Connection: Impossible

Please help. I can't access the internet wirelessly on my Dell Inspiron 5150. Wired works perfectly but with wireless I get nothing. It worked great until I set up a network with my PC in order to transfer files between the two. I use linksys WRT54GL router and house guests have no problem accessing my wireless connection, so I'm pretty confident it's not the router. I took the laptop to a friend's wireless as well as Panera Bread and could see the connections and "connect" to them, but no internet. I've tried on both Internet Explorer and Firefox with no luck. After downloading an updated driver from Dell, there were no changes except when trying to "view available wireless networks" it said there was another utility that I should use to access that from: the Dell Wireless WLAN Card Utility. So I restarted the Wireless Zero Configuration in order to access the available wireless networks through Windows as well as the Dell Utility.

With the windows firewall on, in Network Connections it will show the Wireless connection as "Connected, Firewalled." If I turn off the Windows Firewall it will show "Connected" but I still can't access internet - unwired at least. The strangest thing is when I go to Command Prompt and ping the IP I don't loose any packets when I'm wired OR when I'm wireless. In the system tray it shows an excellent 4 bar, 54 Mbps connection, I can see the connection in my Network Connections, verify that it's connected, and still no wireless internet. I've been reading on some of the forums and I've tried most of what I can understand with no luck. Thanks a lot. I'm baffled.

 

Is it just internet explorer? How about other software?

 

It sounds as if you've both WZC and the Dell utility controlling your connection,try disabling one and see if your able to connect then.Also if you've security setup make sure to type in the network key.

 

It's both Explorer and Firefox. There's no wireless connection to either, only wired, but others can connect to my wireless network when they're here.

 

Reezin, after a restart WZC doesn't come back automatically so the Dell utility is the only thing running. I would have to go back into the system to turn it on. As for the security and network key part of your suggestion, where would I do that? I could be very wrong, but I have a feeling that when I set up the (wired) home network with my PC, something changed and the laptop only wants to connect through that network. That's about the time the problem began. Thanks. btw, nice setup!

 

Do you have a firewall blocking your connection? May need to add a safe zone for your subnet into the FW settings.

 

I can completely disable the firewall and still only a wired connection will work. It used to work with the Firewall on. When I disable the firewall in my Network Connections, the Wireless Network will at least show "Connected" instead of "Connected, Firewalled" as it does with the firewall on. I will try to create the safe zone, though. I don't like turning off the firewall but when I have to, Avast! is a comfort to have.

 

This is weird: earlier I said that when I go into Command Prompt and ping 192.168.1.1, I don't loose any packets whether I'm wired or wireless. Under Network Connections, if I double click the wireless network icon it shows packages sent, but none received and when I double click the "Local Area Connection" (my wired broadband) it shows it's only receiving half of the packets sent. The "1394 Connection" (I don't know what this is for or why it's there) is showing 0 sent and 0 received. Any guesses as to what's going on here? I've also tried bridging the wireless to the wired connection, and then to the 1394 connection with no luck in either configuration.

 

Also, I just read in Help the article "SecureNAT and firewall clients are disconnected from the network" which tells to:
RESOLUTION
WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

To resolve this behavior, increase the registry value that controls the number of connections that ISA Server allows for each client: 1. Start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe).
2. Locate and click the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\FPC\Arrays\GUID\ArrayPolicy\Proxy-WSP\msFPCConnectionQuota
3. Click DWORD on the Edit menu, type a new value, and then click OK.

NOTE: The new value depends on your environment. The default is 40 decimal. A new value of 100 decimal is safe in most cases. To determine a specific value, analyze the maximum number of simultaneous sessions that you need. The maximum allowable value is based on available system resources.
4. Quit Registry Editor.

In step 2 I get to the registry key folder "Microsoft" and there's no "FPC" location. Am I missing a registry item that's keeping me offline and if so How do I reinstall it with all of its extentions?

 

I would reinstall the OS. But that's just me.

 

Yeah same and also 1394 is firewire ( the small port on your laptop )

 

I really hope it doesn't come down to reinstalling the OS, but I may have to bite the bullet. 1394 isn't something that could interfere with an attempt at wireless connection, right?

 

Your not using the 1394 so don't worry about it.

First Disable the firewall, if it's norton , I would uninstall it. It has caused me more work due to bad def that they never admit. Any company that will not admit they made a mistake is BAD. If you need a good Free Firewall, use Comodo.

Left click on the wireless port and select status, advance then support. It should give you IP and gateway info. Then select the support section and see what info you have for DNS server. In most cases it should be the routers gateway (admin) IP.

If you connect by using IP address and not Name (Yahoo.com) you have a DNS problem. If you can not by IP or using named servers you have a gateway problem.

From the command window type ping "66.94.234.13" if you get a response the gateway is good.

Now type "ping yahoo.com" if no response you have a DNS problem. IF both are not working you do not have Gateway or DNS server info.

Most all problems are related to FireWall issues. Firewalls can prevent any application from using the network.

 

WOW!! Ok, it was a gateway and DNS problem. I found the numbers and everything works. Amazing! Thanks a million everybody.

 

WOW!! Ok, it was a gateway and DNS problem. I found the numbers and everything works. Amazing! Thanks a million everybody.