Wireless won't connect

Question

I am not sure what to do about my problem.  I haven't been able to access the internet for the past several weeks.  When the laptop picks up a wireless signal, I try to connect and only the address bar and the Google toolbar come up.  I spent several hours last night on the phone with technical service.  I am not sure if this has anything to do with it, but have recenlty upgraded to the new internet explorer.  I have only had this laptop since September....

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.   Be sure to also tell us which model computer you have, which wireless network adapter, and the make and model of the router that you are trying to connect to.   Steve

mikeslaptop · Answer

My friend has a Inspiron 1505 w/ broadcom 1390 wireless mini-card. It connects fine with his Linksys wireless router but he can't bring up any web pages. ipconfig shows proper IP configuration, but for some reason there is no data being received once connected. The router works fine when it is plugged in. We tried a different laptop (same exact model and card) and the problem continues to happen. We also tried the latest driver from dell, tried using the Windows XP wireless utility, and tried playing with the advanced settings in the driver such as enabling compatability mode. Still no success. There is no firmware updates available for my linksys router.

From all of my research, the problem lies within the wireless card inside the laptop. It's either driver or hardware, but at one point it did connect and work, but for only 5 minutes. Since we tried another laptop and had the same problem, I doubt a new laptop will fix it. Before I have my friend send the laptop back for a refund and switch to a gateway, I'm giving Dell one chance to fix this problem, either by fixing the driver for the card or replacing the laptop w/ a different wireless card than the 1390.

Gina Q · Answer

Please follow Steve's instructions carefully. He's very good at getting these to work. Typically situations like this and the OP are due to software problems and not hardware. It could be a firewall or a problem with the TCP/IP.

mikeslaptop · Answer

Thanks Gina.

I made sure the firewall was disabled. I also removed the adapter and all software, then re-installed.

Steve, could you contact me privately regarding this matter? I've done many troubleshooting steps with no luck. Maybe you can help?

Thanks
Mike

CHICAGO JESS · Answer

I did that with technical support the other night.  I have an EPS 1210.

mikeslaptop · Answer

Any updates?

Networking, Internet, & Bluetooth

Wireless won't connect

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