Internet connection through router with LAN but not wireless on 9100

Question

I have installed a Netgear DG834N router to form an infrastructure network including my Inspiron 9100 running on XP Pro + SP2. I set it up using the Broadcom 440x LAN controller with no difficulties - I can access the internet (using Firefox) OK. The wireless set-up works fine with another laptop (Toshiba/XPPro+SP2) on the network and also with my son's Playstation. But, on the 9100, if I disable the LAN controller and enable the Dell WLAN 1450 mini-PCI card, I have no difficulty in connecting to (and controlling) the router but there is no connection to the Internet. Thus the 9100 is properly connected to the router wirelessly and the router is connected to the Internet (as both the 9100 LAN and the second computer results show) but, with wireless, neither Firefox nor Outlook connect to the Internet. I get exactly the same result if the WEP encryption is removed from the wireless set-up. It seems as though the Dell WLAN card is not feeding the internet connection to the programs although both the Dell WLAN Utility and the Device Manager indicate that everything is working. I've spent 2 days trying to resolve this problem .... Help!

volcano11 · Answer

To help troubleshoot this problem, on the 9100 when it is not connected to the router by etherenet, but is in range of the wireless router, go to Start > Run and type cmd then click OK. In the command prompt window that opens, type ipconfig /all then hit the enter key. Write down the output from this command or select it and save it to a txt file, then copy this output into a reply to this message.   Steve

willbryce · Answer

Done as you have suggested. Hope this helps, Steve. Windows IP Configuration Host Name : DELL9100 Primary Dns Suffix : Node Type : Unknown IP Routing Enabled : No WINS Proxy Enabled : No Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection: Connection-specific DNS Suffix : Description : Dell Wireless WLAN 1450 Dual Band WLAN Mini-PCI Card Physical Address : 00-90-4B-8F-BC-1F Dhcp Enabled : Yes Autoconfiguration Enabled : Yes IP Address : 192.168.0.4 Subnet Mask : 255.255.255.0 Default Gateway : 192.168.1.1 DHCP Server : 192.168.0.1 DNS Servers : 192.168.0.1 NetBIOS over Tcpip : Disabled Lease Obtained : 28 January 2008 16.18.39 Lease Expires : 31 January 2008 16.18.39

volcano11 · Answer

Ok, it is makeing a connection to the router by wireless and is getting a valid IP address.  From that it looks like everything should work.   Let's try a couple more things to see if we can isolate the problem.   First, try booting into Safe Mode with Network Support.  See if it can connect to internet sites in that mode.  If it can, then we know that something loading from Normal Startup is blocking the connection.   Second, in Normal Mode, open a command prompt window again and type the following:   ping dell.com then hit the Enter key.   Does it time out or receive 4 valid replies?   Then, in the same command promt window tye the following:   ping 143.166.83.38 then hit the Enter key.   Does it time out or receive 4 valid replies?   Steve

willbryce · Answer

Our replies have crossed. Hope situation now clear as my last message.

willbryce · Answer

Steve, re-reading message, I should have made clear that the only successful pings were with the direct Ethernet connection and that all the subsequent info relates to the WLAN.

willbryce · Answer

OK, Steve. If you can make any sense of this lot, I think that you should remame your self Stevie Wonder!
Pings worked OK with 4 replies on both using Ethernet connection.
In Safe Mode with Networking, no go.
Ping dell.com - no reply.
Ping 143.166.83.38 - 3 times - destination host unreachable.
IPconfig /all in Safe Mode:
Node Type : Broadcast
IP Routing : No
WINS Proxy : No
Media State : Media disconnected
Description : Dell ... 1450 ...
Physical address : 00-90-4B-...
and :
WLAN Utility : No connection
Device Manager : Enabled and OK
Network Connections : Not connected - and on right-clicking only the 'Disable' option was available.

I think that it's time that I should open a bottle ...

volcano11 · Answer

Since we are troubleshooting the wireless connection, I need you run the ping command again when the computer is connecting to the router by wireless and the ethernet cable is not plugged into the router (we already know that works).   Steve

willbryce · Answer

Steve, I did the previous pings in Safe Mode. In normal mode, i get timed out on both actions.

DELL-Chris B · Answer

willbryce:

Sorry to jump in on this thread. You might try running the following command on the 9100. Click Start --> Run type CMD and click OK. At the command prompt, type the following:

netsh int ip reset resetlog.txt and hit enter.

Once you are back to the command prompt, reboot your system and see if you can get out to the internet.

Let us know if that works.

willbryce · Answer

Many thanks for your response, Chris B. Unfortunately, your suggestion did not work.

Whereas previously I had had a continuous connection to the router, that has now become intermittent. Now it is there for a period - and then not. If connected and then disabled, it won't necessarily enable subsequently. Once I was looking forlornly at the 'Not connected' indication in Network Conns and then, for no apparent reason, it changed to 'Acquiring network address' and connected.

I have attached a 3Com PCMIA wireless card to the 9100 with absolutely no problems whatsoever and am using it now.

I'm suspicious that there might be a hardware fault with the Dell WLAN. I've removed and replaced the card to no effect.

Having spent 4 days on this problem, I'm planning to give up and simply attach a wireless card.

But I do appreciate the help that I have received from both you and Steve.

Cheers, willbryce

Networking, Internet, & Bluetooth

Internet connection through router with LAN but not wireless on 9100

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