Windows 2000 Server /XP client

Marc,

Sorry about the list of questions I have but I want as much information as possible before I reply with my list of possible solutions.

How do you currently determine the XP client is off of the network (ping, try to attach to a server?) Also, what does it take to get the XP client back on the network? Can you ping the client when it is 'off the network'? What about drivers on the Client NIC? What about Speed and Duplex settings on the NIC, what are they? What makes you so sure it is not the NIC or the hub port? Is this a DHCP Client also?

Making some assumptions here, you tried another port on the hub and same problem pops up. Since you are on a hub, that is a shared collision domain. Is it possible that someone else is using all the bandwidth and choking the XP Client (can you move it to a switch port or different hub?).

I want to help as much as possible so bear with me..

Chuck

Thanks in advance for your assistance. The
reason I know its "off the domain" is the offline files
alerts you that you are offline. It goes backonline if you
attemp to browse the server drives. When testing, I
copied 500 mbs worth of files from the client to the
server and it always stops at some point with an error.
(cant remember the wording) that indicates the same
information... lost connection with domain server. This
is a small network of about 8 users and one DC running
RRAS, ISA, and Exchange. I wouldn't think the
bandwith could cause this as there isn't a lot of use of
the network. Its a 100 mbps Netgear Hub. I have tried
a new NIC (different brand and therefore different
driver) and a different port on hub and last I ran a direct
cable from the nic to the hub.... I am not sure of the
duplex but it should be full. The client is a DHCP client
and has xp pro with service pack one.

Ok, I would like you to try and run a ping - from another machine on the network to the machine that is having the trouble (you could eve use the server). Leave the ping running. Then, when the offline message pops up go visit the machine that isrunning the constant pings and determine if the machine actually lost connectivity to the network at any point in time. (( For the pings you can run them from a DOS prompt using the -t parameter or download a ping utility from the internet)).

What we are doing here is trying to verify if this machine actually lost connectivity to the network or is it a problem higher up in the OSI model (simple connectivity is layer 3 and the next layer is 4, which would be within the TCP transactions occuring between both machines - server and client).

If you observed a significant number of dropped packets then the issue is something that needs investigation at the physical level (hub, cables, etc), driver level (nic drivers), or tcp/ip stack level. If you observe that there are no ping packets lost, but you still receive the offline folders message, them my guess is that there is something going on with just that specific function of Windows (sensing that the network is offline on the client machine and then something causes the machine to kick back in and try to look on the network).

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