Ethernet cable connecting the switch and problem PC to a different router port. So far it is working fine (2 days).

It did ultimately fail again.

dsscottage said:

1. If I get a failure on the new port, I'll move the modem/router to the location where the switch is currently located. This would allow me to connect the problem PC directly to the modem/router with a 35' Ethernet cord. (i.e. thereby eliminating the switch as a potential trouble spot.)

I've had no problems since the router/modem was moved. Therefore, I'll assume that the problem was related to a total cable length of 100' with a switch in the middle.

A big thank-you to everyone who took the time and effort to make suggestions. You guys (gals?) are stars!

In case anyone finds this thread and accepts that the cable length and switch might be a problem, here's an update....

It probably was not the cable length and switch causing my problem.

With the router moved, I've had a failure again. I decided that it must be the router and got the cable company to agree to replace it. Before I replaced it, I looked at many of the router settings to be sure that I had the information to get the new router setup correctly. This was very revealing. There were many port forwarding settings in the router. I had not created these so I'm assuming that I had a "refurbished" router. i.e. probably one that someone else had intermittent problems with and exchanged it. Since the problems were sporadic, the cable provider probably couldn't replicate the problem in the short time that they spent testing and therefore decided to reintroduce it into the provisioning stream.

My new router did not have these port forwarding settings and the authorization mode for the 2.4Hz wireless channel was different. Therefore, I'm assuming that it is new and not refurbished.

So far, so good. No failures yet.

I don't think that I need any more help but just in case someone else is having a similar issue and finds this thread, I'll repost with a final update once all is working well for an extended period of time.