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03/12/2010 (12:19 pm)

Very challenging computer networking problem - Can anyone help? ?

Filed under: nappedeptrole.com edit
  • I've got a wireless home network that operates using a cable modem, a Linksys WRT54GS wireless router, and a WRE54G range expander. All of the 'pooters connect to the network with no trouble except for one. The problem 'pooter is a Dell Inspiron 8600 laptop running Windows XP ...service pack 2, I think. This laptop cannot connect to the router directly (using the cat5 ethernet cable) nor can it connect wirelessly. It does, however, recognize that the wireless network is present, and it requests the network key. It accepts the key and then says it's connected to the network...but there is no connectivity. I paid Linksys $39.99 last night, and the fellow there worked diligently, but eventually gave up, saying it would have to be fixed by someone higher on the technical skill level than he; he suspected something having to do with a firewall was causing the problem. Now I'm waiting for a call back from Linksys, and they're 25 minutes past the agreed upon call time.

    Anyway, what might be wrong here? How could I diagnose & fix the problem? Or what would be a better approach than waiting for Linksys to call back? Should I call Dell? What would they charge?

    The wireless card is a Dell Wireless WLAN 1350 Mini-PCI Card made by Broadcom. The ethernet adapter is a Broadcom 440x 10/100 Integrated Controller.

    Thanks in advance!!!


  • make sure the zero network service is running

    dellalso uses their own proprietary wireless service that can F*CK
    with windows wireless software
    that needs to be adress too


  • u check on router, is the channel u set is very high? u can try the lower channel (lower then 12)
    - firewall ....ur dell windows firewall or internet option?
    - check router again are u accidentally block then com? haha


  • It's possible that a virus or spyware has corrupted your winsock.dll or other vital file. Maybe try uninstalling/reinstalling the latest service pack... they typically contain updates for these files.


  • As someone suggested, I would repair your winsock first:
    http://www.snapfiles.com/get/winsockxpfi...

    There is the link to a program called winsock fix for XP. Download and run it.

    Secondly, when you are connected to the wireless network you need to ask yourself a couple questions.
    1. Does my computer obtain an ipaddress. To check this open a cmd prompt and type ipconfig /all
    2. If my computer obtains an ipaddress and gateway properly can it ping the gateway fine. so you would ping gatewayIPaddress

    For example: My computer obtains an ip address 192.168.1.28
    My default gateway is 192.158.1.1
    to check if I ping my default gateway I'd ping 192.168.1.1
    You should, if you are obtaining an ip address ping your internal default gateway.
    3. Next step is to see if you can ping external things
    ping www.google.com
    Can you ping that or not? If not try doing the IPaddress for google:
    ping 74.125.45.100

    Can you or can you not?
    If you can ping the number but not the domain name (google) then you have a DNS resolve issue. You'd need to clear that up.
    If you CANNOT ping the number NOR the name and you can ping your default gateway then confirm that the connection dies at your default gateway
    in the cmd prompt type tracert www.google.com
    That should tell you where the connection dies. If it's getting TO your gateway but not OUTSIDE to your gateways next hop then you need to check in your router to see what's happening to the traffic there.
    If you can't even hit your router then you've got something local to the machine causing some problems.

    So, in all that mess I just typed I'll give you the cliffnotes:
    Follow the advice of another person (and me) and download and install winsock fix. Follow the procedures above to see where the breakdown is. I've seen this problem be a bad winsock I've also seen it be DNS.

    Good luck!


  • I will start with basic check.
    go to:
    internet tools
    connectrions
    Lan Settings
    Proxy server

    and make sure the proxy settings are properly configured.


  • Try this, I'm assuming that spyware/virus may have damaged the winsock:

    CLick start - click run - type cmd - in the command windows type this: netsh winsock reset catalog then click enter and reboot the computer. Now see if it connects using the ethernet cable and if it does, then try the wireless.


  • Can that Dell connect to a different wifi network? Also, try (temporarily) disabling any security on the router to see if it will connect. Good luck.







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