Help Please! Desktop can't find internet!

The desktop computer that my family uses for everything has 'lost' it's ability to connect to the internet. The house is on a wireless network, and I'm typing this message from my laptop, sitting at the same desk that the desktop is on. The wireless network is obviously working.

When I check the wireless connection status, it shows I'm connected to the router with 4 bars of signal strength. I've refreshed the network list a few times, and reconnected to the router, but when I try to open any web page, I get the "this page can not be displayed" screen. For some reason, the computer isn't connecting to the 'net.

I've tried everything I know to try, anyone have ideas?

Update: Might be a problem with the network assigning the computer an IP address? I tried 'repair wireless connection' and am told that the computer can not renew the IP address. Now what?

 

I would try the following:

1. Power down (not just restart) the computer and back on.

2. Go to you cable modem - turn it off for 30 seconds then back on

3. Do the same with your wireless router - off for 30 seconds and back on


I'll bet that fixes it.


Jedi

 

I think you're right, but they need to be powered on in this order:

1. Cable Modem
2. Router
3. Computer

 

Doesn't really make much difference - I have to do it here every other month
or so and never much pay attention to order. One of the three boxes is "out of the loop"
is all it probably is - resetting all three should clear it up regardless of order,
at least in my own experience. Sometimes just doing just the router is all it takes.


Jedi

 

The reason for that order is that the modem gets an ip from the network, the router from the modem, etc.

 

Will give it a shot, but the router and modem are the same unit and 3 other computers are working fine.

 

FIRST, let's make sure it is not the browser.

• hold the windows key and press "R"
• type "cmd" and hit enter
• type "ping ferrarichat.com"
• you should see some information come up like listed below
  Code:

  Microsoft Windows [Version 6.0.6002]
  Copyright (c) 2006 Microsoft Corporation.  All rights reserved.
  
  C:\Users\Tim>ping ferrarichat.com
  
  Pinging ferrarichat.com [74.86.28.138] with 32 bytes of data:
  Reply from 74.86.28.138: bytes=32 time=48ms TTL=49
  Reply from 74.86.28.138: bytes=32 time=48ms TTL=49
  Reply from 74.86.28.138: bytes=32 time=48ms TTL=49
  Reply from 74.86.28.138: bytes=32 time=46ms TTL=49
  
  Ping statistics for 74.86.28.138:
      Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
  Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
      Minimum = 46ms, Maximum = 48ms, Average = 47ms
  
  C:\Users\Tim>

• type "exit"

If that worked, you have a browser issue, probably a connection, or it thinks it needs a proxy. Check the Tools>Internet Options>Connections>LAN Connections (button)

If that did not work, like there is no response and it says "100% loss" you may want to try the following, or just skip this part and go to tne next.

• hold the windows key and press "R"
• type "cmd" and hit enter
• type "ipconfig /release"
• type "ipconfig /renew"
• type "exit"
• reboot

Option 2

• open up your network connection
• go to wireless
• DELETE that wireless connection
• reboot
• click the wireless connection icon in the system tray
• select your network and re-enter the password
• open browser

Windows corrupts wifi a LOT, and it is usually a symptom of an O/S issue. This means clear a weekend to reinstall!

 

Ping didn't work.

Did the ipconfig release, it seemed to work.

Did the ipconfig renew and got:

No operation can be performed on LAN while it has its media disconnected.
An error occurred while renewing interface wireless network connection: unable to contact your DHCP server. request has timed out.

 

Time to try Testshoot's option 2 above - Delete it, and add it back again - No one really knows why, but hopefully that'll get it going again

Good luck, cheers,
Ian

 

Yep, sometimes Windows corrupts connections.

There ya go

 

The built-in wifi might have gone bad.

Get a USB or internal wifi card and try to connect with that. Or, try a wired connection if you can.

 

Next, instead of pinging to a domain name, ping to an IP.

ping 4.2.2.1

Let us know if you get replies.

If no, then the connection really is bad somewhere.
If yes, DNS is jacked up. Will provide a fix if this is it.

GT

 

"Pinging 4.2.2.1 with 32 bytes of data:
Request timed out (got this 4 times)
Ping statistics for 4.2.2.1:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 0, Lost =4 (100% loss),"

 

Progress!

ping 4.2.2.1
Pinging with 32 bytes of data

Reply from 4.2.2.1: bytes=32 time=6ms TTL=55
Reply from 4.2.2.1: bytes=32 time=6ms TTL=55
Reply from 4.2.2.1: bytes=32 time=5ms TTL=55
Reply from 4.2.2.1: bytes=32 time=4ms TTL=55

Ping statistics for 4.2.2.1:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 4ms, Maximum = 6ms, Average = 5ms


I created a new profile for the router on the offending computer and seem to have connected. I still can't get the browser to bring up a web page.

EDIT: found that my kid had installed FireFox, so I tried it. It works. IE does NOT. WTH.....

EDIT 2: This post is from the computer I've been having trouble with, using FireFox. Strange. Technology is a PITA.

 

open the internet options in your browser. click network or lan settings, make sure this is blank.

 

In particular make sure that the box that says "use a proxy server for your lan" is unchecked. Tools - Internet Options - connections tab - lan settings.
Some recent malware changes the proxy settings so that you can only get to their site.
Next you'll want to look at your hosts file which in XP is located in C:\windows\system32\drivers\etc and is just called hosts with no extension.
Have a look at the following link for help:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/972034

 

F-r-i-g-g-i-n-' w-o-n-d-e-r-f-u-l-!

Thanks for sharing that little tidbit!

Somewhat OT, but unworthy of a new thread (!) - Did anyone get screwed by McAfee's recent virus "dat" file update? - The one that decided that "svchost" was evil......

Bad, bad thing to happen as the box (basically) no longer knows which way is up, and furthermore the "easy" approach of mounting and patching from the network or even via a thumb drive doesn't work...... AFAIK, each and every machine that got hosed needed an "admin" visit

Cheers,
Ian

 

I know of a company (about 5K machines) that initially thought that a disgruntled employee had done it. They were in full panic mode for a while there but ended up coming out of it ok. I think that they are dropping McAfee because of it.