Cannot connect to internet on wireless network

[The Bubba]

I set up the wireless router (hard wired) and network and even though my laptop shows it's connected and with very good signal, when I try to go on the internet, it says no internet connection. How is that? I have a cable connection to my PC and am using XP.

[dahlarbear]

1.  No Internet Connection.  Within the configuration pages of a home router, you can generally restrict internet access based upon:
     a.  IP address
     b.  MAC address
     c.  Day(s) of week
     d.  Time of day

Check the current configuration.

Does it really say "no internet connection"?

2.  Verify Local Area Network (LAN) Connection.  From command window on laptop:
     a.  ping 127.0.0.1
     b.  ping <your own laptop IP address>
     c.  ping <IP address of home router>
     d.  ping <IP address of another computer on your LAN>

All of the above pings should succeed unless blocked by local software firewalls on your computers.

3.  Verify Internet Connection.  Try an internet IP address:
     a.  ping <IP address of ISP DNS server>
     b.  ping 69.72.169.241       ; (IP address of www.computerhope.com)

then try an internet fully qualified domain name (using DNS servers):
     c.  ping www.computerhope.com
     d.  ping www.msn.com
   
4.  No Luck.  From the laptop, cut and paste output of "ipconfig /all" to this thread.

Hint:  You can redirect the output to a text file and then cut and paste from there using command similar to:  "ipconfig /all > %systemdrive%\chope.txt" .

%systemdrive% is an environment variable which should resolve to logical drive your operating system is installed to (e.g. "C:").

[The Bubba]

Maybe this will help, not that I'm not willing to try your advice. When asking the laptop to show available networks, it calls up my network. At the bottom right hand corner of the box it has a disconnect box which if selected will ask you if you want to disconnect from the network but in the upper right hand corner of the shown network it has disconnected next to the signal strength bar.

[dahlarbear]

Download following Microsoft Word Doc:  Troubleshooting Microsoft Windows XP-based Wireless Networks in the Small Office or Home Office

[TechGeek]

go to the network adapters, right click, and click refresh

xp does that where it says not connected

[The Bubba]

Thanks to both, will check it out.

[The Bubba]

Well here's the scoop, first, the network adapter won't refresh (it doesn't act like it's an available function), second, I reestablished my network, chose the recommended password, loaded the flashdrive to my laptop and then back to my PC. Now when I try to connect, it says "acquiring network address. As far as I can tell by trouble shooting it, acquiring network address means the wrong password was entered. The password was already pre entered when it asked for it.

A side note, I downloaded SP2 and installed it on my laptop, it should have been on the original XP install disc but installed it anyway. It doesn't show up in the add/ remove programs section in the control panel. My PC shows it installed and thought the laptop should as well.

[The Bubba]

Have you guys given up on me? I have now managed to get a connection without protection (anyone can see it) and still can't connect to the net.

[dahlarbear]

1.  Verify Local Area Network (LAN) Connection.  From command window on laptop (Start -> Run -> type "cmd" without quotes, then hit Enter):
     a.  ping 127.0.0.1                                # Verifies TCP/IP stack of laptop
     b.  ping <your laptop IP address>      # Access your network card
     c.  ping <desktop IP address>            # Access another PC on your LAN
     d.  ping <home router IP address>     # Access "gateway" for your LAN
 
All of the above pings should succeed unless blocked by local software firewalls on the computers.

If any of the above are not successful, please report the error/status messages you see.

2.  Verify Internet Connection.  From command window on laptop, try an internet IP address:
     a.  ping 69.72.169.241                  # (IP address of www.computerhope.com)
     b.  ping <DNS server IP address>

then try a fully qualified domain name (FQDN) for an internet website:
     c.  ping www.computerhope.com
     d.  ping www.msn.com

Please report the "ping" results.  Successful or error/status message if not.

3.  Tutorial:  How to Ping - Windows Tutorial

[The Bubba]

Thanks dahlarbear, I'll give it a try.

[The Bubba]

Well I've pinged everything and each time I get "Windows cannot find, make sure you typed the name correctly then try again.

[The Bubba]

OK, a new situation has arose, I'm now able to connect to a network call 'Linksys" the bad thing is that it's an open network and it says others can see what you're sending. I checked the firewall and it's on. Also, even though I have two networks installed, when asking to view existing networks, it only shows the Linksys and it's not the first one selected.

[dahlarbear]

Well I've pinged everything and each time I get "Windows cannot find, make sure you typed the name correctly then try again.

The error message above indicates it was unable to find the "ping" utility.

Call me a skeptic, but I think you should try again.  The commands should be executed from a command window.  To get a command window:  Start -> Run -> type "cmd" without quotes, then hit Enter):

1.  What are the results from command line "ping /?" ?

2.  What are the results from command line "ping 127.0.0.1" ?

3.  What are the results from command line "ping localhost" ?

4.  Do you know the IP_Address for the laptop's wireless network connection ?

If you know its address, what are the results from the command line "ping <Laptop IP_Address>" where you need to substitute it's IP_Address for entire substring "<Laptop IP_Address>" ?

Note:  I'm assuming you're using IPv4 addresses of form "nnn.nnn.nnn.nnn" where nnn represents a decimal (base 10) number from 0 thru 255.

[The Bubba]

You lost me on the last part. All I'm doing when pinging is just entering the IP address. For example my router is 192.168.1.1 and I get the windows cannot find. How can I protect the Linksys network I can connect with?

[Kip]

Are you typing in a window titled "Run" or a black window titled something like "C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe"?

Also, are you typing "ping 192.168.1.1" or are you typing "192.168.1.1"?