I have cable internet service, through a router (I tried connecting directly to the modem earlier). I just tried Safe Mode with the same result: no problems connecting to my network, but can't get an internet connection.

No, you do not have to call your ISP and get a new IP address.  Unless you have a weird and outdated ISP, everything should work by DHCP (where you are assigned an IP address everytime you log on).

 

What kind of internet service do you have (dsl, cable, dialup)?  If cable or dsl, are you connecting directly to the modem or through a router?  Have you tried booting to Safe Mode with Network Support just as a test to see if perhaps something running from startup in Normal mode is blocking the internet connection (like McAfee Security Suite)?

 

Steve

You hinted in your first post that you tried shutting down the modem.  Did you do it the following way?  Note that cable modems remember the last device connected and will never ever ever connect to another device sucessfully unless this reset procedure is done:

 

Shut everything off. Wait about 5 minutes. Turn on the modem first, and wait another 5 minutes. Then turn on the device that is connected directly to the modem.  If it is a different computer, then it should now connect.  If it is a router, then you then need to turn on the computers connected to the router and they should be able to connect.

 

Steve

So, is the HP connecting throught the router?  If so, then that eliminates the modem and part of the router as the problem.   Is the HP connecting by wired or wireless?  Have you tried connecting the Dell by a wired ethernet connection to the modem?  Is it able to connect that way?   I'm just trying to narrow down the problem with these questions.

 

Steve

here's what i just tried:

 

1. shut down Dell and HP notebooks, unplug modem and router completely.

2. wait 5 min.

3. plug in modem

3.5 (may or may not be important) after 2 minutes, reconnect modem and router.

4. wait additional 5 min.

5. plug-in electrical for router, turn on Dell and HP notebooks.

6. try to connect (wirelessly) with Dell and HP notebooks. Only the HP connects to internet.

7. try Dell again in Safe Mode.

 

Unfortunately, I can still only post from my HP.

Wow, I'm posting from the Dell! I'm in Safe Mode, with an ethernet connection directly to the modem, after having unplugged the modem for 5 minutes. I think, earlier, I tried connecting modem-to-router-to-Dell via 2 ethernet cables, and since that didn't work, I was skeptical about this setup. In a few minutes I'll try this configuration in normal mode.

 

To answer your questions regarding the HP, it has been alternating between a wired and wireless connection (always to the router) throughout this process. I've had no connectivity problems.

I think I just found the problem. I feel pretty bad because I noticed this a while ago but overlooked it. When I click on my network connections icon in the right side of the task bar, it displays my network with the words: "Access: Local only."  When I used the ethernet cord to connect directly to the modem, it read "Access: Local and Internet."  I've searched this on google and it looks to be a Vista problem without an easy solution.

 

Steve, thank you so much for all the help. You certainly guided me to the right path.