# Connected to Wireless network but not receiving packets



## tech_unsavvy (May 27, 2007)

I've searched and seen similar problems to this but haven't yet found a fix. Here goes:

There are 3 computers in the house - a desktop and 2 laptops. We have a wireless router provided by Telefonica (the monopoly holding telephone company here in Spain).

I'm currently connected to the router through a network cable, and have no problem connecting to the internet. Both laptops are connected wirelessly to the router - but only one can access the internet. 

The other one claims to be connected, but under "Status" it says it's not receiving any "packets", and any attempt to open a webpage results in "Server Not Found."

In order to connect that laptop to the router, I had to manually enter an IP address - if I leave it to its own devices it doesn't get one. I have the same problem with the desktop machine, if I unplug the network cable and try to connect via wireless ("Limited or No connectivity" with an automatically assigned IP address, Connection but no internet with a manually assigned one.)

Firewalls are off, Wireless cards are working fine, all machines are connected to our router (although others are visible in the Available Wireless Networks window).

I'd really appreciate any advice you can give me on this, because I'm about ready to start drilling holes in walls and running cables everywhere - which is exactly what I wanted to avoid by buying a wireless router.

Thankyou.


----------



## invalidusername (Apr 29, 2007)

Please provide the following, first for the computer that works, then for the laptop that does not work:

Start, Run, CMD to open a command prompt:

Type the following command:

IPCONFIG /ALL

Right click in the command window and choose Select All, then hit Enter.
Paste the results in a message here. 

{credit johnw}


----------



## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

Assigning a static IP will help this problem only if the router's Dhcp server is disabled or its Dhcp address range is exhausted.

Login to your router using the ethernet connected computer. Make sure the Dhcp server is enabled and has a satisfactory address range. If you are preventing yourself from connecting wirelessly through the use of MAC Address filtering, rip that "feature" out of the router. OK, OK, you can't quite do that, but at least disable it.

Is your network secured (encrypted)?


----------



## tech_unsavvy (May 27, 2007)

Okay, here we go:

*First, the laptop that connects wirelessly with no problems:*

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : NAT
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : Yes
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom 440x 10/100 Integrated Cont
roller
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-16-D4-11-F4-F8

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 2200BG Network

Connection
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-16-6F-55-D6-97
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.33
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 10.103.160.177
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 80.58.61.250
80.58.61.254
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : 27 May 2007 20:54:07
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : 28 May 2007 08:54:07

----------------------------------------

*The desktop PC currently connected with a network cable:*

(I'm afraid the OS is Spanish but all the info is in the same order).

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : bigone
Sufijo DNS principal . . . . . . :
Tipo de nodo . . . . . . . . . . : desconocido (unknown)
Enrutamiento habilitado. . . . . .: No
Proxy WINS habilitado. . . . . : No

Adaptador Ethernet Conexión de área local :

Sufijo de conexión específica DNS :
Descripción. . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8139/810x Family Fast Ethernet NIC
Dirección física. . . . . . . . . : 00-11-5B-B6-34-17
DHCP habilitado. . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguración habilitada. . . : Yes
Dirección IP. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.34
Máscara de subred . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Puerta de enlace predeterminada : 192.168.1.1
Servidor DHCP . . . . . . . . . . : 10.103.160.177
Servidores DNS . . . . . . . . . .: 80.58.61.250
80.58.61.254

-----------------------------------
*
Lastly, the laptop that won't go online: *

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : MIKE
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : VIA Rhine II Fast Ethernet Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-40-D0-6A-C6-60

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : 802.11g MiniPCI Wireless Network Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-11-09-9A-C9-6A
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.35
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 80.58.61.250
80.58.61.254

The IP address etc for the last one was entered manually. If I leave the router to assign an IP address those fields show up as 0.0.0.0

---------------

Thanks for taking the time to look at this. Hope it's something simple.


----------



## tech_unsavvy (May 27, 2007)

I'm looking at the router configuration page now. It says that MAC filtering is disactivated. 

The DCHP range is from 192.168.1.33 - 192.168.1.253. (I can't see any option for enabling or disabling DCHP on that page)

The encryption is set to WEP, and the key number on the router page matches what I've put into the laptop.


----------



## invalidusername (Apr 29, 2007)

In the laptop with problem, you need to enable DHCP.

In the wireless adpter: TCP/IP proerties:

Make sure "Obtain IP address automatically" is checked.

Also, make sure "obtain DSN automaticall" is checked.


----------



## tech_unsavvy (May 27, 2007)

Trouble is, if I let the laptop obtain its IP address automatically I just get the "Limited Or No Connectivity" message. The same thing happens with the desktop if I try to connect via wireless. 

What I can't understand is why I'm able to connect via cable with no problems, but with wireless the machines will find the router but get no further. To me this makes no sense...


----------



## invalidusername (Apr 29, 2007)

192.168.1.1

type the above into the address bar of IE

that will get you into your router. Check and see the wireless section in the router is ON


----------



## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

*TCP/IP stack repair options for use with Windows XP with SP2.*

For these commands, *Start, Run, CMD* to open a command prompt.

Reset WINSOCK entries to installation defaults: *netsh winsock reset catalog*

Reset TCP/IP stack to installation defaults. *netsh int ip reset reset.log*

Reboot the machine.


----------



## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

Your router's Dhcp server's address range is .33 through .253. That probably means that the first address it assigns is .33 (see NAT computer). The second one it will assign is probably .34. That will conflict with the .34 that you have statically assigned to the bigone computer. And so you will not get connected. In fact I think that's one of the conditions that can lead to 0.0.0.0 IP. Anyhow, either change bigone's ethernet to get its IP automatically or else assign it an IP in the range .2 throught .32 to avoid conflicts with Dhcp.

The above does not explain why the MIKE computer does not work with the static IP.

If JohnWill's stack repair does not help, I suggest to disable encryption until we get the other wireless connections working.


----------



## tech_unsavvy (May 27, 2007)

After running the Winsock commands, this is what the ipconfig looks like on the MIKE laptop:

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : MIKE
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : VIA Rhine II Fast Ethernet Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-40-D0-6A-C6-60

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : 802.11g MiniPCI Wireless Network Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-11-09-9A-C9-6A
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration IP Address. . . : 169.254.217.233
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :


The wireless connection now says "Limited Or No Connectivity", although it claims to have "Very Good" signal strength.

The wireless router is definitely functioning, because the other laptop is connected to it with no cable -- on the router configuration page it reads "activated".

I don't see any option to disable encryption, only to change it from WEP to WPA.


----------



## invalidusername (Apr 29, 2007)

On the laptop with problem, check and see if "Obtain DNS automatically" is also enabled. .


Also, make sure you are not running both WZC and any utility software for the wireless adapter. If so, recommend using WZC and disabling/removing the utility.


----------



## tech_unsavvy (May 27, 2007)

Both "Obtain DNS automatically" and "Optain IP address" are checked.

I found the WZC under Start>Run>services.msc and it says "Started" and "Automatic". I don't know how to find out if there is other utility software running.


----------



## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

"I don't see any option to disable encryption, only to change it from WEP to WPA."

There is no option for 'none' or 'open'? Or a different selection to use or not use encryption (security)?

The 169.254.x.y type IP is assigned when no Dhcp server is found on the network. Since you already checked and the router's Dhcp server is running, that means the router and adapter are not communicating. Three of the causes of this are an encryption problem, multiple utilities running (as invalidusername pointed out) and a 3rd party firewall blocking LAN access.

If you try to connect MIKE via ethernet and get the same problem, a firewall is almost definitely the cause. If you can connect wired, the problem is not a firewall.


----------



## tech_unsavvy (May 27, 2007)

I can connect okay via ethernet. 

Sorry, I'm not sure where I should be changing the encryption setting. On the router configuration page there's only the WEP/WPA choice.

In the Wireless Network Properties window, under a tab labeled "Association", I've got this:

Network Authentication: Open (with the option to change it to Shared, WPA or WPA-PSK)

Data Encryption: WEP (with the option to change it to Disabled)

Should I change one or both of these?


----------



## tech_unsavvy (May 27, 2007)

Okay - changing WEP to "Disabled" just loses the wireless connection altogether.

One more thing that puzzles me - don't know if it's relevant - but the number of digits in the Network key changes. The key that I have to type in is 13 digits long (letters and numbers), but the key displayed as a row of black dots in the Properties window has only 8 digits. 

If I disconnect and try to connect again, the window that pops up asking for the key contains 8 dots, even though I originally typed the 13 figure number. But then, this is the same on the laptop that works fine, so I guess it's normal?


----------



## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

Since it's an ISP provided router it may have been wired to insist on encryption. If you can determine its brand and model maybe we can find a User's Guide. Or maybe you want to talk to their tech support.

Those Wireless Network Properties window settings are correct. But since we're having trouble changing the router side I suggest that you delete that profile you were just talking about, and then try again to connect. That should force it to ask you again for the WEP key. In case you had entered it incorrectly before, this gives you a chance to fix it.


----------



## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

That "8 dots" thing has confused me more than once! Unlike most times we see such dots, the number of dots there has no meaning.

The "13 figure number" may be the problem. WEP keys are hexidecimal and are 10 digits for 64-bit and 26 digits for 128-bit WEP. Sometimes ASCII passcodes are used instead and they are translated into hex. But not all devices, especially from different manufacturers, translate the same.

If you have the ability to assign a hex key in the router, use that there and on your computers and you should have no problem.


----------



## tech_unsavvy (May 27, 2007)

On the router configuration page I can change the "alphanumeric key" (the 13 figure one I've been using) and it changes the hexadecimal key shown beneath. But it seems to revert to the same number if I navigate away from the page and back again.

The NAT laptop connects fine using that key, and the other computers don't connect to the router if the key is entered incorrectly, so I'm fairly sure that isn't the problem

Unfortunately the router is made in China for a company called Amper, which has no website and doesn't even seem to exist. Telefonica, the ISP, is notoriously useless at dealing with customers' problems (I have personal experience of this). I worry that if I invite their tech people to advise me I'll end up with no internet connection at all, but I guess I'll bite that bullet.

Thank you for all your suggestions; I really appreciate the time you've taken.


----------



## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

How about trying "the hexadecimal key shown beneath" on the troublesome laptop.


----------



## tech_unsavvy (May 27, 2007)

Okay, did that. Same as ever - Limited or No Connectivity.

I think that the alphanumeric key and the hexadecimal one are actually the same thing, because if I change any numbers in the alpha one the hexa one changes as I type.


----------



## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Trust Terry when he says use ONLY the hex key for setting up the WEP encryption.


----------



## tech_unsavvy (May 27, 2007)

Typing numbers into either of the key boxes - alpha or hexa - makes numbers appear in the other box as well (different numbers, and more of them in the hexadecimal box than the other). So I can't see how it's possible only to use a hexadecimal key. 

I'm very willing to trust you all, because I don't have a clue what I'm doing here. I only know what doesn't work.


----------



## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

This is beginning to look suspiciously similar to this thread http://forums.techguy.org/networking/577007-solved-new-computer-cant-connect.html and the solution there, after all "logical" attempts failed, was to reset the router to factory defaults and then reconfigure it. I don't know if you can do that with your ISP supplied router or if you're confident enough of the settings to be able to reconfigure.

You said a few posts ago that in the router you changed the WEP code, and then when you went back it had reverted to the original. Unless you overlooked an "Apply" button that seems like another indication that this router is in need of a reset to factory defaults (or to be replaced).

How about dropping that beast out a high window and then telling your ISP that it failed and you need a new one.  Sorry, but I'm out of ideas.

Unless we didn't try these yet: check for an updated driver for the wireless adapter; uninstall the adapter and then reinstall it.


----------



## tech_unsavvy (May 27, 2007)

It wouldn't surprise me at all to find out that Telefonica are supplying routers with known problems. But maddeningly, that doesn't explain why it works perfectly well with one laptop.

Thanks for all your suggestions; I've learned a few things for next time this happens.

For now, I'm going to start drilling holes.

cheers

Mike


----------



## GPilotino (Jul 28, 2007)

Hi Mike, did you found any solution ? (other than using cables  )
I'm having exactly the same problem.

Gracias,
Gino


----------



## GPilotino (Jul 28, 2007)

Mike, this worked for me.
*Disable Wep key.* 
Use MAC filtering instead for added security.

Saludos,
Gino.


----------

