I have a problem with my laptop connecting to the Internet. Yesterday, for one reason or another, it stopped connecting to the Internet via wireless. I plugged up an Ethernet (CAT5) cable to the laptop and that enables it to access the Internet. I know the router is not the problem because my PS3 and Wii are able to connect to the Internet via wireless. My laptop shows that I am connected to the local wireless network but it won't connect to the Internet. I have tried the following solutions: 1. System restore 2. Repair the connection 3. Reset the router 4. Reset the modem 5. Virus/malware scans Nothing I am doing seems to have fixed the issue. Anybody care to take a stab at what the problem might be? PS: Not sure if this will help with anything but I noticed something funny on my modem. The 'Ready' light, which is the only light that is supposed to stay on and solid, is not on at all but the game systems are able to connect to the Internet through wireless and the laptop is able to through wired connection. I thought the LED might be out but I unplugged the modem and then replugged it and the LED does come on it just does not stay on. Not sure what is up there but my Internet seems to be working fine without the light on. TIA
wi-fi card for your laptop is probably busted. i would try to see if you can get another one replace it and see if it works...
1. have you tried contacting your ISP and asking them for help? they usually help. 2. is there any unsecure wireless connection near by you can try to connect to and see if the internet works? 3. go to Start > Run > Type in "cmd"> black box will appear (command prompt) type in ipconfig /flushdns > then type in ipconfig /registerdns -while still in command prompt type in ipconfig /release > then ipconfig /renew 4. go in to control panel > administrative tools > services and restart all the services below -DNS Client -DHCP Client -Network Connections -Network Location Awareness -Web Client -Wireless Zero Configuration after each step try accessing the internet before going on to the next one. let me know your results
Can you wirelessly connect to your router (from your laptop) using http://192.168.0.0 or whatever your router's address is?
Since you CAN connect to the router, but not to the internet, I'd say it is an access issue from your laptop to the router. Perhaps create the connection again? You may have to input the 10 or 12-alphanumeric code to have access through the router. Try what bobrek said. What is the router model / version of software you're using to connect wirelessly? I thought you made this thread before... not sure, though.
I was able to connect to the router by inputting the router's IP address and then entering my name and password information.
assuming you mean wirelessly? if so, this sounds like a DNS issue. if luckky's procedures above won't work, you may need to call your ISP to see if they've changed their settings, or check the settings on your PS3 and copy those (NOT the IP address, just DNS settings). if you're using DHCP, then typically DNS and IP settings get assigned dynamically, but if your isp has changed their settings, you may need to enter them manually.
1. Contacted my ISP and they told me to contact the router manufacturer. I don't know why I should do that when multiple other devices can connect via wireless through the router. 2. Not at the moment. The soonest I'll get to one is probably Thursday. 3. Tried this: flush was successful register gave me this message: "Registration of the DNS resource records for all adapters of this computer has been initiated. Any errors will be reported in the Event Viewer in 15 minutes." No errors were ever reported. release gave me the wired and wireless IP address, subnet mask, and default gateway (no default gateway was listed for the wireless connection) After completing these steps, the wireless connection still ceased to work. 4. Tried each step and accessing the Internet after each step. No luck. BTW, I cannot connect via wireless to the router. I can only access it when the CAT 5 cable is connected.
then it's highly unlikely the problem is DNS related. sounds like you have an issue w/ your wireless card.
Ugh, well it connects to the network just not the Internet but I've already mentioned that. The laptop is under warranty so I guess the next step is to contact Dell for assistance or repairs.
You gotta be accurate describing what you did. Did you have connection wirelessly to the router? You said you were able to connect to the router in the first post, but then implied that might've been via Cat5. This is important because I believe you have a wi-fi card and a lan card built in your laptop. First you need to make sure the wi-fi card is functioning. You can find that out via control panel->system->device manager Check under network adapters There should be wi-fi card and a LAN card listed there. Make sure the wi-fi card doesn't have a red cross on it. If there is, your wi-fi card is fried, time for you to get a new one. You can get a USB one pretty much everywhere. Now if the card physically is Ok, then you start look into the settings. Do you configure your router yourself? In the dos prompt, do a ipconfig /all, see if you get an IP address for your wi-fi card. If not, you need to get on the router to assign one. Have you changed WEP/WAP password, etc, etc. Good luck. Go through the router manual, that should help.
Here is what I would do. I would disconnect the wireless from every device. I would unplug the cable modem and the router. I would plug the cable modem and router back in after 30-60 seconds. I would reboot the laptop and see if it can connect while your other wireless devices are still disconnected. I have seen problems where routers work just fine but once more devices are added, they start having problems.
lil pun, youre the type of user we talk **** about here at work my friend... get your **** clear, does your wireless pick up any connections at all? are you able to connect to the damn WAP(access point)?
excellent advice- turn EVERYTHING off, unplug it even, then start at the modem, let it reboot, then reboot the router/wap, then your computer. this procedure will fix 75% of wireless issues, uhmmm, 50% of the time. but it's usually my first step.
Download the free malware utility from malwarebytes.com to another computer, put it on a usb drive, and run it on your laptop.
I really don't give a **** if you people talk about me or not. Thank you for your help before but you don't have to go spewing profanities like you're being inconvenienced, if it is troubling you helping me out then just don't do it. I fixed it myself anyway. I just uninstalled and reinstalled the wireless card's driver and that solved the problem even though Device Manager showed no problems with the driver. Now that I think about it, I cannot believe somebody didn't mention the drivers before, they usually do. Thanks for your help guys.
Generally drivers don't just stop working unless some sort of change was made to the system. It wouldn't surprise me if you still had a router problem.
Yeah and the thing that gets me is the device manager said nothing was wrong and I did a system restore so those two things right there should have knocked the driver issue out. I've had this setup, laptop, PS3, Wii using wireless, for nearly a year now but I still did what you said and disconnected everything.
I bet he had an automatic Windows Update that installed/updated the wireless driver or other associated services. I have seen this happen with video and sound drivers in the past. System Restore would probably tell the story, since it displays updates with time and date stamp.
