Recognition of internet connection

[Proof Reader]

I would dearly appreciate assistance. I can connect to the internet via my isp - Tiscali but then Internet Explorer, Hotmail, my Antivirus protection etc all don't recognise that I am connected to the internet. If I connect to tiscali via my lap top I have no problem at all.

THis happened about six days ago and I have since been trying all kinds of things to try to resolve the issue.

Please don't suggest System Restore. I only wish I had that capability but that stopped several months ago and any points I or the system put in are removed the following day.

Can anyone help?

Many thanks

[Keef]

Has it always been like this, or did it just stop working? I assume from what you say it's a new problem on a machine that worked OK.

It sounds suspiciously like a "nasty" has got into your machine. What firewall and anti-virus do you have on it?

Does the system tell you anything? Control Panel - Administrative Tools - Event Viewer - Application, and System.

Open a "DOS Box" (Click Start - Run, then type CMD in the box and press enter);
when the C:> prompt appears, type
IPCONFIG /ALL
and report here on what you see.

If you have a router, you'll see something a bit like this:
Windows IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : Keefsdesktop
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8139/810x Family Fast Ethernet NIC
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-0B-6A-92-30-A6
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.8.110
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.8.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.8.1If you have a USB or similar connection, some of that won't be there.

What you're interested in is whether or not there's an IP address, and what else is known.

[BOAC]

PR - we are assuming you are on broadband rather than dial-up? Are you connected modem/wireless/network/RJ45?

Worth a quick check on IE/Tools/Internet Options/Connections that you have 'never dial a connection' selected.

[Unixman]

and lets assume for a moment that the above works. The next thing is to see whethr the outside world is accessible from the command prompt.

Firstly try (from the same command prompt) pinging the router (which is 192.168.1.1 in my case)

You should get something like this:

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.
C:\Documents and Settings\dad>ping 192.168.1.1
Pinging 192.168.1.1 with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=2ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=2ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=2ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=2ms TTL=64
Ping statistics for 192.168.1.1:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 2ms, Maximum = 2ms, Average = 2ms
C:\Documents and Settings\dad>

if this doesn't work then you cannot contact the router and it is a local issue. If it does then it is time to look at connectivity with the outside world. Firstly see if nslookup works. (This maps DNS addresses to IP addresses)

A good test is the BBC:

nslookup www.bbc.co.uk (http://www.bbc.co.uk)

You should get something like:
C:\Documents and Settings\dad>nslookup www.bbc.co.uk (http://www.bbc.co.uk)
*** Can't find server name for address 192.168.1.1: Non-existent domain
*** Default servers are not available
Server: UnKnown
Address: 192.168.1.1
Non-authoritative answer:
Name: www.bbc.net.uk (http://www.bbc.net.uk)
Address: 212.58.253.71
Aliases: www.bbc.co.uk (http://www.bbc.co.uk)

C:\Documents and Settings\dad>w

now the BBC is pingable (not all sites are)


C:\Documents and Settings\dad>ping www.bbc.co.uk (http://www.bbc.co.uk)
Pinging www.bbc.net.uk (http://www.bbc.net.uk) [212.58.227.78] with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 212.58.227.78: bytes=32 time=39ms TTL=246
Reply from 212.58.227.78: bytes=32 time=40ms TTL=246
Reply from 212.58.227.78: bytes=32 time=42ms TTL=246
Reply from 212.58.227.78: bytes=32 time=40ms TTL=246
Ping statistics for 212.58.227.78:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 39ms, Maximum = 42ms, Average = 40ms


If all of this lot works then you must consider firewall issues. Switch of firewalls (urgh but it is necessary) and try again ..

[Keef]

I was hoping to find out if there's an internet connection there at all.
If the router shows (in my case, 192.168.8.1 and in yours 192.168.1.1) you can be pretty sure it will ping OK too.

What if we find it's all dial-up?

I think the ipconfig will be an interesting result

Since the laptop connects fine, the next question is: is the laptop connected to the same router?

[Proof Reader]

You are all very kind. Thank you. I will try what you say but I may take some time. However - I WILL get back to you, BTW - it is broadband.

[Keef]

Do it a bit at a time!

The ipconfig /all thing will reveal a lot.

Do you have a router with the laptop and the desktop both connected to it, or do they each connect direct to the telephone line when needed, with a modem (USB or similar)?

[Saab Dastard]

You may have a wireless signal, but you sure as hell ain't got a proper network connection!

You do not have DHCP enabled - yet you have no gateway configured, nor have you any DNS servers listed. In fact, the fixed IP address you have is almost certainly the same as the wifi router!

Either switch ON DHCP, or supply the correct information manually - node IP address (subnet mask is correct), gateway address (router address) and DNS server addresses.

Otherwise you would never see anything on the network!

Here's mine, for example:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) PRO/100+ Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-D0-B7-91-BF-7F
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.92.2
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.92.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 62.30.112.39
194.117.134.19

SD

[BOAC]

Have a poke around in the BT router control panel and switch it on there.


What is DHCP?
DHCP stands for "Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol".
What is DHCP's purpose? DHCP's purpose is to enable individual computers on an IP network to extract their configurations from a server (the 'DHCP server') or servers, in particular, servers that have no exact information about the individual computers until they request the information. The overall purpose of this is to reduce the work necessary to administer a large IP network. The most significant piece of information distributed in this manner is the IP address.
but don't worry - just 'turn it on':)

[Saab Dastard]

It's not the DHCP server service that is on the router I'm concerned about here, BOAC, it's actually the DHCP client on the laptop, as evidenced by the contents of the IPCONFIG /all:

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Railink Turbo Wireless LAN card

Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-10-60-66-F2-E9
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :

Note that DHCP client is OFF, Default gateway is not specified, and no DNS servers are listed. That is not going to get anywhere!

There are 2 possibilities - set up the IP configuration manually, or set it all to DHCP. I assume that the latter is in use.

There are lots of ways into Network Connections, but Start - Settings - Control Panel - Network Connections will get you there.

Now double click the wireless card - Properties - Internet Protocol - Properties - General - ensure that both Obtain IP address automatically and Obtain DNS address automatically are selected.

Save and exit.

Voila.

ps

I don't the think the router is the problem, a) because the laptop IP address would be 169.x.x.x if it was set to use DHCP but couldn't find a DHCP server and b) because other clients on the network are fine.

If the settings are configured manually, then uklocations should find out from the other PCs what the correct settings should be, and set them exactly the same (except for the IP address, the last digit of which should be different to all the others and non-zero).

SD

[Keef]

Unlesss there's a good reason not to, I'd just turn on DHCP and be done with it. Let us know if that works!

It may be given a different DHCP address each time you switch it on - anywhere between 192.168.0.2 and 192.168.0.250-ish in your example. That will be completely transparent to you in most situations. You don't care. It's the easy way.

If you want to be able to connect to that PC from another location (eg home-to-work or vice-versa, via a "tunnel" or a Virtual Private Network), then you want it always to have the same IP address so you know its "address" on the Internet. In that case, instead of turning on DHCP, you would allocate it a fixed IP address and Default Gateway. You'd also have to tell the router about that IP address, and give it the MAC number (and maybe also the name) of the PC.

Saab Dastard's is like that - you see his has "DHCP enabled...No". Mine's the same (but different numbers).

[HuntandFish]

I sometimes loose Internet connection to a wireless Broadband router .
Rebooting the router ie remove power and disconnecting/reconnecting at the pc always fixes it . No idea what causes it though

[Keef]

Do you have to do BOTH of those to reconnect?

Do you have a wired connection to the router, and does it do the same?

It could be a wireless problem, with one series of potential fixes, or it could be a problem with the incoming ADSL (different fixes).

[HuntandFish]

I am running Vista .
Wireless connection only though.
What seems to happen is that the pc gets in an odd state thinking it has a connection so connect /reconnect clears that but the router reboot is needed to clear what I think is the cause . It could be an issue with the Bt exchange dropping the ADSL line ? It happens every few weeks .

[Monkeeeey]

I sometimes loose Internet connection to a wireless Broadband router .
Rebooting the router ie remove power and disconnecting/reconnecting at the pc always fixes it . No idea what causes it though

So if you've checked your wireless network and still get intermittent internet connections you need to look at the wiring.

It depends on the type of broadband service you are using, if it’s an ADSL broadband service the telephone line SNR (signal to noise ratio) can drop too low for the router to sync with the cards at the switch. The distance you are away from the ISP/BT exchange can play an important factor as can the quality of the line. If the ISP is trying to give you faster speeds over a degraded line it will occasionally drop below an acceptable SNR and will disconnect. Different makes of routers/ADSL modems have different SNR thresholds, some are better listeners. Also check any devices you might have hooked into your telephone sockets around the house, even line extensions that have been terminated badly can add noise to the line which will lower the SNR figure. If the disconnection is very frequent ask the provider to recheck you line and to monitor the drop out rate.

If it’s a Cable Broadband then it will either run though a setup box or a standalone modem, problems normally stem from a p1ss poor installation the signal rates are too high or too low and they have not used the correct attenuators or filters. Again call the provider and ask for a repair technician, they will normally swap or add a data filter or up/lower the signal levels.

Another option that can help you spot connection issues is to add 'Internet Gateway Device Discovery and Control Client' or 'UPnP User Interface' these are both part of the windows setup and can be found by going into control panel, double click add remove programs, select Add/Remove Windows Components, select Network Services and click details button, tick 'Internet Gateway Device Discovery and Control Client' and 'UPnP User Interface', click OK. You may need your windows disks.

Hope this helps....

[Proof Reader]

Thanks chaps. I am sorted, although to be honest I don't really know how or why.

I fiddled for a long time, got late for the bus to work and missed it. While waiting this bloke came up to join the queue. Not sure why but he told everybody that he flew Harriers. I said "That may be but can you fix computers?" He came round that night and now it works fine. All he wanted was some breakfast. Wonder if he has heard of PPRuNe?

[The Nr Fairy]

With that, I think this thread needs to go into "Mil Forums". Anyone masquerading as a Harrier pilot, who successfully uses that to get into a house AND get breakfast, needs to spread the word on how he did it !

[BOAC]

On the contary, NR While waiting this bloke came up to join the queue. Not sure why but he told everybody that he flew Harriers. - he needs locking up (unless it is me,of course:))

[gingernut]

I wonder if you can help chaps.

Since coming off my holiday, my wireless laptop fails to connect. It was always a bit dodgy anyway, I used to have to ask "Windows to automatically detect settings" before it would ever connect, but now I've got a new icon in the bottom right hand corner, "Wireless LAN Indicator" with a big red cross through it, and nothing seems to work.

It runs windows xp, and I'm with bt , and my daughters laptop seems to work.

Cheers,ginge.

[gingernut]

It's woring now, but I'm plgged into a cable that's in the hub.:)

[Keef]

Sounds like a dodgy WiFi device on your laptop to me. Is it internal, or a "plug in"?

If it's internal, try a scan for wireless networks (how you do that depends a bit on the software you're using).

If it's external and you have a different card, try that.

If neither of those works, download Network Stumbler and see what it finds. That's not what it's designed for, but it does quite a good job at it. If that says "No Wireless device detected", you know what's up. If it finds your network and others, then the problem is in the setup of your wireless network.

[gingernut]

Thanks Keef, it's an internal device, when I ask the software to "View available wireless connections" I get a message saying "No wireless networks were found in range."

When I click "Change advanced settings" and "wireless networks" my "BTHomeHub-A8f1 (Automatic)" icon is shown in the "Preferred networks" box, but again, a red cross is through it.

Mrs G's got a "Belkin" network card, but I don't seem to have a "CardBus"slot.

I've downloaded network stumbler, but nothing is shown in the windows.

Interestingly the software says that the card is working ok

cheers, ginge:)

[Keef]

"No wireless networks" sounds like the WiFi in the laptop is dead or switched off. Is there a function to turn off the onboard WiFi? A bit obvious, but ... been there, done that :(

If you co to Control Panel - System - Hardware - Device Manager - View: Devices by Connection
and then chase down the + signs, can you find a wireless network device, and what does it say under "properties" or "drivers"?

Otherwise, look in Control Panel - Network Connections. What devices appear? Where it says something like "High Speed Internet", double-click each device, then look at "Support" and see if it says anything useful. You may even see an IP address...

Do you have a separate Wireless device you can plug in - either into a PCMCIA slot if you have one, or otherwise a USB?

[gingernut]

Thanks Keef, control panel/system/hardware/devicemanager/view by connection didn't reveal any wireless network devices.

Control panel/network connections reveals my Wireless LAN card, and it says "not connected"

When I right click on this, and click properties, it tels me that the card is working properly.

I've tried "repair" also, and that doesn't seem to work.

In the past I've clicked properties and let windows automatically connect, but this doesn't seem towork either.

Do you think it's worth just replacing the wireless card?

Or would this work?? http://www.play.com/PC/PCs/4-/3593637/Sweex-Wireless-LAN-USB-2-0-Adapter-54-Mbps/Product.html

cheers ginge:)

[Wader2]

I had a similar no wireless connection. I had been at a friend's house and connected through an unsecured wifi without problem. When I got home my laptop could not find the WAP wifi at all. Only one thing worked.

I did a System Restore to the restore point before I had left home. Job done.

I have also had problems where the router has been rebooted but the laptop reports no signal. NetStumbler shows the router transmitting a non-continuous signal say on/off at one second intervals or longer. Gradually the On periods increase and eventually I get a lock. No idea what causes this.

Patience is required, that is all.

[gingernut]

Thanks a lot, bought this http://www.play.com/PC/PCs/4-/3593637/Sweex-Wireless-LAN-USB-2-0-Adapter-54-Mbps/Product.html from play.com for a tenner, and all seems to be working well.:)

I think leaving my computer in the conservatory must've cooked something.