Primary wireless network disappeared

Question

My Inspiron 8600 lost my primary wireless network and now only recognizes and connects to the internet through my next door neighbor's wireless network.

There was no new hardware or software installed on the laptop. My primary computer with the direct internet connection had its usual Microsoft automatic updates on August 12. I use Microsoft Broadband wireless, with a Microsoft wireless base station. The Inspiron has a factory installed wireless card. The internet connection is fine, and I tested the Inspiron with a direct ethernet connection plugged in at the wireless base. After I plugged in, the primary computer went through the "new network found" stuff.

I use ZoneAlarm Security Suite, and everything had been fine with the internet connection until yesterday. When I look at the firewall settings, the trusted zone shows my primary desktop, a computer that has been gone for two years, and two listings of "loopback adaptor." The Windows firewall is off.

Any ideas what happened? Are we dealing with hardware failure or network configuration?

Thanks.

volcano11 · Answer

Have you tried power cycling the router (base station)? Steve

Jaydot · Answer

I reset and repowered. I also downloaded the firmware and software updates for the router. All the lights are flashing, but I don't know if it is transmitting.

volcano11 · Answer

To help troubleshoot this problem, 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

Jaydot · Answer

Here's the output:
Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\Owner>ipconfig/all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : OFFICE
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : ne2.client2.attbi.com

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : ne2.client2.attbi.com
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) PRO/100 VE Network Connecti
on
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-07-E9-BE-65-E5
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.21
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Sunday, August 13, 2006 12:46:17 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Sunday, August 13, 2006 2:46:17 PM

C:\Documents and Settings\Owner>

volcano11 · Answer

So does that output reflect your network or your neighbor's wireless network?  Steve

Jaydot · Answer

Don't I feel stupid - duhhh. I posted the ipconfig data for my primary desktop computer. Here it is for the wireless laptop, first connected by ethernet, then followed when connected to my neighbor's network.

ETHERNET CONNECTION

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\Jeff>ipconfig/all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : laptop
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : ne2.client2.attbi.com

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 2:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : ne2.client2.attbi.com
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom 440x 10/100 Integrated Cont
roller
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-0D-56-36-E4-98
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.28
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Sunday, August 13, 2006 2:46:28 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Sunday, August 13, 2006 4:46:28 PM

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) PRO/Wireless LAN 2100 3A Mi
ni PCI Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-04-23-6A-A6-59

C:\Documents and Settings\Jeff>

------------------------------------------------
NEIGHBOR'S NETWORK

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\Jeff>ipconfig/all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : laptop
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : hsd1.ma.comcast.net.

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 2:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom 440x 10/100 Integrated Cont
roller
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-0D-56-36-E4-98

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : hsd1.ma.comcast.net.
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) PRO/Wireless LAN 2100 3A Mi
ni PCI Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-04-23-6A-A6-59
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.103
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 68.87.71.226
68.87.73.242
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Sunday, August 13, 2006 3:05:37 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Monday, August 14, 2006 3:05:37 PM

C:\Documents and Settings\Jeff>

volcano11 · Answer

Well that proves there is nothing wrong with the software (Windows networking components) but doesn't explain why you can't connect to your own wireless network. Is it possible that you have disabled the SSID broadcast of your network? If you open Network Connections, right click on your wireless network, and select "View Available Wireless Networks", does your network show up? Do a search on Google for the program Netstumbler. Download it and run it. Does your wireless network show up on Netstumbler? If not, try resetting your router to its default settings by pressing and holding the reset button on the back of the router. This will reset the router to its default settings. Now does it show up on your computer (either in Netstumbler or View Available Wireless Networks?

Steve

Jaydot · Answer

My wireless network doesn't show on the laptop. Should it show on the primary desktop? That's where the internet connection and router are. I will download Netstumbler and give it a try on the laptop.

I noticed that in the IPCONFIG listing the DNS Suffix Search List and the Connection-specific DNS Suffix show the internet provider I had about three years ago: ne2.client2.attbi.com. I'm not sure that's still in existence. My provider now is Comcast, and that showed up in the data when the laptop was connected to the neighbor's network. Could that be part of the problem?

volcano11 · Answer

Wireless networks will not show up on a computer that does not connect by wireless. Since the network card is set to obtain ip and dns server addresses automatically, it will pick up the dns suffix from whatever wireless network it is connecting to. If is connected to your neighbor's wireless network, then the dns suffix and dns server address will be from whatever ISP your neighbor has.

Steve

volcano11 · Answer

I doubt that that is what is causing the problem. Besides, didn't comcast buy up all of ATT&T's broadband? They may have not changed the server names. Since you can connect to both your neighbor's wireless network and can connect, at least by ethernet to your broadband provider, it does not explain why you can't connect to your service through wireless, so it is not the issue here.

Steve

Jaydot · Answer

I'm confused. How can my primary computer use an outdated ISP - attbi.com? I use Comcast.net, the same as my neighbor. Jeff

volcano11 · Answer

If the router was transmitting, Netstumbler should have been able to see it.  This suggests that you need a new router. Steve

Jaydot · Answer

I downloaded and ran NetStumbler. It lists my neighbor's network, but not mine. I also tried connecting with my neighbor's laptop, and my network didn't show up. At this point I think it may be a hardware problem. Is there any way to test if my wireless router is actually transmitting? Or should I just buy a new router?

Thanks.

Jaydot · Answer

You're right, the router was bad.I changed to a Linksys router and I'm up and running. Thanks, Steve. Jeff

volcano11 · Answer

Sorry it took so long to get to this point solving the problem, but routers (and wireless cards) rarely fail. When they do, however, it is usually the last thing to check. As always, however, the last thing you try always solves the problem. Glad it's working now.

Steve

Networking, Internet, & Bluetooth

Primary wireless network disappeared

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