Off and On Wireless Connectivity

Question

Hi All,   I'm hoping someone can help me figure this out.  I've been using a Dell 700m for about 3.5 years now.  We've been using Intel PRO/Wireless 2200BG on my laptop and my husband's desktop to connect to the internet for not quite a year now.  I may have the lingo wrong and I don't know if this is a factor, but my husband says he set up our wireless connection through the laptop.  No problems until recently.   Now I'm rarely able to connect to the internet via the laptop.  The desktop seems a little better.  Right now, I'm accessing this site via the desktop.  I tried to access it via the laptop, but was unable to do so.  The laptop is set up to automatically search for and connect to our wireless connection.  It finds the connection, give the speed and signal quality, but it doesn't connect.  It gives me that message about being unable to connect to the internet, I can work offline, I can close, etc. etc.   Just now as I was sitting here typing this on the desktop, the laptop connected to the internet.  It's been on for about 1/2 hour and would not connect before.   Does anyone have any idea why this is happening?  Please feel free to ask for more information; I don't know what info would be helpful, but would be happy to get more info for anyone who wants to help!   Thank you very, very much!  How can I do my Friday Cat Blogging if I can't get to the internet?!?   Annie

volcano11 · Answer

Try power cycling the router (turn it off, wait a few mintues, then turn it on).  That is always the first thing to try.  Since this is an intermittent problem, it will be difficult to solve.  It could be a bad wireless network card or a bad router.    Steve

anniemiz · Answer

I'm at work right now, but will try that when I get home and let you know how it goes.   Thank you very much for responding.

anniemiz · Answer

Another thing that might be helpful in figuring this out: When I connect my laptop to the wireless directly, i.e., instead of going through the router, I cannot connect to the internet.

However, my husband has a laptop that he uses when he works from home (this is a different computer than the one I mentioned in my original post; that's his home desktop). When he connects his laptop to the wireless directly (again, not going through the router), he is able to connect to the internet.

HTH

Annie

Message Edited by anniemiz on 07-12-2007 01:16 PM

volcano11 · Answer

What do you mean when you say 'connects to the wireless directly'?    Steve

anniemiz · Answer

Gah! I don't know the lingo so I was hoping to skate by on "connect to the wireless directly". Okay, maybe this will make sense: He disconnects something from the back of the router and connects it directly into the laptops. When he does this with his work laptop, it finds a signal and he can get onto the internet. When he does it with my laptop, it finds a signal but he cannot get onto the internet. Does that help? If not, please let me know.

Message Edited by anniemiz on 07-12-2007 04:43 PM

volcano11 · Answer

I'm still confused.  The router can supply both a wireless network and up to 4 ethernet connections.  The router is also connected to a cable or dsl modem by ethernet.  Is you husband connecting directly to the router by ethernet or to the modem?  Is the modem a cable modem or a dsl modem?    Steve

anniemiz · Answer

Double gah!  I don't know.  I've sent him this link at his work and asked him to reply tomorrow w/what he does.  I work again on Saturday and will check back here then.  Thanks!

anniemiz · Answer

Okay, here's what he said:

When we connect your laptop directly to the cable modem (bypassing the
router), your connection doesn't work. The light by the network card is
orange.

When we connect my laptop directly to the cable modem, I have no trouble at
all.

HTH. Thanks!

Annie

volcano11 · Answer

Try downloading and running winsockfix for Windows XP from the Here   You will have to download the file on a computer with a working internet connection, copy it to removable media, then copy it to the hard drive on the problem computer.  Once it is on the problem computer, run the file and see if it fixes the problem.   Steve

nctestudo · Answer

Sorry to intrude on this thread, but I thought this might be excusable b/c it relates to the fix you suggested. (Winsockfix)   I've downloaded, but when I go to run it, it says that 'Winsockxpfix.exe is not a valid Win32 application'.   Thoughts?

volcano11 · Answer

I think you are both infected with something.  Go Here and follow the directions to download and run the analysis tool called HijackThis. Generate a log file, then open it and copy and paste the text of the log file in a message in the HijackThis forum where a HijackThis expert can offer advice on how to fix the problem.  Before positing in the HijackThis forum, please read the instructions at the top of that forum.   Steve

anniemiz · Answer

I'm also getting that message when I try to run that file so I'd be interested to hear anyone's thoughts on that.   Thanks,   annie

anniemiz · Answer

Hi Steve,   okay, I've posted my log here:   http://www.dellcommunity.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=si_hijack&thread.id=64410   and will check back over there to see what they say.   Thank you for your help.  I'll keep you posted.   Annie

Networking, Internet, & Bluetooth

Off and On Wireless Connectivity

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