Connecting to a LAN network

I just bought a new laptop and it has Windows Vista on it. I've tried almost everything to try to connect to the LAN network but it won't work. Since my room is in the basement and the router is upstairs, the wireless network isn't always reliable. I'm not very computer savvy, in fact. I could say that I have no experience with computers at all.

So, here's the deal... I can't connect onto the LAN network, BUT the laptop recognizes the ethernet cable. I've looked at the connectivity page, and there's a picture of my computer, the network and the "globe". Everything connects fine until it goes from my network to the "globe".

Can anyone help me at all? I need as much help as possible.

 

Hello El

 

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showpost.php?p=1858507&postcount=17

 

Hi Sandt3!

 

Okay, I've set my Networking and Sharing Centre just like you recommended and it didn't do anything. I even unplugged my router from the phone jack and counted to 10 when the computer diagnosed my problem. Then the little "Diagnose" solutions advised me to reset the IP address and I did it... but they didn't work.

I might've played around with some of the control panel options and it could've messed that up. But I don't recall what I exactly did.

Please help. I'm approaching midterms and projects and can't stay in the living room all night.

 

OK. What's your network consist of? Is your new ( hint) unidentified( hint) laptop the only computer on the network? Is your "router" a router or just a DSL or Cable modem?

 

My network... (pardon me if this sounds retarded) is a multiple network and I think my router is a DSL modem. But I'm not sure how my wireless is working ... Again. I must sound like an idiot.

 

Do you have another computer using the DSL modem?

 

If you have another pc up stairs and it works fine. Connect to the router and make sure the MAC address of that pc has been cloned into the router. This is for the WAN port. Otherwise only that pc will work. This way the router can establish the connection and not the PC. Then all ports on the router can establish a connection. Make sure you are not doing any MAC Filtering, if so disable or add your new PC in. Remember all network devices (wired and wireless) have a MAC address.

 

I believe this is how the network is set up at my house. The router is attached to the modem. And the whole house is networked through ethernet cables to the router, which I assume is also wireless. The wireless does not work in my bedroom. And while my roommate and I were in our living room last night, the wireless cuts in and out of my laptop every now and then whereas her laptop (much older) didn't have any problems with the wireless connection.

 

I honestly have no idea what you said.

 

So, while you both are on wireless, both of your laptops are able to access the internet? When you connect your laptop to the ethernet cable, do you disable your wireless and reboot your laptop?