# Wireless laptop 'connected' but no Internet



## kimmer13 (Nov 28, 2001)

I have a wireless laptop that successfully connects to the network and can share files/printers with the desktop pc's on the network. It will not, however, let the user get on the internet. The desktops are all fine. 

At this time, in order to try to get it functioning, I have encryption off.

The wireless router is Linksys WRT54G v3 router. It is connected to a Netopia router that was provided by the ISP. 

This laptop is new to the mix, while the Linksys, the Netopia, and the 3 desktop machines have been in place for over a year. When the user first brought it in, it connected to the Internet w/o effort on anyone's part, but wasn't part of the network despite having the same workgroup name. That's when we ran the Linksys setup CD which said it configured the router for us, including the wireless part. That's where we are now - the wireless laptop sees the network, but can't get on the internet.

Can you tell me my next step? Linksys' site mentioned RTS threshold being too high?


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## Demono (Jan 28, 2005)

It could be a bad WinSock file. You could give this fix a try: http://www.spychecker.com/program/winsockxpfix.html


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## F1_pilam (May 3, 2006)

Uninstall the driver for the linksys card. then go to http://www.linksysfix.com/check/HomePage/index.htm and run the Net Check utility (you'll have to be hard wired for this). It will install the latest driver and resolve and other issues that may be wrong with the card or configuration. I have used it in the past, its a great tool.


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## kimmer13 (Nov 28, 2001)

the wireless adapter in the laptop is not a linksys - only the wireless router is.

further info, when the user goes home and connects to her wireless home office she gets online fine, so i believe that rules out the winsock being corrupt.


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## StumpedTechy (Jul 7, 2004)

> That's where we are now - the wireless laptop sees the network, but can't get on the internet.


This makes me think its probably not winsock or driver related at all.

When you say can't access the internet is this just from the web browser? Have you tried to ping anything on the internet from a command line? What do you get if you ping but don't open the browser? Have you checked all the browser settings?

If the PC is on the network and is able to communicate to the other network PC's it could just be a browser configuration setting.

Also look at the laptops IPCONFIG /all and compare it vrs a working PC's IPCONFIG /all items should be the same with the exception of the last octet of the ip address.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

The fact that you can share files on the network leads me to believe that you're not getting the default gateway and/or DNS servers properly configured. Since you're on the network, we need to see this info from the laptop.

For 98 or ME, Start, Run, COMMAND to open a DOS window:
--- or ---
For 2K or XP, Start, Run, CMD to open a DOS window:

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.


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## Bob Cerelli (Nov 3, 2002)

Follow StumpedTechy's suggestion - "Also look at the laptops IPCONFIG /all and compare it vrs a working PC's IPCONFIG /all items should be the same with the exception of the last octet of the ip address." is a good one. You need to be able to compare the settings between a working an non-working computer to be able to evaluate the numbers.

For more specific things to note, the gateway IP should be the router's IP address. 
The DNS IP is typically the router's IP as well, but can also be the actual ISP's DNS server.

To test basic Internet connectivity, open a CMD prompt (start / run / cmd)
Then run PING 4.2.2.1
If you don't get a reply, then likely the gateway is incorrect. 
If you do, then you have a connection to the Internet

Then PING www.yahoo.com
If this fails where the other succeeded, then it is an incorrect DNS setting.

Since the computer works elsewhere, at least the core networking components are correct.


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## kimmer13 (Nov 28, 2001)

The IP address of the laptop is the same, except for the last octet, as the desktop machines. 
The default gateway is 192.168.1.1 (which is the GUI address of the Linksys router). Subnet mask is 255.255.255.248.
Primary DNS 65.43.19.26
Sec DNS 206.141.192.60
I had to manually set these three in the Linksys router during setup as per our ISP's instructions. 

These 3 settings are the same on the desktop machines. 

Yes, the laptop pings the 4.2.2.1 fine, no packets lost.

Here is new info: I took a different laptop w/built in wireless there today, and it connected just fine... Also, in case it matters, the Netopia DSL modem's IP is 192.168.1.254.

I will ping yahoo.com when i get in tomorrow. I forgot to do that step when I was in today.

Last week, when the laptop could get on the internet but not the network, the Linksys had encryption on, and the laptop was using the encryption settings to get on just fine. Then when we reset/reconfigured the router to try to get the laptop to be able to see the network, and we turned encryption off - do you think perhaps the laptop is still trying to get on using encryption it no longer needs? Or can that not be the case since it now sees the network and it's just the Internet causing the problem?


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## Bob Cerelli (Nov 3, 2002)

255.255.255.248 is a very unusual subnet mask for that IP range. The typical setting is 255.255.255.0

Is the router being configured to use that subnet mask? If so you might want to change it. 

Also since the laptop can ping an external site just fine, it can connect to the Internet. You might confirm the DNS settings if it can't ping by name.


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## kimmer13 (Nov 28, 2001)

ok i will re-confirm the DNS settings - maybe there's a digit off that i missed...

Yes the subnet mask of 255.255.255.248 was given to us to use by our ISP (along w/the DNS servers). They are how the Netopia DSL modem/router is set up. Then when we ran the Linksys setup it found them and used them I guess, because I did not have to manually enter them on the Linksys, they were just in there after setup completed.

I will post tomorrow when I've had a chance to ping www.yahoo.com and re-check the DNS settings.

Thanks again - kimmer


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## Bob Cerelli (Nov 3, 2002)

That subnet mask might be for the external IP information but should not be how the router is set up for the Internal LAN configuration.


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## kimmer13 (Nov 28, 2001)

update and correction to previous post:
The user brought the laptop in today again. We deleted the ssid from the preferred network list, restarted windows, then re-added it again. It immediated acquired a network address and told us we had an excellent connection. Yet checking again found that she could fully access the work network but cannot get online.

Dropped to the command window and verified the following:
IP address 192.168.1.3 
Subnet mask is 255.255.255.248
Primary DNS 65.43.19.26
Sec DNS 206.141.192.60
Default Gateway and DHCP server are both 192.168.1.1

Did the same on the desktop unit she sits next to, and other than a diff IP address (which was 192.168.1.1) everything else was identical. The desktop can fully access the internet and the work network.

Back to the laptop. Ping 4.2.2.1 timed out with no replies. 

What is most confusing to me is when I went in with my laptop (last Friday) it connected w/o any trouble. 

Her laptop is not running any firewall. It is using an Intel(R) Pro Wireless 220BG.
Her laptop connects to her home wireless network just fine, connecting to her other home pc's printer as well as to the internet....

Last bit of info, i don't know if it is pertinent: the ssid and the workgroup name are the same...

Ideas welcome... Please!


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## Bob Cerelli (Nov 3, 2002)

255.255.255.248 is a bit of an unusual subnet mask for that IP scheme. Typically it is 255.255.255.0

Might try changing it and see what happens.


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## kimmer13 (Nov 28, 2001)

Changed the subnet on the laptop to 255.255.255.0 (it had been set to obtain IP address automatically, so I had to type that and the default gateway in as well)

Logged off & back on, still can't get on the internet, and now can't get on the work network either....


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## Bob Cerelli (Nov 3, 2002)

Compare all the IP information on a working and non-working computer. They should be the same except for the list digits of the IP address.


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## kimmer13 (Nov 28, 2001)

changed the workgroup name on all the pc's & the laptop to be different than the ssid to make it a non-issue. restarted windows on all. status is the same - laptop sees workgroup pc's, can't get online. desktops are fine w/network & internet.


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## kimmer13 (Nov 28, 2001)

Bob, they are all identical except the last octet of the ip address. I had her place the laptop next to a working desktop, do the ipconfig/all and compare all lines on both. She read them to me as she did them. The only difference was the ip address last octet.


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## kimmer13 (Nov 28, 2001)

i'm having her do it again now just do double check.


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

The unusual mask of 255.255.255.248 is coming from the router, right? So I'd guess that is the mask that is set in the router's LAN configuration. Shouldn't be a problem unless trying to get more than 5 computers connected.

Does the router have any settings to restrict IPs or MAC addresses from the internet? Or to allow only specified IPs or MAC addresses to have internet access?


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## kimmer13 (Nov 28, 2001)

> The unusual mask of 255.255.255.248 is coming from the router, right? So I'd guess that is the mask that is set in the router's LAN configuration. Shouldn't be a problem unless trying to get more than 5 computers connected.


Why would it be a problem with more than 5 (we only have 3 wired and one wireless at this time).



> Does the router have any settings to restrict IPs or MAC addresses from the internet? Or to allow only specified IPs or MAC addresses to have internet access?


No, the router settings are all default right now, trying to solve this problem. Once the problem is resolved, we'd like to turn security features on, but we don't intend to use MAC filtering even then.


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## kimmer13 (Nov 28, 2001)

Just re-confirmed each of the following entries - they are identical to the entries on the working desktop with the exception of the last octet of the IP address.
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.2 (.3 on the other one)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.248
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1

Primary DNS Server . . . . . . : 65.43.19.26
Secondary DNS Server . . . . : 206.141.192.60


Further, in Properties of the Internet Protocol(TCP/IP) of each machine, it is set to obtain the IP address and the DNS Server automatically.

Other ideas?


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

"Why would it be a problem with more than 5 ..."

Do the math. That mask and the addresses you showed means you have a subnet with IP address range from 192.168.1.0 through 192.168.1.7. The lowest and highest are special use, the router is .1, so that leaves .2 through .6 for computers, printers, etc.

"... the router settings are all default right now ..."

Mask of 255.255.255.248 is default?

I didn't find a User Guide, but a description of the Linksys WRT54G included, "... and can be configured to filter internal users' access to the Internet." I don't want to cause you grief or argue with you, but consider double checking this feature's settings.


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## kimmer13 (Nov 28, 2001)

By 'Default' I mean it is what the Linksys Easy 'Netset' program created, it is not something we had to edit or enter. 

The only thing during or after the Easy setup that I had to do was to enter the primary and secondary DNS servers, and the Host name/password on the Linksys wireless router (which I got from our ISP). After I did that, the setup was completed and the desktops could get online fine.

Thanks for the info on the # of pc's. I had no idea that the number of ip addresses available was the result of subtracting the last octet of the subnet from 255. Learn something new every day!

Any other thoughts on what is keeping the laptop from getting online although it can access the local network?


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## kimmer13 (Nov 28, 2001)

oh, by the way, i did have the someone in the office log onto the Linksys and go to the mac filtering page. it was not enabled. thanks - kimmer


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

Just to be painfully clear (I know, I'm the pain!) MAC address filtering (to allow/restrict access to the LAN) is NOT the same as "filter internal users' access to the Internet" (but allow them onto the LAN and do file sharing and stuff like that). Which of these was checked by "someone"? It's the 2nd one that I'm stuck on, stuck on, stuck on.

Everything else I've thought of has already been ruled out by what you and the other posters have done. The ipconfig looks perfect; full LAN access; wireless internet access at home. I was beginning to think maybe some weird adapter problem, but the combination of the last two facts rules that out (in my mind). I think it is something to do with the router.

Maybe I missed this in an earlier post: are any of the other computers connected wirelessly? If not, maybe there is some setting or defect in the router that is preventing internet access from all wireless PCs?


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## kimmer13 (Nov 28, 2001)

The only other computer connected wirelessly was my own laptop which I took in last Friday and it immediately connected and I was fully able to access the internet and the LAN. My laptop had never previously been there, so its MAC id would not have been allowed thru if filtering was turned on.

Don't worry about being 'painfully clear' - I'm glad you detailed it, because I specifically directed the person at the office to go to the MAC filtering section. I will have to check where the other section would be in the Linksys GUI and have them check there too, or is that no longer needed since my laptop got right on?


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

"... or is that no longer needed since my laptop got right on?"

Logically, I'd say it's no longer needed. But I'd check anyhow since I can't think of anything else remotely logical that fits the facts.

The computer's firewall can prevent internet access. But she has internet access at home.

I like my Intel(R) Pro Wireless 220BG, but it's been involved in some strange problems in threads here recently. Check the laptop's manufacturer for a driver and utility update. If you/she are using Windows' WZC turn it off and try the Intel utility. Some people have gotten instant relief just from a driver update or by using Intel's utility.


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