Inspiron 518 "Default gateway not available" error

 Roxbury Ranger,

What is the make and model of your wireless router? What type of security and channel are you using?

Try running an ipconfig /all log and post it back here. If you can, try it when connected, after repairing the connection.

Rick

Hi:

My router is a Trendnet TEW-633GR (and my DSL modem is a Westell 6100).

Here's the result of my ipconfig scan:

Windows IP Configuration

   Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : XXX
   Primary Dns Suffix  . . . . . . . :
   Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
   IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
   WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
   DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : myhome.westell.com

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . : myhome.westell.com
   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller
   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-21-9B-07-E1-7D
   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
   Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::d872:354a:eb4a:7b7e%13(Preferred)
   IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.10.199(Preferred)
   Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
   Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Wednesday, December 08, 2010 5:49:01 PM
   Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Friday, December 10, 2010 6:12:44 PM
   Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.10.1
   DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.10.1
   DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 268444059
   DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-12-81-4E-C2-00-21-9B-07-E1-7D
   DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.10.1
   NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Tunnel adapter isatap.myhome.westell.com:

   Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . : myhome.westell.com
   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter
   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 9:

   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . :
   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface
   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
   IPv6 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 2001:0:4137:9e76:2c60:3b0d:6838:c7c7(Preferred)
   Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::2c60:3b0d:6838:c7c7%12(Preferred)
   Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : ::
   NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled

I hope this gives some insight. This is driving me crazy.

 Roxbury Ranger,

If you open Internet Explorer and type 192.168.10.1 you should ba asked for a username and password. Which router is this opening?

I think the Westell 6100 uses 192.168.1.1, so if it does, then try changing the ip address on the Wireless router to 192.168.7.1

Here are the instructions to change the ip address in my old Netgear WGR614v6 router.

Please follow the steps to change the ip address of the Netgear router.

1. Connect the modem into the internet/wan port of the router. (The port that is closest to the antenna.)
2. Connect your computer into any of the lan ports on the router.
3. Plug the power cable into the router.
4. You should see 3 lights on the router (power, internet and lan connection).
5. Now, take out the power cable from the router and from the modem also. And plug the power back to the router, just to the router.
6. You should see 2 lights on the router (power and lan connection).
7. Open Internet explorer and in the address box type http://192.168.1.1/basicsetting.htm or http://www.routerlogin.com/basicsetting.htm and hit enter.
8. This will take you to the basic settings page of the router.
9. Click on apply button on the bottom.
10. Login to the router (User Name = admin Password = password unless you have changed it).
11. Click on LAN IP SETUP on the left hand side.
12. Change the lan ip address or local ip address to 192.168.7.1 and click on apply.
13. This will give you page cannot be displayed.
14. Now, connect take out the power cable form the router.
15. Plug the power cable to the modem and wait for the modem to come up properly, and when the modem is up then plug the power cable to the router.
16. Go back to the computer and try to access the Internet.

The links will not work for you but it gives you a rough idea where to look. I had the conflict with the two routers using the same ip addresses and it was a problem until changed.

Also go to control panel, network and sharing center, view status, properties. Make sure to click on TCP/IPv4 and TCIP/IPv6, click properties, are they are set to Obtain an IPv6 address automatically and obtain DNS server address automatically.

Rick

Hi Rick:

Thanks for the help with this. I'll try your suggestions when I have the chance. 

I appreciate the quick, detailed feedback.

Hi, just to follow this up, I believe the issue is one of network settings being lost when Windows puts the PC into sleep mode, or activates power saving options. This can include the network adapter and is a known issue, esp for Vista:

support.microsoft.com/.../933872

Most of the options usually suggested include changing the Power Saving settings to prevent your network adapter ever going into Power Saving mode. However even when I did this, it made no difference.

The microsoft KB article above accurately describes the issue I am having, However the solution posted is an old one and their view is that the problem should have been solved by more recent service packs.

So does Dell have any solutions for this - especially for my Inspiron 530S?

Colin-M,

Did you try these tweaks?

Start, control panel, device manager.

Go to the USB Controller section and click the + sign.

Go to each USB Root Hub and right click on it, left click properties, left click power management. Uncheck the box, allow computer to turn off this device to save power.

Restart your computer.

--------------------------------------

Start, control panel, device manager. Click on Network and then right click on your wireless adapter, left click properties, power management. Uncheck the box, allow computer to turn off this device to save power.

Rick

Hi Pudgy, thanks for your prompt reply.

In short, yes I've tried both of these:

- USB hubs were already set to have power saving not ticked
- Same for the network adapter 

I've now raised a new item with a little more info here:
http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/network-internet-wireless/f/3324/t/19386276.aspx 

I'd really appreciate anything else you would care to suggest I try.

Colin,

We can continue here or in the new thread. Try running Finding System Information remove your product ID and post the rest of the information back here.

Rick