Network disappeared - got message that may help

Forgive the new thread for this topic. I tried to edit my original, but couldn't figure out how. I pasted the original problem below, but I wanted to say that on my Desktop, when I boot up, it says "Error loading: C:\Windows\Download Program Files\bridge.dll - The specified module could not be found."

So could this be the reason my network isn't functioning? Please read the problem below and let me know what you think. Thanks so much.

I have a router that connects my desktop and laptop. Both are Windows XP and it's worked fine for a month. Just yesterday, I tried to print and it failed. On further investigation, I realized that my Internet connection (via router) is working fine, but my file/printer sharing isn't. When I click on "Network Places" on my laptop, the desktop files no longer show up as they once did. When I open "Network Places" on my Desktop, I see the laptop files, but when I click on them it says that I don't have access. I have restarted both computers mulitiple times hoping it was some weird bug.

Does anyone have an idea of what's going on? When I networked everything for the first time, it was insanely frustrating for me and I can't even tell you what I did, so I don't think I can "re-network" if you suggest it without a guide. I'm hoping I won't have to re-network.

 

This post might help: http://majorgeeks.com/vb/showthread.php?t=35250

it give a basic rundown of troubleshooting a network. It sounds like your bridge.dll file is corupt though, you might try unbridging you connections if they are bridged, xp like to do this for you. You might also just search for the file on the other machine and copy it via a floppy to the afflicted one.

Actually I just did a search for bridge.dll on my xp system and didn't find one so it must not be a windows file.

 

That bridge.dll file is spyware related. Have a look at this info:
http://www.majorgeeks.com/vb/showthread.php?t=25834

Adaware and Spybot might take care of it, if after scanning you're still having problems post a HijackThis log in our Spyware Specific forum.

 

Thanks so much for the advice. I read the link that alan posted and it made me realize what a novess I am in computers. Are you saying that running the Adaware will find a the bridge.dll and fix it or that it will find and delete the file that is causing the infection? Also, I should tell you that I remember (oh, so long ago) that when I called Linksys for help re: networking, they told me to delete the bridge because it wasn't allowing the network connection to function. I did as they told me and it worked fine for 6 months. Now I'm getting the bridge.dll error message and my network doesn't work. Does that makes sense? Also, I've never heard of hijacking until I found your site. If Adaware fails, are you saying that I can post the .dll message on the Spyware Specific forum and someone will send me a link to a functioning file?

Thank you for all of your time. I truly do appreciate it!

Stephanie

 

Whether or not the bridge.dll is affecting your network connection I can't say at this point, but you need to deal with one thing at a time. So download (from the link I posted previously), install, update, and scan with both Adaware and Spybot Search & Destroy. Then if the error message is still occurring, download HijackThis, run it, save the log file, and start a new thread in Spyware Specific, including the log in your post. Once you've got that sorted we can continue with your networking issue.

 

Alan and others, I ran Adaware and then SpyBot. SpyBot found and fixed the error message, but still no network. In fact, when I click on Network Connections on my Desktop, the Local Area Connection is there, but the others are missing. On my Laptop, I have three connections listed: 1. Local Area Connection 2. Wireless Network Connection 3. 1394 Connection Enabled - 1394 Net Adaptor.

What do you make of this? Do I just need to re-network my desktop and if so, which link should I follow? I was horrible at setting it up through the XP wizard because the Microsoft site told me one way but the Wizard was leading me through another.

Thanks, Stephanie

 

What about firewall, Have you made changes sinse problems began.
I have several PCs networked, depending on firewall settings, sometimes access would be denied, or network places could not be seen?

 

God, I am so dumb when it comes to firewalls...I think my Norton I.S. has one and a long time ago I remember having to put in I.P. #s...or maybe ping #s..whatever the number is on the "about" page. I'll go check my NIS firewall, let me know if there are other firewalls I should look into. I believe that I disabled the XP ones.

Thanks!

 

Okay, I went to the firewall in NIS and it all looks good. I even ran the wizard in the advanced section. Still no network connection for the Desktop. I think I may need to re-network.

 

try to ping the other computer IP address. If you can ping it then try connecting to the UNC name in the run prompt. It should look like this \\computername\sharename

if you can connect using the UNC path then it's the network browser that's the problem, not your networking setup. It's not to uncommon in windows. If the UNC path works then I would just map a drive and forget about it. You can also do the same with a printer in the add printer wizard.

 

Please excuse my ignorance...how do I ping the computers? I read this before when I searched archives, but I really don't know how to do it.

 

To ping: open a command prompt and run ping xx.xx.xx.xx where 'xx.xx.xx.xx' is the IP address.

To find the IP address of each machine use the ipconfig command.

 

I pinged the computers and they replied to each other. I will say that as soon as I saw 'replying' the window immediately disappeared...so I'm assuming that they communicated.

Now the UNC name did not work. It said "The Network path was not found." Let me tell you what I did to make sure I was correct. I went to Start - then RUN and entered \\computername\workgroup and then hit enter. (It was not underlined, for some reason, it's underlining in my post). I want to clarify that "sharename" is the same as "workgroup" because that's what's listed on my computers.

Let me know what's next!! BTW, I'm learning so much from all of you. I loved that I told my husband that I was "pinging" the computers. Geek talk.