Wireless network + laptop troubles.

[Irving]

Hello gents,

I just picked up my first ever laptop. I can get it to successfully connect to my wireless network in my house, but I still can't get it to connect to the internet unless I directly connect to the router with a Cat 5 cable. This completely defeats the purpose of having the laptop. EDIT: I forgot to add that it is acting like when I need to unplug the comcast box when it goes on the fritz on occasion, only when I can't get internet on the laptop, I still can get internet on my desktop. This leads me to believe it is some system setting on the laptop.

I have one desktop, and it is also connected wirelessly. There is no computer directly connected to my router unless I go into the "office" with the laptop to try and figure this out.

The computer is running Vista. I've never used Vista before (and I already hate it), is there some kind of setting I need to change?

Cheers,

Irvingsworth

[Sixgun]

Maybe it's your firewall. Try going somewhere that has free wireless( starbucks, McD's ect), try to hook up there. [Luck]

[trlcavscout]

First if you are useing WPA security, hard wire in and change it to WEP and try it. Some SP's of vista dont like WPA. If the desktop is XP and it connects try the security change, Vista will take the WPA pass phrase and say it connects, but it doesnt. Their is a couple other things to check you can PM with any questions if you want, I do home networking for Comcast.

[kwando]

^
Agree

try to get into your router and disable encryption, if it connects try another type of encryption.

[Irving]

Okay, thanks fellas, I'll try that out and report back.

[Irving]

Thanks trlcavscout and Kwando. I changed to WEP (I managed to stumble through it) and it seems to be working. Now I just need to get the desktop in sync and I'll be good. Thanks so much for the help!

[Irving]

Okay, so I can get internet on both computers, but it seems to be intermittent for both of them. For instance, I've been trying to take this online course that requires loading a page about every 2-3 minutes and I keep having to wait for signal and it is driving me crazy. Could changing the security have effected this, or do you think it is two computers on the same network? Maybe I moved my router out of the perfect spot for getting decent reception.

I'll see if it is any better by tomorrow.

[kwando]

remove encryption and see if it still drops out.

i had intermittent problems before and it can be very frustrating, mine ended up being a bad router.

On your setup, if everything was working prior to you buying the laptop and changing the encryption, try either removing it or changing it to another type.

[hip55]

More than likely it is the router.

Did you run the setup application?

If you do decide to get a new router, this one rocks - (works great for me)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833314041

[trlcavscout]

Router placement is key, the higher in the house the better like 2nd floor, or at least up off the floor. Do not put on floor behind desk especially not behind a metal desk or cabinet. There is also a box you want to uncheck in most routers, if your signal is low checking this box will allow your PC to jump to another available network which results in very poor performance usually. I dont remember the exact wording on it though.

[TS12000]

Don't know if this helps but make sure your computers and router are all set up the same for their IP's (eg all dynamic or all static) or the two computers could clash over being assigned one IP address