Lost Network access on laptop

[Jack B]

I would appreciate some help on a lack of connectivity problem we have with
my wifes laptop. We have a cable modem which connects to a wireless router
(linksys wireless G). 3 computers in our home, 2 XP 1 Vista, are connected
by ethernet cables to the router, and my wifes laptop, XP, connects with a
wireless access. This has all worked fine since we got the laptop in
December, and it worked fine last night. The laptop also has an ethernet
access plug, which we haven't tried to use before.

This morning my wifes laptop wouldn''t connect to the network. Status says
"limited or no connectivity". If I try to view wireless networks, none show
up on the list, and I'm prompted to start a WZC service (I don't know what
that is and I haven't tried that yet).

I connected an ethernet cable to the laptop, but we can't get that to work
either. The adaptor recognized the network, it seemed, and seemed to be
connected, but we couldn't see anything on the network. The other ethernet
computers on the network are connecting fine, and I'm sending this on the
same network with ethernet.

My wife took the laptop to a local coffee shop with wireless and she could
not connect there either, but she says she did see the network on a list.

All the computers on our network are set to detect an IP address
automaticaly.

I've done all the things I can think of with network settings, etc., but
nothing has worked.

Does anyone have any ideas on what the problem might be?

Thanks,

Jack

 

[JAD]

I would appreciate some help on a lack of connectivity problem we have with my wifes
laptop. We have a cable modem which connects to a wireless router (linksys wireless G).
3 computers in our home, 2 XP 1 Vista, are connected by ethernet cables to the router,
and my wifes laptop, XP, connects with a wireless access. This has all worked fine
since we got the laptop in December, and it worked fine last night. The laptop also has
an ethernet access plug, which we haven't tried to use before.

This morning my wifes laptop wouldn''t connect to the network. Status says "limited or
no connectivity".

in my limited experience (last year or so dealing with wireless connectivity) this points
to a sercutity issue
Bad network password
router set to accept no new users (or limited users in setup)
The wireless network detection sequence not set to auto connect to your router first
the wireless card 'turned off' via hot key

If I try to view wireless networks, none show

 

[jinxy]

in my limited experience (last year or so dealing with wireless connectivity) this points
to a sercutity issue
Bad network password
router set to accept no new users (or limited users in setup)
The wireless network detection sequence not set to auto connect to your router first
the wireless card 'turned off' via hot key

If I try to view wireless networks, none show









- Show quoted text -

have you checked the status to see if you are enabled or disabled?
Right click the network icon and see if enabled

 

[Jack B]

Yes, I tried that - everything was enabled.

have you checked the status to see if you are enabled or disabled?
Right click the network icon and see if enabled

 

[jinxy]

Yes, I tried that - everything was enabled.







- Show quoted text -

Jack, I have a similar set up to yours. I ran into the same thing a
while back. I think that I had to unplug the power supply to my
Linksys G. After the router re-set I had no troubles. Hope this works
for you. I will ask my daughter what she did to fix this problem. I
will reply later to let you know

 

[Jack B]

Jack, I have a similar set up to yours. I ran into the same thing a
while back. I think that I had to unplug the power supply to my
Linksys G. After the router re-set I had no troubles. Hope this works
for you. I will ask my daughter what she did to fix this problem. I
will reply later to let you know

I tried the router re-set by unplugging and replugging earlier but that
didn't help. However, later in the day today, Tuesday, the laptop suddenly
starting working ok. My wife could receive and send email and see the
internet, and the connection was ok! Very weird, and nothing I did can
explain to me why it suddenly started working.

 

[w_tom]

I tried the router re-set by unplugging and replugging earlier but that
didn't help. However, later in the day today, Tuesday, the laptop suddenly
starting working ok. My wife could receive and send email and see the
internet, and the connection was ok! Very weird, and nothing I did can
explain to me why it suddenly started working.

Nothing weird. Time to learn how to solve problems without wild
speculation of 'try this and try that'. Previous mistake was to want
to repair rather than first collect facts. Now that things are
working is best time to learn how to 'discover'. For example, bring
up a Command Prompt window. Enter IPCONFIG . Notice numbers that
describe connections. Numbers that report useful information. Numbers
that when posted also result in useful replies.

Most important when trying to fix anything - first get the numbers.
Provided are numbers for computer's IP Address, Default Gateway, etc.
IOW this is how we break problems down into parts. First collect
facts. Browser may make no connections. Other computers might not be
seen. But if numbers in IPCONFIG exist, then 1) we are ready to learn
if hardware is OK and 2) don't yet care whether anything else works.

Well, the computer talked to a router recently and got assigned an
IP Address. Is computer still connected? Again, from Command
Prompt, this time enter
PING 192.168.1.1

If computer hardware is working this second (and even if nothing
else works), then the router with IP Address 192.168.1.1 will
respond. Best is to do this now when hardware is working. No reason
to 'spin wheels' again when failure happens. Previously no one could
provide a useful reply because you did not provide numbers from these
quick tests.

Also useful is the light often adjacent to where Ethernet cables
connect. Now is the time to see what those lights report when you
connect and disconnect working hardware. Again, do it now so that
when problems happen, you know what to look for.

Meanwhile, all responsible computer manufacturers provide
comprehensive hardware diagnostics just for your problem. Now is the
time to execute diagnostics for the ethernet (network) port to see
what good hardware reports. Does computer's main CPU talk to ethernet
port's computer? That test performed without complications of an
Operating System. Again, problems are broken down into parts; then
integrity confirmed or ridiculed. Previously you were trying to test
hardware, Operating System, network, router, .... too many things
simultaneously. Therefore nothing was learned. Now that hardware is
working is time to learn some simple and quick diagnostics that can
even result in useful replies here.