Question : 127.0.0.1 Ping

what does ping 127.0.0.1 mean actually? If it pings successfully, does it mean that TCP/IP is working ok therefore, it wouldn't be neccessary to reinstall TCP/IP via a netsh ii rr command? Or having to reset winsock via netsh winsock reset catalog? I'm actually trying to decipher what steps to take first if one cannot connect to the internet via a cable modem ( no router) and if there is no IP address e.g. 00.000.000 or an IP of 169.  ect

Answer : 127.0.0.1 Ping

Ping 127.0.0.1 is testing your TCP/IP stack. If it fails then you need to reinstall TCP/IP. It is not a confirmation that your NIC is good. In fact you can go into device manager, disable the NIC and still successfully ping 127.0.0.1. To test the NIC you need to ping the IP address configured on the NIC. If it doesn't have an IP address then there are further troubleshooting steps you can take.