# Desktop computer won't connect to internet with wireless adapter



## tiffanyl19 (Oct 1, 2010)

I have recently just moved to a new city, and i am trying desperately to get my desktop computer connected to the internet. This computer is fairly old, and hasn't been used in a while but it worked fine when it was last used. It is a Gateway computer, with Windows XP. I have always used a wireless USB Network adapter (Linksys 2.4GHz - fairly old) and it has always worked fine in the past. I bought a new wireless router, which is also a linksys. My laptop connects fine.

I have tried EVERYTHING, so I'm not sure if I did something that made the situation worse. I have tried renewing my IP address, changing my security key for the router, configuring the IP settings to match my laptops, installing the same program that i used on my laptop onto my desktop (which i think might be the problem but i don't know how to uninstall it.) The program I installed was for the Linksys router, but it wouldn't finish the installation b/c i had already installed it on my laptop.

Anyways, I think i made a mess of things. When i try to connect to the internet using the task bar icon, it says that Windows cannot configure the wireless connection, and if i have enabled another program to manage this wireless connection, to use that software. So, i tried using the half installed Linksys program, and I type in my security key then it takes a while trying to connect. Finally, it will say that it could not connect to the wireless network, but it shows at the bottom that there is excellent signal strength, with limited or no connectivity. The half installed program might be part of the problem, but as i said, it wouldn't connect before i tried installing it.

here is my information from using command prompt and ipconfig /all:

Host Name :TIFFANY
Primary Dns Suffix :
Node type eer-peer
IP Routing Enabled :No
WINS Proxy enabled :No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Media State :Media disconnected
Description :Intel <R> PRO/100 VE Network Connection
Physical Address :00-13-20-1A-32-85

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection 6:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix :
Description : Instant Wireless USB Network Adapter ver.2.6 #6
Physical Address : 00-0C-41-0C-71-8B
Dhcp Enabled : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled : Yes
Autoconfiguration IP Address :169.254.50.14
Subnet Mark :225.225.0.0
Default Gateway :169.254.50.14

PLEASE HELP!!


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## iamdon (Sep 30, 2010)

I noticed that your PC is in peer-to-peer network. Also, your IP address and Default Gateway are the same. Default Gateway should be your router's IP address.

Follow the steps here on how to setup your home network:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/networking/setup/homenet.mspx


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

First off, we need to know exactly the make/model of the wireless router. Also, exactly what level of encryption are you using, WPA2, WPA, WEP, or none?

Did you try a wired connection to this machine to see if that would work? That would be a useful test.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

iamdon said:


> I noticed that your PC is in peer-to-peer network. Also, your IP address and Default Gateway are the same. Default Gateway should be your router's IP address.
> 
> Follow the steps here on how to setup your home network:
> http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/networking/setup/homenet.mspx


The Peer-Peer has nothing to do with the connectivity for this machine to the wireless router.


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## iamdon (Sep 30, 2010)

I stand corrected. It just seems to me that the PC + wireless adapter is configured as wireless access point. Please disregard if I'm not making any sense.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

The node type Peer-Peer refers to the NETBIOS name resolution and has nothing to do with wired or wireless networking. 

What we really need to start is the information I asked for previously.


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## tiffanyl19 (Oct 1, 2010)

Well, my router is a Cisco Linksys Wireless-N Home Router, model # WRT120N. As for the encryption thing, I have no idea. I am not really computer literate, lol. Is there a way I could find that out? Also, I have tried connecting the computer through the ethernet cord directly, and the internet still didn't work. So I am assuming it has something to do with the computer itself, not the router?


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## tiffanyl19 (Oct 1, 2010)

Well, my router is a Cisco Linksys Wireless-N Home Router, model # WRT120N. As for the encryption thing, I have no idea. I am not really computer literate, lol. Is there a way I could find that out? Also, I have tried connecting the computer through the ethernet cord directly, and the internet still didn't work. So I am assuming it has something to do with the computer itself, not the router?


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

The fact that it doesn't connect wired or wireless puts a whole different light on it. Connect with the wired connection and do this.

*TCP/IP stack repair options for use with Windows XP with SP2/SP3.*

*S*tart, *R*un, *CMD* to open a command prompt:

In the command prompt window that opens, type type the following commands, each followed by the Enter key:

_Note: Type only the text in bold for the following commands._

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

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

Reboot the machine.

After you reboot, please do this.

Hold the *Windows* key and press *R*, then type *CMD* then press *Enter* to open a command prompt:

In the command prompt window that opens, type type the following command:

_Note that there is a space before the /ALL, but there is *NOT* a space after the / in the following command._

IPCONFIG /ALL

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

If you are on a machine with no network connection, use a floppy, USB disk, or a CD-RW disk to transfer a text file with the information to allow pasting it here.


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## tiffanyl19 (Oct 1, 2010)

Unfortunately, I do not have a way of transferring the data from my other computer. So, I'll just write it all out. This is exactly what is says:

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 . . . . . . . . . . . . :TIFFANY
Primary Dns Suffix. . . . . . . :
Node Type. . . . . . . . . . . . . : Peer-Peer
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . .: No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . .: tb.shawcable.net

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix : tb.shawcable.net
Description : Intel(R) PRO/100 VE Network Connection 
Physical Address : 00-13-20-1A-32-85
Dhcp Enabled : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled : Yes
IP Address : 24.109.201.17
Subnet Mask : 255.255.252.0
Default Gateway : 24.109.200.1
DHCP Server : 64.59.176.40
DNS Servers : 64.59.176.13
64.59.176.15
64.59.177.226

Lease Obtained :Friday, October 01, 2010 6:38:30 PM
Lease Expires :Friday, October 01, 2010 7:34:33 PM


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Well, that looks like a connection directly to a modem, not a router. 

Is this when you're connected to the router? If so, make SURE you've connected the modem to the WAN/Internet port of the router, it appears to be connected to one of the LAN/Network ports.


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