31 replies to this topic

[loopi]

Hello

I am coming over from the Safer-Networking forum at the recommendation of Ken 545 for my connectivity issues. Essentially, one of our computers is no longer connecting to the internet. We hae a net gear wireless card that seems to be getting a signal fine, but it is not interfacing with the computer software. I suspected some virus activity which is why I was in a malware forum but after Ken has run some diagnoses, he thinks it is likely a networking issue.

Blow is a link to the thread to what has been done by Ken 545 so far.


http://forums.spybot...ead.php?t=64382

Thanks in advance for your help

Loopi

[paws]

HI Loopi
and welcome to the WTT forums, sorry to hear of the Wi Fi problem with your laptop..... but at least its good news that Ken has had a look at the internal running of your machine and can't see any malware showing.

As I understand it, from taking a quick look at your logs, another machine on your network can operate wirelessly and connect to the Internet satisfactorily..... is that right?

if so it indicates that your modem and router are working Ok and that the fault lies within the unco-operative laptop computer.... so that's where we need to concentrate our efforts.
To assist in troubleshooting I would like you please to:

1 check and double check that your wireless is switched on...on your computer, depending on make and model there may be a hardware switch or software key stroke using a function key...often a LED will illuminate to confirm that the wif fi is switched on.
2 Check in Device Manager that the wireless network adapter is working.... here's how
3 Click on Start
4 Right click My computer
5 Click on Properties
6 Click on Hardware/Device Manager
7 Scroll down to Network adapters
click the + sign next to network adapters and locate the network adapter that has Wireless in its title.
8 Please advise us the exact name of the wireless adapter in your next reply
9 Look carefully at the entry for the wireless network adapter.... is there a yellow marker or a Red marker against its name...(please advise in your reply)
10 right click on it.....is it said to be working OK? please advise and also list any error messages that you see in your next reply.
11 Check to see that no proxy servers have been "slipped into your computer" by subtefuge here's how:

12•Go to Start > Control Panel, and choose Network Connections.
•Right click on your default connection, usually Wireless Connection, and choose Properties.
•Click the Networking tab
•Double-click on the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) item.
•Write down the settings in case you should need to change them back.
•Select the radio button that says "Obtain DNS servers automatically".
•Click OK twice to get out of the properties screen and restart your computer.
•If not prompted to reboot go ahead and reboot manually.

13 In Internet Explorer.
•Check Internet Options settings.
•Tools > Internet Options > Connections
•LAN settings
•Choose "automatically detect settings"
•uncheck/untick/clear both proxy settings boxes

14 InMozilla FireFox (if you have this installed)
•Click on Advanced -> Network -> Setttings…
•the No Proxy option should be selected.
15 Next reboot your computer once again and now go here: (use an Internet enabled computer and download and use a CD to transfer to the uncooperative computer) the WinSock fix
http://majorgeeks.co...wnload4372.html
Run the WinSockfix tool.
16 Reboot your computer once again and see how it goes with the Internet, if still no joy then do this:
17Click on Start
Click on run
type in the white box
cmd
press Enter key
at the DOS prompt type in:
cmd /c "ipconfig /all > postme.txt & ping bbc.co.uk >> postme.txt & notepad postme.txt & del postme.txt"
Note please use "copy and paste" (Ctrl+c and Ctrl+v) for these commands, as this will automatically make sure you get the spaces correct! and also don't forget the opening and closing inverted commas, they need to be there...
Please copy and paste the output into your reply (Make sure you capture it all) and let us know the following:
The make and model number of your laptop
Regards
paws

[loopi]

Hi Paws thanks so much for taking the time to help - it is much appreciated and very selfless of you guys on these help forums to take your personal time to do this. Here are answers and results of your questions: 1. Wireless device is: Netgear Rangemax ™ wireless PC Card WPN511 2. There were no markers, red or yellow, next to the name 3. When i right clicked on the device it didn't say whether it was working or not, it just gave the following list of options to choose: Update Driver.... Disable Uninstall Scan for Hardware changes Properties (in Bold) 4. when i went into internet connections and clicked on TCP/IP, "Obtain DNS server automaticall"y and "obtain IP addresses automatically" already had the radio buttons selected and there was no other information filled in the other fields 5. I don't think Mozilla is installed; i looked through ALL PROGRAMS in the start menu and didn't see it 6. open and ran Winsock but no joy after reboot 7.Finally, below is the log after inputting the command prompt you requested: Windows IP Configuration Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : your-q6jowruuys Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . : Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection: Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8139/810x Family Fast Ethernet NIC Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-03-25-0A-D5-4C Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection 2: Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : Description . . . . . . . . . . . : NETGEAR RangeMax™ Wireless PC Card WPN511 Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-22-3F-35-57-19 Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes Autoconfiguration IP Address. . . : 169.254.75.140 Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0 IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : ? Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : ? ? ? Tunnel adapter Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface: Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : FF-FF-FF-FF-FF-FF-FF-FF Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : ? Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled Ping request could not find host bbc.co.uk. Please check the name and try again. Lastly, when i hover over the Network connection icon in the task bar tray, it says "signal strength excellent" status: limited or no connectivity very odd here's to hoping you can help us out Paws! cheers loopi

[loopi]

oops forgot this: emachines M5105 Celeron ® CPU 2.40GHz 2.39GHz, 736 MB of RAM

[paws]

Hi Loopi, All understood...thanks. The output you sent indicates that your computer is not getting an IP address from your router, so that's the area we need to concentrate on for now. If other laptops are connecting OK by wireless then we need to look first at the Wireless network adapter card (the Netgear WPN 511) Your laptop which was first released in 2003 did not come fitted internally with a wireless facility (most of them didn't at that time but now all new machines come with them fitted as standard) So to use the laptop wirelessly you have installed a separate Netgear WPN511 into the card slot in the side of the computer PCMCIA slot and up till fairly recently this has been working OK.......... This is the next step to take: 1 Remove the Netgear card and then push it back in making sure it is "square" and fits right the way home QUOTE 3. When i right clicked on the device it didn't say whether it was working or not, it just gave the following list of options to choose: Update Driver.... Disable Uninstall Scan for Hardware changes Properties (in Bold) At the above stage Right click on Properties and it will tell you if its working OK Report back on what you find.... as if its working OK then it looks as though it could be a conflict between the Netgear WPN511 software and the Windows Zero config utility Regards paws

[loopi]

hi paws yes, i picked up the laptop used from a friend and had to add the wireless card because he did not have one (funny, i always thought "router" was synonymous with "modem"). Anyways, removed and reinserted it squarely, and went to Properties and it says the device is working properly.......so....hmm? loopi

[paws]

(funny, i always thought "router" was synonymous with "modem").

Nope
Two different things......
(Although some routers. include now a modem/gateway, and a firewall, and a switch and a wireless access point....)

Next step
Right click on the wireless network icon in the bottom right corner of your screen...
click on repair.
Close down your machine,
close down your modem, close down your router.
Wait 2 minutes, restart (in this order) modem router and computer
Try the Internet again ..any joy?
Next, if no joy
then right click on your wireless network connection again, click on "View wireless networks available" and then on the next window "Refresh"
Please report back with what happens in each case..( I need to know the full message you get, in each case so please write it down
Regards
paws

[loopi]

Hi Paws So when I right clicked the wireless network connection icon and hit Repair, it read, "Windows is taking the following action", it had a couple messages initially but primarily it said, "renewing your ip address" - that ran for awhile and then finally got a message that read: "windows could not finish repairing the problem because the following actions cannot be completed: "Renewing your ip address" So i restarted in the order you mentioned (i don't know how to shut down the router (the netgear card) so i assumed i was to remove it and reinsert in the order you mentioned). No access after all that. When i clicked the icon again and brought up the window with the Refresh link, nothing happened when i clicked "refresh". The window that would normally show the list contained the following message: Windows cannot configure the wireless connection. If you have enabled another program to configure this wireless connection, use that software. If you want to use windows to configure this wireless connection, click "change advanced settings", click the wireless networks tab, and select the check box labeled "use windows to configure my wireless network settings" Loopi

[paws]

Hi Loopi,
Some more terminology for you!

(i don't know how to shut down the router (the netgear card) so i assumed i was to remove it and reinsert in the order you mentioned).

The wireless network card isn't the same as your router.....the wireless network card is your WPN511...that slots into the side of your computer...

But the good news is we are getting warmer! (I think)

Windows cannot configure the wireless connection. If you have enabled another program to configure this wireless connection, use that software.

If you want to use windows to configure this wireless connection, click "change advanced settings", click the wireless networks tab, and select the check box labeled "use windows to configure my wireless network settings"

The above indicates that there may be a potential conflict between your Netgear software and the Windows Network configurator.

So please follow the suggestion as follows

If you want to use windows to configure this wireless connection, click "change advanced settings", click the wireless networks tab, and select the check box labeled "use windows to configure my wireless network settings

When you have done this perhaps you will be able to see the name of your wireless signal that is being broadcast...

Let us know how it goes
Regards
paws

[loopi]

paws ok, so when i do that (check the box that allows windows to configure), suddenly the bubble for for wireless connections in task bar shows that i am connected to the internet (signal strength excellent), then a box pops up for Net Gear which reads: Both the NetGear product and MS windows XP include software you can use to manage your wireless connections. You must choose one or the other Radio buttons call to select: NETGEAR small wizard (recommended) and MS windows XP Wieless Zero configuration (refer to the MS documentation for help) If I choose Netgear (which is what we've always had previously), it shows the connection is working and then it shuts off again and reads: limited or no connetivity. Should I uninstall Netgear and reinstall the software? PS. i thought you mentioned earlier that Netgear was the router (or at least you said the modem is NOT the router), if netgear is the wireless card, what or where is the router? thanks paws loopi

[paws]

Hi Loopi, OK Just for the moment please select the Windows Wireless Zero configuration, and let Windows handle your wireless. as I believe this and your Netgear software maybe are in conflict...and this may be affecting the operation of your wireless Internet connection. Please don't uninstall the Netgear WPN511 software. A lot of folks using an ADSL Internet connection have the following type of set up: From the telephone socket in the wall there is a microfilter splitter and from this a wire leading to your modem and from this another wire leading to your Router. The router may be connected by an Ethernet cable to your computer or transmit from the Wireless Access Point in your router to your Netgear WPN511 Wireless network adapter card. Other folks just have a router that includes a modem (and also say 4 LAN ports, a Wireless Access Point and a hardware firewall. (If you enter the make and serial numbers of your modem/router into your favourite search engine...all should be revealed) The Netgear WPN511 is a wireless network adapter card that transmits and receives a wireless signal from the Wireless Access Point in your Router. You have this because when your laptop was made 8years ago now, they often were not fitted with wireless capability as standard.... Hope all this makes sense. Let us know how things go when Windows is handling your wireless...you should see the name of your wireless network if you right click on the Wireless network Icon..... then connect to it.... you may need to input your encryption key (or Windows may have remembered it for you) Regards paws.

[loopi]

hi paws so it ignored my request to let windows manage networks, once or twice, still showing no connection and kept asking if i wanted netgear or windows(netgear's popup window) to manage the connection, so i cliked through to windows and on some screen i clicked the "repair" link and voila....it is now connected to the internet. Web pages seem to open fine but not sure if it is dodgy or not. what would you recommend at this time? Just leave it alone? or should it really be running through net gear for maximum performance? by the way, i suppose i have a modem/router. I have phone line from a dedicated dsl jack that goes into the modem (actiontec) and basically both laptops (and a desktop in the garage) just connect wirelessly to the actiontec. It does have 4 jacks for ethernet connections, so maybe by that description it is technically a modem and router. So what do you suggest next? loopi

[paws]

Hi, Loopi,

and voila....it is now connected to the internet. Web pages seem to open fine but not sure if it is dodgy or not.

Well done, glad you got it fixed....

There's nothing dodgy in allowing Windows to manage your wireless network connection.

There is no need to use the Netgear wireless management software( unless you particularly want to...... there is no significant difference in for example Internet speed when using Windows or Netgear to manage your wireless.

Yes it looks like you have a combined modem/router/gateway/ wireless access point/4 port switch and firewall all in the one box!
My next suggestion......
is:
Advise Ken over at safer networking that your wireless is now all OK (as he may have some further steps for you to take)
and then:
Rejoice and enjoy your wireless connection!
Regards
paws

Edited by paws, 21 November 2011 - 02:50 AM.

[loopi]

Thank you for all your help Paws. I will update Ken. Just curious what you think the problem is with Netgear? Basically, what is going on that netgear all of a sudden failed? Finally, i wanted does it matter if my modem is encrypted as WEP or WPA? I used to have it as WPA where i could name the ISSID and the password, but when the Verizon tech gave us a new modem, it is WEP and i have to use the modem's name and security password. Does that make any difference in your mind? I'd like to be able to change it if i felt so inclined. All the best Loopi

[paws]

Hi Loopi, The problem was with a conflict between the Netgear software and Windows both wanting to manage your wireless Internet connection at the same time..... Personally I always set up machines to use Windows to manage the wireless ( Windows Zero configuration on XP machines) but there is nothing wrong with the Netgear software, its really a matter of personal choice. It's a good idea to encrypt your wireless signal so that other folks within a short radius (often about 30 metres, but could be more if sophisticated equipment was used (100ft or so) cant use your wireless Internet for their own purposes.... WEP is the weakest form of encryption (but is still a lot better than nothing...)WPA is considerably better than WEP and WPA2 even stronger... To a certain extent its necessary to check the capabilities of your wireless network adapter card and also for any other machines that want to use your network...and then use the strongest encryption available. or you could always buy brand new equipment Personally I'm happy to use WPA encryption with either TKIP or AES....however others may differ in their views.... I was a little worried that you say you are obliged to use the modem's name and security password.....as you should be able to access the modem/routers set up page via Internet Explorer and alter the Wireless settings including the SSID (Broadcast name) and the password. Regards paws