[SOLVED] Wireless status is 'connected', but internet won't work!

[hollyjaye]

Hello! A few months ago I set up the internet on my Acer Aspire 5100 (OS is Windows XP) laptop but the problem is that when I disconnect the blue ethernet cable that runs from my computer to the wireless router, the internet won't work. The wireless status is 'connected' and whenever I try to repair it it says everything's in working order.

Two other computers in the house work fine on the wireless router (netgear WGR614v7), which prompts me to believe it's a problem with my computer rather than the router. Is it possible that the router will only support a certain amount of computers connected to it?

I've googled this problem and have tried a few things suggested, like making sure the LAN settings are set to automatically detect and to disable the windows firewall (which I did through the firewall tab - this should be enough I thought?) but none of these have caused the internet to start working.

Please, please, please, does anyone have any suggestions as to why it's working on my flatmates' computers and not mine? This is probably a very stupid point, but a friend installed just the Windows Vista facade on my comp (not the actual OS though) and I was wondering if this had any effect? After he did this I noticed I had to reset the wireless zero configuration back to automatically detect wireless networks a couple of times, but again, I don't know if these things are linked in anything other than timing.

Any help is very much appreciated, because at the moment the only place I can use the internet on my laptop is on a cold floor right in the doorway of the hall, and it's just coming into winter, so I don't fancy doing it too much longer!

[johnwill]

It's not the number of connections. Perhaps if you gave us more information about the machine in question, we could be of more help.

Have you tried the laptop on other wireless networks? Exactly how far do you get in connecting? Can you find the router in available networks?

Let's see this for the machine when "connected" to the wireless network.

Hold the Windows key and press R, then type CMD to open a command prompt:

In the command prompt window that opens, type type the following command:

IPCONFIG /ALL

Right click in the command window and choose Select All, then hit Enter.
Paste the results in a message here.

If you are on a machine with no network connection, use a floppy, USB disk, or a CD-RW disk to transfer a text file with the information to allow pasting it here.

[hollyjaye]

My computer has been connected to two other wireless networks, and the router does appear in wireless networks. When I click on it it comes up with a green loading bar, which completes, then comes up as an icon in the bottom right hand corner of the screen which says connected, signal strength excellent.

I'm at work at the moment so I'll check the other things when I get home after 8, but are there any other details you need about my computer other than what you've asked me to do here?

Thanks so much for the fast reply!

[hollyjaye]

Here we go!

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\Holly Harper>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : CHESTER
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : Yes
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8139/810x Family Fast Eth
ernet NIC
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-16-D4-60-51-7D
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.2
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 203.0.178.191
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Sunday, 25 May 2008 10:38:57 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Monday, 26 May 2008 10:32:49 PM

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Atheros AR5005G Wireless Network Ada
pter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-16-CF-A5-2C-66
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :

C:\Documents and Settings\Holly Harper>

[hollyjaye]

Does anyone have any suggestions about this? Thanks!

[tracyturner999]

I am having exactly the same problem with mine as well!!

[DonTheModem Guy]

I just read your post. What wireless router are you using? Have you done a reset to the router yet? Also, have you cleaned up your Temp Int. files, cookies and history?

[hollyjaye]

I'm using a Netgear 54Mbps Wireless Router (WGR614). I've cleaned out all the temp internet files etc, and I haven't reset the router recently, but I'm pretty sure I did at the start when I was installing it. If it was the router that wasn't working properly would it mean my flatmates would still be able to use it like they are now?

[johnwill]

Disable ICS.

Disabling Internet Connection Sharing

[hollyjaye]

John, you wonderful, wonderful man! I am now writing this upstairs in my heated room instead of downstairs in the draughty hallway using my wireless internet! Ahh, to think all this was caused by one pesky little checked box! You have made my day, no, my month! If you're ever in Melbourne, Australia drop by and I'll shout you a round!

A quick, very uninformed question though, is this going to affect my two flatmates' connections at all?

[johnwill]

It won't affect anyone else at all, it's a local setting. Glad to see it got you going.

[pagegurl]

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