Cannot Locate Server...? - Tilted Forum Project - TFP - Sexuality, Philosophy and Political Discussion

Jim Kata · 03-01-2004, 11:22 AM

I was hoping someone here could help.
My girlfriend has a Linksys wireless router that is hooked up to the cable modem at the house. The two laptops in the house are in perfect working order. But the desktop pc is having problems locating the server.

I don't have too many specifics for the pc, but this is what I DO know:

Its a compaq percisio (sp). It has Windows Millenium as the OS with a pentium II processor.

Anytime she tries to get on the internet she immediatley gets a message that says "cannot locate server". Everything else is in fine working order.

Any ideas on how to remedy this? I don't know much about computers so forgive my ignorance if this doesn't make sense or if there is an easy solution. Thanks in advance.

sailor · 03-01-2004, 12:35 PM

Check the networking settings. It sounds like the machine isnt finding network that the rest of the machines are using. Unfortunately, I cant remember just how to do this--I havent used a Win98 based machine in years, and dont have one to look on. Hopefully someone else here will remember just how to do it...

Scorpion23 · 03-02-2004, 01:53 PM

Is the desktop able to "see" the other two laptops? Or is it off the network altogether? Try to ping the IP's of the other two machines.

If you can communicate with the other PCs, check to make sure that the IP for the desktop is assigned by DCHP. If it's not then it won't work with the router.
Goto Control Panel\Network\TCP-IP\
Under the advanced tab check to make sure that "Automatic by DCHP" is checked.

Then goto "Run" and type "winipcfg"
Select the network adapter and click the renew button.

After that it should work. The only other problem I can see is that the wireless nic isn't installed correctly. If you can, check it with a wired connection to be sure.

As a last resort, I'm not sure if this is a problem in ME or not since they might have fixed it since 98. In win 98 the network adapters had a nasty habit of becoming corrupted and not telling anyone. The only way to fix it short of a fresh install is to go into the control panel under Add/Remove software. Click on the "windows setup" or "components" tab, I can't remember the exact name of it. Uninstall everything that has to do with the network or dialup adapters. Then reboot and re-install them from the win ME cd.

Let us know how it turns out.

silenced · 03-02-2004, 08:28 PM

make sure its not trying to use a proxy first

tools/ internet options/ connections / LAN

MontanaXVI · 03-02-2004, 08:32 PM

WindowsME is garbage. That is probably part of the problem, there is more issues with that OS than all others combined, good luck though.

more info might also help such was was this a newly configged router or has it been in use for a while and just stopped working for the desktop etc.

03-01-2004, 11:22 AM	#1 (permalink)
Jim Kata Swollen Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Northern VA	Cannot Locate Server...? I was hoping someone here could help. My girlfriend has a Linksys wireless router that is hooked up to the cable modem at the house. The two laptops in the house are in perfect working order. But the desktop pc is having problems locating the server. I don't have too many specifics for the pc, but this is what I DO know: Its a compaq percisio (sp). It has Windows Millenium as the OS with a pentium II processor. Anytime she tries to get on the internet she immediatley gets a message that says "cannot locate server". Everything else is in fine working order. Any ideas on how to remedy this? I don't know much about computers so forgive my ignorance if this doesn't make sense or if there is an easy solution. Thanks in advance.

03-01-2004, 12:35 PM	#2 (permalink)
sailor beauty in the breakdown Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Chapel Hill, NC	Check the networking settings. It sounds like the machine isnt finding network that the rest of the machines are using. Unfortunately, I cant remember just how to do this--I havent used a Win98 based machine in years, and dont have one to look on. Hopefully someone else here will remember just how to do it... __________________ "Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws." --Plato

03-02-2004, 01:53 PM	#3 (permalink)
Scorpion23 Psycho Join Date: May 2003	Is the desktop able to "see" the other two laptops? Or is it off the network altogether? Try to ping the IP's of the other two machines. If you can communicate with the other PCs, check to make sure that the IP for the desktop is assigned by DCHP. If it's not then it won't work with the router. Goto Control Panel\Network\TCP-IP\ Under the advanced tab check to make sure that "Automatic by DCHP" is checked. Then goto "Run" and type "winipcfg" Select the network adapter and click the renew button. After that it should work. The only other problem I can see is that the wireless nic isn't installed correctly. If you can, check it with a wired connection to be sure. As a last resort, I'm not sure if this is a problem in ME or not since they might have fixed it since 98. In win 98 the network adapters had a nasty habit of becoming corrupted and not telling anyone. The only way to fix it short of a fresh install is to go into the control panel under Add/Remove software. Click on the "windows setup" or "components" tab, I can't remember the exact name of it. Uninstall everything that has to do with the network or dialup adapters. Then reboot and re-install them from the win ME cd. Let us know how it turns out. __________________ "Empirically observed covariation is a necessary but not sufficient condition for causality" - Edward Tufte

03-02-2004, 08:28 PM	#4 (permalink)
silenced whoa lookie! Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Upstate NY	make sure its not trying to use a proxy first tools/ internet options/ connections / LAN __________________ I am jack's broken heart

03-02-2004, 08:32 PM	#5 (permalink)
MontanaXVI Alex Smith is a BUST Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Watching the game	WindowsME is garbage. That is probably part of the problem, there is more issues with that OS than all others combined, good luck though. more info might also help such was was this a newly configged router or has it been in use for a while and just stopped working for the desktop etc. __________________ Spank you very much