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windows vista wireless issues?

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,573
24,193
media blackout
I'm getting the dreaded "local access only" error message. IE I can connect to the wireless router, but not the internet. A quick search turned up multiple solutions, none of which have worked. Doesn't seem to have a definitive fix.


Also, this is for a Dell Inspiron laptop that belongs to my gf. I have windows XP pro 64 bit that I can put on (its a amd athlon x2 64 bit chip). I've heard there are some driver issues with the 64 bit stuff, but would xp be an improvement over vista?
 

ire

Turbo Monkey
Aug 6, 2007
6,196
4
I have Vista home and a b wireless router...after a while it drops the connection and will not connect again, I have to reboot. My PS3 and wife's computers don't have problems and I have been unable to hunt the issue down (I have the most current driver for the internal card). I was thinking maybe a g router would solve my problem
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,573
24,193
media blackout
I have Vista home and a b wireless router...after a while it drops the connection and will not connect again, I have to reboot. My PS3 and wife's computers don't have problems and I have been unable to hunt the issue down (I have the most current driver for the internal card). I was thinking maybe a g router would solve my problem
I've got a G router. Its brand new. Old one died. My Macbook, Wii, and PS3 all work perfectly.

Oh, and even using hard-lined ethernet doesn't work. I tried a registry fix, and some flag toggle thing from the command prompt. Nothing. I even tried manually assigning my IP address, gateway, subnet masks, etc. Zilch.
 

ire

Turbo Monkey
Aug 6, 2007
6,196
4
I've got a G router. Its brand new. Old one died. My Macbook, Wii, and PS3 all work perfectly.

Oh, and even using hard-lined ethernet doesn't work. I tried a registry fix, and some flag toggle thing from the command prompt. Nothing. I even tried manually assigning my IP address, gateway, subnet masks, etc. Zilch.
Have you tried a hammer? :biggrin:
 

vtjim

Beware of Milo & Otis
Jan 6, 2006
1,346
0
North Andover MA
I've got a G router. Its brand new. Old one died. My Macbook, Wii, and PS3 all work perfectly.

Oh, and even using hard-lined ethernet doesn't work. I tried a registry fix, and some flag toggle thing from the command prompt. Nothing. I even tried manually assigning my IP address, gateway, subnet masks, etc. Zilch.
Sounds like a lot has changed at this point. Would you concider resetting the defaults on both the router and Vista? If you said it doesn't even work at this point being hard wired.

I have Vista (hard wired) on my PC and have never had issues, and I am running it through a wireless router.
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,573
24,193
media blackout
Sounds like a lot has changed at this point. Would you concider resetting the defaults on both the router and Vista? If you said it doesn't even work at this point being hard wired.

I have Vista (hard wired) on my PC and have never had issues, and I am running it through a wireless router.
The only thing changed on the router was the name and password. Everything else is still default. I've tried it hard wired to the router, and directly to the cable modem. Nada.

I had been using the defaults on Vista before tinkering with it. I even uninstalled and reinstalled the drivers.
 

Obsidian

Chimp
May 29, 2009
4
0
Have you tried resetting the TCP stack?

MS Knowledgebase

Worth a spin!

Also check the dB loss on your router, it may indicate that the line quality between your socket on the wall and the telco's exchange may have degraded. (but saying that, this is unlikely unless there's been digging or something similar in your area)
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,573
24,193
media blackout
No, I haven't tried resetting the TCP/IP, but I will.


Also, I know it isn't the router. I have other devices connected to it without issue.
 

stringcheese

Monkey
Jun 6, 2002
359
0
Golden, CO
Did you try connecting to a different wireless network recently? Maybe re-enter your username and password. That might seem obvious but it fixed my connection when i was only able to connect to the router and not the internet.


edit: I forgot you said you can't connect when hard wired either. My only other idea is to re-install the drivers for the network adapter. To do that just find your list of hardware in the control panel and see what kind of adapter it is and just google for the 64 bit driver for that.
 
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jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,573
24,193
media blackout
I'm so already back on Windows XP. Just gotta find a few rogue drivers still. Dell's support site must've been designed by Ozzy. It doesn't make any sense whatsoever.
 

Obsidian

Chimp
May 29, 2009
4
0
I've struggled with my netgear router, running windows 2008 server as my laptop's OS (runs a treat, but that's another topic).

I've found that it WILL NOT connect to my router at home, unless I give it a static IP address. If I wait for DHCP, I'll wait forever.

Must be a firmware issue on the router, hopefully they'll update that soon.

Pity that you couldn't get it sorted without resorting to reinstalling the OS. :twitch:
 

syadasti

i heart mac
Apr 15, 2002
12,690
290
VT
Yeah you can reserve that IP (or use one outside the DHCP pool) and then assign it manually on the machine. Dlink routers have also had issues with a buggy DNS relay implementation which screws things up but you can just disable it. Consumer routers frequently have pretty flaky/buggy firmware - is yours up-to-date?

As far as Wifi drivers go, find out the OEM for the wifi chipset and get the latest chipset OEM drivers. I think Dell often uses Atheros wifi chipset in their Dell branded wifi solutions.
 

BikeMike

Monkey
Feb 24, 2006
784
0
Got the parents a Linksys WRT54GL router and changed them over from WEP to WPA2. Now my sister's Vista laptop only gets a local connection via wireless, although it connects through to the internet fine using ethernet.

Tried fussing around with the network connections, Microsoft's DhcpFlagToggle fix, and disabling IPv6. No help. ipconfig /renew doesn't work. Wireless on the neighbor's unsecured network works fine.

XP and Win7 machines work fine. Router firmware seems to be latest version.

Any ideas? Assign a static IP?
 

binary visions

The voice of reason
Jun 13, 2002
22,092
1,132
NC
Plug it in via ethernet, do ipconfig /all and note the settings. Connect via wireless, do ipconfig /all, note the settings.

Post 'em both and it'll help troubleshoot :thumb:
 

BikeMike

Monkey
Feb 24, 2006
784
0
BV: huge thanks for the offer of help!

Unfortunately, my last day home was too busy. My sister also left, so crisis averted. This thread may get resurrected next December though. I was rather stumped.