Unidentified Network - Confusing me greatly

BoonMonkey

BoonMonkey

BoonMonkey

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Hi all!

Right, so my brothers PC keeps coming up with "Unidentified network", refuses to ping the router or out to the internet at all. He uses Powerline Adapters as his main form of connecting to the router.

I've tried all of the following but all result in the same problem (Not necessarily in order of what was done first)!:
  • Assigning a static IP on the network card
  • Binding IP to MAC on the router
  • Purchasing a new NIC
  • Plugging directly into the router and removing the Powerline Adapters from the equation
  • Reinstalling Windows
  • Purchasing a new motherboard/CPU
  • Changing all cables
  • Changing the router

The only PC that this is happening with is my brothers PC, all others PCs in the house work fine. The PC is able to connect to the internet when using a USB wireless adapter, however as you can imagine it isn't the ideal solution...

Anyone got any ideas at all? :( This has been baffling me for AGES now and I think its time to ask around!

Thanks in advance! :)
 
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The kneejerk answer would be to blame the Powerline connection; especially if the default encryption keys are still in use. A possible connection to a neighbour's network could be a cause.

However you do appear to have tried most of the sensible options. If you really have tried everything you say you have then I'd say it's something your brother is doing.
 
If you've reinstalled windows, changed the nic and tried it with a direct cable (not using the power line adaptors) then it's one of the following...

Firewall issue (try with all firewalls disabled)
Faulty cable
Faulty network port
 
Burn Ubuntu or Linuxmint to a CD/USB and boot from that. See if that has network access.

You can run it from the CD/USB instead of installing it.
 
If you have tried all the options in the first post it rules out the power line adpators and all the hardware. I would try the live CD as bledd as mentioned certainly a strange one
 
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Buffalo2102 said:
Assume it's a Windows PC?

Is it the same if you boot into Safe Mode with networking?

Have you tried the networking troubleshooter?
Click to expand...

Yes to all 3, no change with any of em.

bremen1874 said:
The kneejerk answer would be to blame the Powerline connection; especially if the default encryption keys are still in use. A possible connection to a neighbour's network could be a cause.

However you do appear to have tried most of the sensible options. If you really have tried everything you say you have then I'd say it's something your brother is doing.
Click to expand...

Not the powerline connection as it is exactly the same when I connect his PC up in my room with a direct connection to the router instead. :(

Nothing he is doing wrong either as I've been the one troubleshooting it and it genuinely just won't connect.

bledd. said:
If you've reinstalled windows, changed the nic and tried it with a direct cable (not using the power line adaptors) then it's one of the following...

Firewall issue (try with all firewalls disabled)
Faulty cable
Faulty network port
Click to expand...

All cables have been changed with known working ones, I've given disabling the firewall on client side a go however no joy. Also tried all ports on the previous and new router, works fine with my PC but not his.

bledd. said:
Burn Ubuntu or Linuxmint to a CD/USB and boot from that. See if that has network access.

You can run it from the CD/USB instead of installing it.
Click to expand...

I'll have to give this a bash tonight! Thanks for the suggestion

Dangerous Dave said:
If you have tried all the options in the first post it rules out the power line adpators and all the hardware. I would try the live CD as bledd as mentioned certainly a strange one
Click to expand...

Gunna give this a bash for sure :)

I should mention that it isn't getting an address via DHCP at all. I can see all other PCs connection to the network on the DHCP lease list on the router, but not his. No idea what is happening...
 
Powerline adapters are dead.

Ive gone through 5 sets this always happenes when there at end of life, no idea what causes it but they always come up unidentified netowork. If you replace 1 of them it may fix it. I got rid of line and just drilled a hole through the house and wired it in. Wasted soo much on powerine kits.
 
passey89 said:
Powerline adapters are dead.

Ive gone through 5 sets this always happenes when there at end of life, no idea what causes it but they always come up unidentified netowork. If you replace 1 of them it may fix it. I got rid of line and just drilled a hole through the house and wired it in. Wasted soo much on powerine kits.
Click to expand...

No, they aren't. The problem is exactly the same when removing the powerline adapters from the equation entirely, as I've said.
 
andicole0 said:
Same Windows version? Any Home groups set up? All pc's in the same workgroup?
Andi.
Click to expand...


Same Windows version, both on 10. Problem started for him when he was on 8.1, I thought the upgrade might potentially help but didn't change a thing. Have tried a Windows 7 installation also to no joy.

No home groups setup at all.

PCs are all in the same workgroup :)
 
Try restarting the "network location awareness" service. This resolved problems when networks weren't being identified properly (causing the wrong firewall profile to be applied).
 
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