Are you connecting directly via a modem or are you using a router?

I believe we have a router. From the satellite the cable runs to the sat company's router(modem?). The ethernet cord goes from there to a switch(?) which has a bunch of slots from which ethernet cables run to all the PCs.

The first router is an IPStar.

The switch is...

I have to wait for them to unlock the computer room in a few minutes...

Can you identify which slot goes to your "Vista" PC?

Also, select a PC (that connects to the Internet) and identify which slot that PC goes to.

Then switch slots (for test purposes only).
Move the Vista PC cable to the second PC's slot and move the second PC's cable to the Vista PC slot.

1. Does the second PC still connect to the Internet?

2. Does the Vista PC now connect to the Internet?

The router and switch are still locked up, but I have 2 ethernet cables here in our room and both of them work in my PC, neither works in the Vista PC.

Would you like specs on the router/switch hardware when I can unlock the computer room?


thanks!!

Thanks, but I don't think we need that information right now.

I was hoping that the cause of the problem was in the switch or router. Since you indicated "we were briefly able to connect when we plugged in at an internet shop", then the problem at your school should be being cause by something external to the PC.

Since that is evidently not the case (because you can swap cables and the problem does not move), may I ask what do you mean by "briefly able to connect when we plugged in at an internet shop"?

At the shop, did the internet connect to the PC then drop internet connection or what?

Yes still more vaguery in my initial post.

OK, we couldn't connect at school and after we were in town we got the advice to try disabling the DHCP broadcast flag, the IPv6, and the IPHelper...

So we were at a restaurant with wireless. It picked up/recognized the network but wouldn't connect to the internet. I figured that adding the wireless to the equation was complicating our efforts so we swung by the internet shop.

We plugged into a hard wire there and connected. There was some picking of options or something(sorry)- we chose public connection-and then the "network and share center" picture showed a park bench and the internet worked. We thought our troubles were over so we shut down, packed up and came back. Back here though it didn't work. We'll be heading back to town this evening and can bring the PC back to that same place if you think that's a good idea.

I'm thinking it may be the "Public" connection that may be the problem.
Your school may be a "Private" network.

Can you ask the school's computer administrator if that is the case?

If that is the case, then I think that is why you were able to setup a connection at the Internet Shop as a public connection.

Click on Start > Settings

Double click on Network Connections

You should see a Local Area Connection

I have attached an example of what you might see on your Vista PC.
Note under Network Category my PC says Public Network.

Does your XP PCs say Public or Private?