Serious Wifi connectivity issue with laptop.

[remus_lupin]

Hello,

My friend's laptop since day one of school this year has not been able to connect to the wireless internet, I am usually able to solve simple things like that quite easily, and if I don't know the answer I google it, I googled this particular issue a couple months back and found no solution. I even resorted to bringing the laptop into the University "tech help desk". No help, he just gave up, doesn't really bother him, he got over it.

But I was reminded of this again today and tried again and still could not find a solution.

It is a 15inch dell - I had the specific wifi card model # a while back when I initially searched for a solution - I will try and get those specific details tomorrow when I see him.

Anyway, the problem is not just at school, we were even at his girlfriends house and my house, and the laptop, NO MATTER what I tried, would NOT connect to the wifi, it will recognize the source, "connect", but he can not browse (it says no internet access). I tried taking my wireless security off, putting it back on, nothing. And this has been going on for months. The thing is, he is able to connect to the wifi at his house NO PROBLEM.

So, he can get on wifi at home, no where else. Regardless of whether or not there is a password/security, I couldn't think of any solution off the top of my head today, so I disabled ALL the firewalls and tried, again nothing.

I hope someone on here has experience something like this before and can suggest some sort of solution.

Thanks in advance

as well, it IS a newer laptop (purchased in 2010 for school) and is running windows 7

[+BudMan MVC]

"NO MATTER what I tried, would NOT connect to the wifi, it will recognize the source, "connect", but he can not browse"

Ok you say it won't connect - but then you say it does? Which is it?

Connecting to the wireless network is one part -- just because you connect does not mean you got an IP for example.

If you actually connected to the wireless, ie you see the wireless network and you say connect - it asks you for psk, or even if wide open and says connected and you show a speed your connected to etc..

What do you have for an IP?

do an IPconfig /all while connected to the network.. Does your ip start with 169.254.x.x -- means you never got an IP address from the dhcp server of that network.

If you say it works at his house -- I would guess he setup a static IP.. So say he set it for 192.168.0.100/24 with gateway and dns of 192.168.0.1... If at your house maybe your network is 192.168.1 or 192.168.2 etc.. so no his current IP and gateway would not be correct and then no you would not be able to browse the internet.

Another thing could be on his network he has a proxy set and on these other wireless network that proxy is not available.

Another issue that could cause what you describe is mac filtering - if the other locations use mac filtering - then his mac has to be added to their allowed list, etc.

[remus_lupin]

sorry, yeah it will say it's "connected" but it does not actually connect... For example, it will find the SSID and will allow you to click connect, and will say "connected but with no internet access".

I doubt its mac filtering, because I have done it at his girlfriends house, and that wasn't the issue, and that probably wouldn't be the issue at school either, as they would need to add nearly 20,000 computers.

I will check the IP on monday...

As well, if I remember correctly, when at school I noticed that it did show a speed when it was "connected" however both the IPv4 and IPv6 said no access.

And just for clarification (as I should have clarified before) when I said no matter what it wouldn't connect, but it would recognize the source, then "connect" with no internet access... I was using quotes to indicate that it would say it was connected to the wifi point but not to the internet, so... at no point OTHER than his house would his laptop connect to the internet. But again, I will look at some of the things you suggested on Monday

Thanks

[+BudMan MVC]

Well if your connecting to the wireless, but it says no internet - then yeah your prob not getting an IP.

I would "GUESS" the thing is setup as static, either in the IP or dns..

Post the output of ipconfig /all when it says you connected to wireless but does not work.

Simple test if it says you got a lease from whatever dhcp server is there.. Can you ping the gateway address??

If you can ping the gateway -- what does it show you for your dns? Again output of ipconfig /all will give us all this info.

[remus_lupin]

Hey, so I did an ipconfig both at school and at his house... They look similar (the default gateway etc.) so I am guessing you were right about he having it set up for a static IP (at his house).. But I am unsure how to undo this, or if that is exactly right, anyway, here are the print screens. Thanks very much

The first print screen was done at his house while connected to the internet, the second was taken at school when the computer was "connected" with no internet access

[+BudMan MVC]

Well you did not do the ipconfig /all like I asked.. Which would of clearly showed us you were static or dhcp.

ie

from my box

C:\Windows\System32>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : quad-w7

Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . : local.lan

Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid

IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : local.lan

Ethernet adapter gig:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller

Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-21-9B-03-AC-A7

DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No

Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.100(Preferred)

Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0

Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.253

DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.253

NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

C:\Windows\System32>

Plus you will notice my output is much cleaner looking since I have IPv6 disabled -- since I have no use for it other than playing with it now and then, when I do it turn it back on, etc.. But notice how mine clearly states dhcp enabled = no

Just change it to dhcp.. So as mine is currently static.. Here is how you could change it to dhcp -- This is my wired interface, but you will see your wireless here as well. But same thing - you would just right click and pick properties on your wireless interface like I did on my wired

so easy way to get there is just run, ncpa.cpl as in my screen shot, right click your interface and pick properties, then your tcp ipv4 prop, then change to dhcp vs static settings -- follow the red arrows ;)

Need more help just ask.

And yes if you set your interface as static at the house -- it would only work on other wireless networks where it was EXACTLY the same network.. And with a 192.168.7 I find that unlikely -- defaults are normally .0 or .1 or .2 -- you must of changed that at some point?? What router do you have.. Have never seen one default to 192.168.7 network... And if you did not do it -- someone clearly changed your wireless to be static - all interfaces in windows default to dhcp.

if you change it to dhcp and does not work -- check that your dhcp server is enabled on your router!!! Unless someone followed the 6 dumbest ways to secure wireless and thought that turning it off made it more secure from hackers -- that could explain the odd network and static setting ;) :rofl:

Clearly if you going to be moving your laptop to different wireless networks - a static setting is not going be very useful on those other networks.

[remus_lupin]

Sorry about that, but thanks very much for you help, I appreciate it!!!

I am fairly certain that your suggestion will solve the problem,

thank you again!

[ozyborn]

Unless you have an Atheros wireless adaptor. Then you are better off replacing it with ANY other adaptor on the market..

[remus_lupin]

And yes if you set your interface as static at the house -- it would only work on other wireless networks where it was EXACTLY the same network.. And with a 192.168.7 I find that unlikely -- defaults are normally .0 or .1 or .2 -- you must of changed that at some point?? What router do you have.. Have never seen one default to 192.168.7 network... And if you did not do it -- someone clearly changed your wireless to be static - all interfaces in windows default to dhcp.

if you change it to dhcp and does not work -- check that your dhcp server is enabled on your router!!! Unless someone followed the 6 dumbest ways to secure wireless and thought that turning it off made it more secure from hackers -- that could explain the odd network and static setting ;) :rofl:

Clearly if you going to be moving your laptop to different wireless networks - a static setting is not going be very useful on those other networks.

Yeah that makes perfect sense, but like I stated in the first post briefly, its my friends laptop. And he knows NOTHING of computers, if anyone made it static it was his dad. But I will correct whatever was done,

Thanks again for your help, and I apologize for being a bit confusing and not giving you all the info you asked for (I missed the part about ipconfig /all)

[ShiFteDReaLitY]

Have used many wireless cards/adapters in many computers and laptops and find atheros based ones to be the best. Also, Ralink based ones are very good as well.

[+BudMan MVC]

Lets know how it works out -- when you get back to his house and make sure it works when changed to dhcp.. the FUD is thick out there!! and I run into all the time where users have turned off their dhcp servers because they read some "guide" on how to secure their wireless ;) heheh And said turning of dhcp makes it more secure..

If I recall its #4 on the dumbest ways ;)

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/ou/the-six-dumbest-ways-to-secure-a-wireless-lan/43

That would explain the static on a wireless card.. Unless for troubleshooting a specific dhcp issue I can not think of one reason you would make a wireless nic static??? If you want it to always have the same IP -- then sure that is quite common to want, then setup a reservation in your dhcp server.

Remember to let us know how it turned out. And find out some info on why its static, etc.. Got me really curious ;)

[remus_lupin]

Lol, thanks guys, yeah I just txted my friend and he spoke with his dad and explained what the problem could be and he said he knew what to do to fix it, but I also asked why he had it set to static in the first place (as you were wondering)... and he didn't have a response he merely said "I set it up for this house so..." lol

He's actually a really smart guy, sometimes he doesn't think ahead I guess :p

There is no doubt in my mind that the problem is resolved, but if anything else comes up I know who to ask, thanks especially to you BudMan!

and thanks to everyone else for the suggestions on wireless adapters!