Help I've Messed Everything Up!

Ok here it is….I was fooling around and messed everything up. I have a pc connected to the internet via ethernet connection. I have a laptop that connects wirelessly via a router. Everything has been working fine for YEARS!!!! Router is a linksys; both computers running windows XP. Using the PC the other day I found myself in network connections and I inadvertently changed one or two settings. Now, the laptop can only access the internet if the PC is turned off. If the PC is on, the laptop connections say it is connected yet neither Fire Fox or IE will load and i can't access any email. In a nutshell, the area I was playing around in was the AUTHENTICATION area under the LAN connection (realtek nic). It should be noted that prior to this accident, when I signed on to windows it was a normal sign on….now the box comes up with my user name and it is requesting a password. If I hit ok it will then load windows (I have no password and never ever set one up). Having limited knowledge regarding networking (understatement) I would assume that I changed a setting that virtually told the computer to look for my signon for authentication - this may or may not be correct, just a guess. That is the only thing I can come up with as to why the laptop won't connect if the PC is on. If the PC is off, I go in and unplug the router, and disconnect the ethernet plug for a few seconds, then I go turn on my laptop and presto everything is fine. Then my friend comes in and turns on the PC and wham…..no more internet for the laptop Help me please. Right now it appears to have the following authentication settings: EAP(PEAP)

Use System Restore and go back to a date before you made the changes. That should fix the problem.

See here for info: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/h…temrestore.mspx

Thanks I prefer to keep my restore off - don't usually play around with networking and have never had any trouble with it before. Would have restored if it had been on; will reformat/format as a last resort. Thanks for your help but am currently in the process of uninstalling the nic (have downloaded applicable drivers) and XP should recognize the new hardware. If that doesn't work I will just reformat - I usually do that every 5 or 6 mths anyway so its no big deal. I was more curious in finding out what settings I touched and what the settings should be. I found out that I had changed it to EAP/PEAP and then in a further configuration I had checked a box telling it to use my windows logon as an authentication - thus kicking off the laptop when I signed on with the PC. That has been corrected………all I am waiting for now is to install the downloaded realtek drivers - hopefully it will reset the network connection settings to what they should be. Thanks anyway for your attempt to help - I appreciate it

I just re-read your initial post. It sounds like you are saying when you first boot the computer, you are now being asked for a password, even though you don't have one, right. If so, there are a couple ways to fix this.

1. Control Panel, User Accounts. Click on Change the way Users logon. Uncheck Use the Welcome screen.
2. Click on Start then Run, type control userpasswords2 and press Enter. Select your account name, then uncheck Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer. Click the Apply button. Click OK on in the Automatically Logon window.

I have never been able to figure out why anyone would disable System Restore. Even if it doesn't work, you haven't lost anything and if it does work it can fix many problems like this.

Instead of disabling it, manage it. Reduce the space allocated to 1GB or so, then every month or two, run disk cleanup to get rid of all but the latest restore point.

I've been doing this for years and don't remember the last time System Restore didn't work for me.

Hey Rich, Thanks for the responses! All is set now. When I deleted the nic card out of device manager and add/remove I then reinstalled the downloaded drivers. I unchecked the EAP and the subsequent box that said something to the effect "use my windows logon" as a means of authentication. All is. When I boot up the computer goes right into windows (since I am no longer asking it to use my windows logon); the laptop is working great even while the pc is online. Whew. I'm not a person who plays around - except perhaps that one momentary lapse - LOL. Took your advice, turned on system restore - I have never needed it before and am one of those weirdos who likes to turn off as many services as I possible can! But it is on and will see how managing it goes - I know you are right it would have worked in this instance……….BUT, (and it's a big but) I value what I have learned during this frustrating time so maybe it is good I had it turned off - just trying to be positive. I now know much more about authentication than I think I will ever need but it was fun learning. Thanks for your help - you guys are always great!!!!

Glad to hear all is well. Thank you for letting me know. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and yours.