You don't say the make router your using here, but assuming you connecting using an ethernet cable from your text, try rebooting the router back to default settings, you will need to set it back up again once done and try too connect once again, if it still fails to connect first look at your Laptops current setup as follows:
Open 'SYSTEM' from control panel, click the hardware tab then device manager and scoll down the list too 'NETWORK ADPATER/S' there may be more than one, check if any has a fault, 'Yellow exclamtion mark' if so reinstall the driver, right click, driver tab, update driver'
Reboot, try and connect.
if nothing and the adpater/s are all in order:
Open netwrok connections via the control panel and select your connection from the list, there may be more than one so start with the first item, right click it and select 'STATUS', This will display a page of detals regarding your connection, and the activity of that connection, a slowly building number of packets will tell you if the connection is actualy made and recieving and sending packets, if it reads a very low and static number or zero then the connection is not made, click the 'SUPPORT' tab, there you should see details of the connection IP address, suggest you write that down for later, (Router interface pages)
Next click the repair box once.
A small window will open inroming you of the progress of the repair, if it succeeds, try and connect again, if it fails it will tell you why it has failed to make a repair indicating were you should go next, if it mentions failed to clear ARP cache, do the following.
Click START > RUN to open the intirface window and enter CMD and press enter.
A small black page will open with lines of text, ignore these and at the flashing cursor cut and paste this line of text:
For XP home users:
SCHTASKS /CREATE /SC MINUTE /MO 5 /TN ARPFLUSH /TR C
WINNT\system32\netsh\interface\ip\delete\arpcache
For XP Pro users:
SCHTASKS /CREATE /SC MINUTE /MO 5 /TN ARPFLUSH /TR C
Windows\system32\netsh\interface\ip\delete\arpcache
pressing enter to force the command.
This will clear the APR cache of all IP information and cause the computer too continue to clear the cache every five minutes. something it is supposed to do anyway but often fails too causing connection drops and failures.
Reboot after this and try and connect.
If still no connection:
Open Network connections, right click your connetion and select properties, first click eh configure button next too your adapter description and click the power management tab, make sure the option tha allows your computer to 'Turn Off' the adapter is unchecked, click OK once, then reopen the properties page and scroll down the listing too the entry for 'Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)' highlight it and then click Properties.
Make sure the radio button for 'Obtain an IP address automatically' has a green dot in it, if not click it once to place on there, all other boxes will then clear and grey out. click OK once on that page, once again on the properties page and reboot and attempt too connect again.
What you will have achieved is the following:
Checked the physical connection between the router and laptop.
Checked and repaired your Adapter/s.
Checked and repaired your TCP/IP protocol.
Stopped your computer from turning of your adapters.
Made sure windows clear the ARP cache at regular intervals.
If you still cannot connect via an ethernet cable, Suspect the Router, either change it for a spare one or replace it. Further information on setting up, repairing and maintaining a network can be found at
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