Laptop wont connect

[in-dublin]

Hi

A brand new laptop was working for weeks but now says network is unknown and wont connect to internet ( even though the wifi signal is fine )

Any ideas

Thanks

 

[mit74]

any changes to the router / wifi? Sometimes if the type of encryption is changed it may have problems. Goto manage wireless settings and delete the profile for your wifi. This forces it to reload the connection.

Also check for any conflicting channels that may have popped up from neighbours etc. Another one could be a win7 firewall blocking your connection or blocking IE/Firefox.

Click on start and type CMD and type ipconfig in the console. What is your IP?

 

[Billmccallum]

Its likley that the wireless card has been switched off by accident, happened to me more than once...

I have a Dell Inspiron, the wireless key (looks like a electricity pylon icon on the key) is on the third key from the left on the top row, after a couple of tries using shift, control and other keys, finally got it to turn on.

 

[Jim2k]

Are you using Windows 7? If the system has remembered your connection, try removing it and re-adding it .Ive sen it get stuck in a loop before and not be able to connect. Removing the remembered connection sorts it out.

Other than that as above check wireless card is on, try changing wireless channels etc. Does it connect fine over a cable from router?

 

[stugster]

Before adjusting settings, have you tried just rebooting the router?

 

[safesys]

Before adjusting settings, have you tried just rebooting the router?

Good advice there. Sounds like the DHCP on it might have stopped, so it would pick up a decent wireless signal but not get an IP address to let it connect to the internet.

Does the laptop work on other wireless connections okay?

 

[Iphone4ipad]

I do have this problem for sign skype some time .dont know what happened ;so annoying

 

[leemason]

Good advice there. Sounds like the DHCP on it might have stopped, so it would pick up a decent wireless signal but not get an IP address to let it connect to the internet.

Does the laptop work on other wireless connections okay?

I'd agree with this. If you have a wireless connection and good signal it could be a DHCP problem. Do you know what the IP address of the router is? If so try setting an IP address on the wireless interface manually in the same subnet as the router and set the router address as the default gateway. So if the router is 192.168.0.1 set your laptop to 192.168.0.200 (for example). Then open a command window and try pinging the router:

ping 192.168.0.1

If the router responds browse to it using IE and check the DHCP settings and make sure the DHCP server is running.

 

[JElder]

I do have this problem for sign skype some time .dont know what happened ;so annoying

Skype is having problems today - it's a Skype server issue.

 

[anthonylane13]

Obviously, best advice so far = make sure your wireless card is turned on on your laptop!

First port of call with these kinds of issues is to reboot all the equipment. Router, computer. Sometimes you even need to unplug the cables from your filter (the bit that splits your phone and broadband line) and reconnect them.

If that doesn't work then check the device manager (start menu, type device manager in the search field, click on it from the list at the top). Scroll down to network adapters and click to expand. Make sure there's no yellow triangle with an exclamation mark in it next to your wireless card. If there is, you may need to reinstall the drivers.

Good luck.

 

[mit74]

Obviously, best advice so far = make sure your wireless card is turned on on your laptop!



Good luck.

No not really. He said he can connect and there are full bars so the card is obviously on.

 

[anthonylane13]

No not really. He said he can connect and there are full bars so the card is obviously on.

haha oops!

Well, I tried!

 

[KM-Tiger]

The trouble with this sort of question (particularly as the OP has not returned) is that we could all speculate for pages on too little information.

Should the OP return then please take up mit74's sensible suggestion to run ipconfig and paste the result here. Then there will be something to go on.