Laptop not connecting to the internet - help!

[NotAnotherBrick]

One of my laptops has suddenly started not connecting to the internet. It says it's connected; there's a wireless signal that comes and goes. When I open firefox or IE though, it says it's working offline. My other laptop connects fine.

When I ask it to repair the connection, it gets stuck on 'renewing your IP address' and gets no further.

Can anyone help? It is very, very annoying having it not working as all my files are on that one!

And why does the wireless connection come and go on that one and not on this one?

The laptop is continually disconnected completely now, by the way , even though when it first started playing up, it at least said it was connected, even if the browser said it was offline .

Right, did that - and it was already checked!

What on earth do I try next? Apart from finding a handy bin to chuck the laptop into!

Can you connect the laptop with a cable and get onto the internet?

That removes the whole wireless thing from the equation.

Ok, got to be quick, child to collect.

Go to the network and sharing centre. Browse for networks. Let it find your Netgear network.

It should ask you for the pin when you try to connect.

If it doesn't, select 'WPA/WPA2' as the security type, and AES as the encryption type.

Put in the security PIN and click connect.

Right, will try that.

Can't find the right cable to connect directly, Badgers! Just been searching!

Ok, one other interesting (haha) thing - the symbol by our wireless account looks like a computer-computer network; not a wireless internet connection symbol.

Right, that worked to get a connection, Lougle. Just going to try opening a browser and see if it likes that or not!

Nope .

The connection thingy is showing as a good signal, but it's 'status' says 'acquiring network address'.

Any thoughts? I know you're probably off line now - and I know you may not have a chance to help when you get back, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that you will, or that someone else mightb e able to!

When I click on 'details' it says nothing in the IP address bit - that really seems to be the sticking point!

I've googled and found my IP address online - can I enter it manually anywhere and would that help the issue?

Oh no, I'm stupid - that's the IP address for this laptop!

try this

I take it you aren't in Hampshire at all?

No

Will have a look at your link.

I'm not sure that link's the right thing - it won't assign an IP address - that's what it keeps being stuck on.

But somewhere, I've just managed to find an IP address for this computer, but I can't find it again! But even if I find it, I can't find a way to input it manually!

So frustrating!

Bugger! Sounds like this is what has happened, but I can't understand their explanation of how to fix it

Ok, on the connection, can you right click the network name?

If you can, you will have 3 choices:

disconnect
Status
Properties

Click 'status'

Then you will have 3 buttons at the bottom:

Properties Disable Diagnose

Click 'Properties'

Then you have

Client for Microsoft Networks
QoS packet scheduler
....
Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPV4)

Click Internet Protocol Version 4, then click 'Properties'

What does it say? That is where you can assign it an IP address.

try clicking Start, then Accessories, then Command prompt. A black window will come up and type in ipconfig /all then hit enter and then let me know the text that it comes up with

Lougle - can't find a way to get to the 'disconnect/status/properties' menu. Will have a fiddle in a sec.

Mozette - Loads and loads of info! but in the ipaddress bit (under the heading: ethernet adapter wireless network connection), it says:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix:
Description: Dell Wireless 1370 WLAN Mini-PCI Card
Physical Address: 00-14-A5-94-79-0A
Dhcp Enabled: Yes
Autoconfiguriation Enabled: Yes
IP Address: 0.0.0.0
Subnet Mask: 0.0.0.0
Default Gateway:
DHCP Server: 255.255.255.255

Does that help?

Lougle - found it. It doesn't say Internet Protocol Version 4, though. Anyway, it says 'obtain an IP address automatically', which is checked. Or I can uncheck that an input one manually...but I can't find the one I found again!

It also wants me to enter a Subnet mask (?) and a Default Gateway (?) if I do that.

Ok, so on your router web address, on your other computer (on mine it is in LAN settings, but that is a belkin), you get your 'IP Pool addresses'

One should be something like

192.168.2.2

and the other

192.168.2.100

What are yours?

Subnet mask can be

255.255.255.0

Default gateway will be your router IP address

Eek! Hang on...

Can't find it! Where might I find LAN settings?

Does your router have a webpage? You type in the IP adress to access your router settings.