Connecting a computer to the internet

Question

Something seems to be up with my friends computer. The desktop (running XP) is hardwired into the router, but it won't connect to the internet.

So then I tried to use this wireless adapter via USB that successfully found just about every wireless internet connection in my neighborhood, except for mine.

I thought the internet connection/router might be having issues, so I checked using my laptop and it's working fine (evident by this post). I also tried disabling my wireless connection and hard wiring into the router using the same Ethernet cable from the desktop to make sure the cable worked properly, and it did.

Any ideas? (I probably should have made this two different topics, but I'm hoping there's a singular explanation)

UPDATE (August 12, 2010 at 11:00pm EST)

I'm going to list off the things I know.

1. The Ethernet cable works correctly. (I've tested it)
2. The wireless internet for all the other computers in the house is working fine.

I tried plugging the computer straight into the modem and it still won't connect to the internet.

So I'm left with this.

1. The USB wireless adapter finds tons of networks, just not ours. Which would point to the router having issues, but
2. The router is working perfectly fine for all other computers, and plugging this computer directly into the modem lead to nothing.

So... my next course of action is to reinstall the drivers as Dean suggested.

I'm saving having to restore the router to its original settings as a last course of action because if something went wrong, I'd have several upset roommates.

Answer 1

For sure, there's no trouble with the router or router cable.

I think some ACL in the router config is blocking connections from the IP the desktop gets. If it is not same as the one you got in laptop, try adjusting that. For example, if the desktop got 192.168.1.1 and your laptop something else, then set the desktop's IP to the laptop's one (of course after disconnecting the laptop).

It may work. Or else, there is some firewall which is blocking outgoing connections. Check after disabling xp firewall. Though by default it permits outgoing connections. Or some firewall software must be present (Comodo, ZoneAlarm, etc.) Check for them too.

Answer 2

Try taking the router out of the equation: connect the laptop directly to the modem/socket and see if you get online.

• If you do, you've now narrowed your problem to the router.

• If not, you may have a faulty CAT cable (this is the easiest eventuality to handle).

Once you've decided it's the router, try restoring it back to its original settings (every router has that option in one of the menus) but not before backing up/writing down the current settings.

• If that doesn't help, either:
  • the router is faulty or
  • the laptop's wireless card is the issue or
  • some sort of firewall is blocking access.

But that's another issue altogether...

Answer 3

Is the NIC configured properly on the machine that isn't working? I would uninstall the drivers then reinstall them see if that works. Also is there any MAC filtering on the network(i have it at work and home).
Dean