No initial internet connectivity

[Whisperss]

Specs:
Wired connection to router, wired to cable modem
ISP= Charter
Cable Broadband
Linksys E800
AVG Internet Security Ste 2014 (firewall too)
Atheros AR8121 adapter
Win 7 Home

These specs are for my desktop. On the same network, I also have a laptop connected wireless to the internet. For a long time now both computers have worked seamlessly on this network without issue. Lately my desktop has not been connecting to the internet right away after boot up. The laptop works fine while the desktop won't. At first I was suspicious that for whatever reason the desktop wouldn't connect until it had warmed up a little but I just did a reboot after having it on for a while and the problem persists. I used a nice little program called CIntRep I got off of CNET that flushes and or repairs all aspects of the internet connection and the problem continues.

After having been running for a few minutes, the desktop will then connect to the internet and works fine after that. The desktop is a 3 year old ASUS that has, up until now anyway, run like a champ. I called Best Buy out of desperation (I know, I know, but no-one else is open right now) and they think the NIC might be dying. Do I have any second votes on this, or are there any other ideas that I might look at?

 

[UsernameIssues]

Nice detailed post

After the computer has been on for a while and then you reboot the computer...
...does the connectivity delay happen then?

 

[Whisperss]

Thanks. I actually followed the directions 2xg put up re: posting for this thread. You know how it goes, when all else fails... Anyway, I put it back to sleep after gathering the specs for the post and after logging back in, it got onto the net fine. I rebooted it just in case and again, it connected fine.

One other piece of info I forgot to mention is that throughout all of this, Windows thinks it is connected to the internet, even when the browsers won't connect. I went down to the icon in the task bar and it always says it is connected to my home network and no, that wasn't a typo; I tried with both IE and Firefox and neither would log on. Time lapse was less than 10 minutes.

 

[UsernameIssues]

Yep - I figured that you had followed 2xg's post

So...
Putting the computer to sleep and then waking it right back up = no delay
Rebooting the computer = no delay
After the computer has been off for a while and then started = delay
After the computer has been asleep for a while and then started = delay
Is that correct?

Do whatever it takes to cause the delay.
Open a command prompt window.
Quickly check the IP address assigned to the computer using IPCONFIG/ALL
(See 2xg's post.)
Open another command prompt window.
Ping 8.8.8.8 -t

If the computer is not getting an IP address quickly, then you are not going to be surfing anywhere. Don't worry about how Windows determines that you are connected to your network for now.

 

[Whisperss]

Will do, though it may be several days before my reply. If all goes well, I'll be on my way to balmy South Dakota for about 10 days leaving tomorrow early. Never fear though, my won't let me forget about it as she mostly uses the desktop, lol. And yes, you are correct.

 

[UsernameIssues]

Until the issue is resolved, set the desktop to never sleep and just leave it on all of the time. Unless it is too loud.

 

[Whisperss]

OK so pinging 8.8.8.8 gives me no lost packets; time= an avg of 30ms and TTL=47. cmd gives me the IP addy of 192.168.1.108. So it seems to me that the NIC is grabbing its address right away but the browsers don't think I'm connected anyway, yes? What else would help you help me figure this out?

 

[UsernameIssues]

This is just FYI - it probably won't help find the issue:
The desktop probably gets the same IP address each time it boots.
(unless the router info is cleared)

This means that you can use
ping 192.168.1.108 -t
from you laptop to ping the desktop
then restart the desktop
Keep watching the ping on the laptop.
You might be surprised how quickly you can ping that IP - long before the desktop appears.


My next suggestion would be to totally uninstall AVG.
Restart to complete the uninstall.
(even if it does not ask you to restart)
Then turn the computer off for a while.

Once you turn it back on - test for connectivity in the browsers.

If that cures the issue, re-install AVG and see if it was just some setting that barfed in AVG.