Please help: I'm connected, but there's no connectivity

[JonMiller9]

My home network has been working trouble-free for the past two years.
I haven't made any changes to my network settings, but I suddenly
don't have any connection to the internet and I can't link to files on
the base computer. My Belkin Wireless Monitor can locate my network
and reports that I am connected to it. My Windows XP Wireless Network
Connection monitor reports the same. My XP firewall is turned off.
Turning off the Norton Firewall doesn't help.

I've tried using System Restore but XP keep reporting that it's been
unable to move back to the previous restore points. It's possible my
five-year old son managed to hit something at random to bring this
on. Any ideas on how to fix this?

The details are as follows: I've got a NetgearWGT624v3 router on one
computer and a Belkin Wireless G USB network adapter connected to the
other. With both networks, I'm running WEP security, I've got SP1 and
SP2 installed. I'm also running the free version of zonealarm, Norton
Antivirus, Spybot Search & Destroy. Any help would be much
appreciated.

Thanks,

 

[Malke]

My home network has been working trouble-free for the past two years.
I haven't made any changes to my network settings, but I suddenly
don't have any connection to the internet and I can't link to files on
the base computer. My Belkin Wireless Monitor can locate my network
and reports that I am connected to it. My Windows XP Wireless Network
Connection monitor reports the same. My XP firewall is turned off.
Turning off the Norton Firewall doesn't help.

I've tried using System Restore but XP keep reporting that it's been
unable to move back to the previous restore points. It's possible my
five-year old son managed to hit something at random to bring this
on. Any ideas on how to fix this?

The details are as follows: I've got a NetgearWGT624v3 router on one
computer and a Belkin Wireless G USB network adapter connected to the
other. With both networks, I'm running WEP security, I've got SP1 and
SP2 installed. I'm also running the free version of zonealarm, Norton
Antivirus, Spybot Search & Destroy. Any help would be much
appreciated.

For one thing, you've got too many firewalls running. You only want one. I
don't like Norton products, but if you want to keep it uninstall Zone
Alarm. ZA has been problematic for quite a while and IIRC a recent update
caused Internet connectivity loss. Uninstall ZA using the method from ZA
support:

1. Go into ZA Overview/Preferences and uncheck "Load Zone Alarm on Startup".
2. Reboot computer to remove Zone Alarm drivers from memory.
3. Temporarily shut down any other AV/security programs.
4. Click on Start >Programs > Zone Labs. RIGHT-click on Uninstall Zone Labs
Security, then select Properties. Under Target you will see the following
line (the actual drive may be different on your system):

"C:\Program Files\Zone Labs\ZoneAlarm\zauninstexe" - Change it to:
"C:\Program Files\Zone Labs\ZoneAlarm\zauninst.exe" /clean /rmlicense (add a
space and then the /clean). Click OK to save.
Say "Yes" when being prompted for the removal of all files and allow
TrueVector to shut down. Reboot.

Now start in Safe Mode and delete these files in the Windows Directory:

WINDOWS\ Internet Logs
Program Files\Zone Labs
WINDOWS\system32\ Zonelabs

Now reboot into Regular Mode.

ZoneAlarm forum: http://forums.zonelabs.org/zonelabs/

After you've uninstalled ZA, either use the Norton Firewall or the Windows
Firewall, not both. Check for connectivity and post back with results.

Malke

 

[JonMiller9]

After you've uninstalled ZA, either use the Norton Firewall or the Windows
Firewall, not both. Check for connectivity and post back with results.

Thanks for responding to my post! ZA is gone, but nothing else has
changed. Just to clarify, the Windows firewall is shut down. Other
suggestions?

 

[Malke]

Thanks for responding to my post! ZA is gone, but nothing else has
changed. Just to clarify, the Windows firewall is shut down. Other
suggestions?

In your first post you mentioned "both networks". Do you have two routers?
That's not what it sounded like; perhaps you meant "both computers"? You
have a cable/DSL modem with one wireless router connected to it via
ethernet and one computer connected to the wireless router by ethernet,
yes? One other computer that normally connects with a wireless USB adapter?

If you only have one network and your wireless isn't working on the laptop,
it's time to look at your equipment.

Can you get to the Internet on the wired computer? If yes, then:

1. Can the computer that normally connects wirelessly get onto a different
wireless network? Hopefully this computer is a laptop and easily taken to a
friend's house.

2. If this computer is a desktop machine, then uninstall/reinstall the
Belkin adapter's drivers. If that doesn't work, try a different wireless
USB adapter. Perhaps the Belkin has died.

More details from you as to what kind of computers, whether the wired
computer gets to the Internet, clarification about how many networks you
have, etc. will help get focused answers.

Malke

 

[JonMiller9]

More details from you as to what kind of computers, whether the wired
computer gets to the Internet, clarification about how many networks you
have, etc. will help get focused answers.

I have one wireless network connecting two desktop computers. The
wired computer has no difficulty connecting to the internet. I
reinstalled the Belkin adapters and the situation remains the same.
Sadly, all of my neighbors were smart enough to password-protect their
networks, so there are no open networks in range of the wireless
desktop. Is there anything else I should try before I drop $$$ on a
new adapter?

Thank you for your continued patience and attention,

 

[Malke]

I have one wireless network connecting two desktop computers. The
wired computer has no difficulty connecting to the internet. I
reinstalled the Belkin adapters and the situation remains the same.
Sadly, all of my neighbors were smart enough to password-protect their
networks, so there are no open networks in range of the wireless
desktop. Is there anything else I should try before I drop $$$ on a
new adapter?

There is nothing sad about your neighbors protecting their wireless
networks. I wasn't suggesting that you steal their bandwidth. I hoped that
you had friends who wouldn't mind you visiting with your laptop and trying
to get on. At the time I posted, you had not said whether the troubled
machine was a laptop or a desktop. Since you have a desktop computer,
taking it to a friend's house may not be easy but that is the only way to
know whether the Belkin is broken. To test whether the router is the
culprit, have a friend bring over his/her laptop and try to get onto your
wireless network. If s/he can't, then the issue lies with the router. You
can reboot it by unplugging it for about a minute and if that doesn't work,
replace it.

I suppose you could ask someone if you could install the Belkin on their
machine but I don't recommend this since it may mess up their own
networking.

If you don't want to spend any money - and the culprit might not be the
Belkin; it might be the wireless component of your router - then haul your
computer somewhere you can *legally* and with permission test its wireless
connectivity.

Standard disclaimer: I can't see and test your computer myself, so these are
just suggestions based on many years of being a professional computer tech;
suggestions based on what you've written. You should not take my
suggestions as a definitive diagnosis. If you can't do the work yourself
(and there is no shame in admitting this isn't your cup of tea), take the
machine to a professional computer repair shop (not your local equivalent
of BigComputerStore/GeekSquad). If possible, have all your data backed up
before you take the machine into a shop.

Malke

 

[Lem]

My home network has been working trouble-free for the past two years.
I haven't made any changes to my network settings, but I suddenly
don't have any connection to the internet and I can't link to files on
the base computer. My Belkin Wireless Monitor can locate my network
and reports that I am connected to it. My Windows XP Wireless Network
Connection monitor reports the same. My XP firewall is turned off.
Turning off the Norton Firewall doesn't help.

I've tried using System Restore but XP keep reporting that it's been
unable to move back to the previous restore points. It's possible my
five-year old son managed to hit something at random to bring this
on. Any ideas on how to fix this?

The details are as follows: I've got a NetgearWGT624v3 router on one
computer and a Belkin Wireless G USB network adapter connected to the
other. With both networks, I'm running WEP security, I've got SP1 and
SP2 installed. I'm also running the free version of zonealarm, Norton
Antivirus, Spybot Search & Destroy. Any help would be much
appreciated.

Thanks,

Normally, you should have only one program controlling your wireless
adapter. You appear to have two: the "Belkin wireless monitor" and the
"Windows XP Wireless Connection monitor." However, before messing around
with a configuration that you say has been working for two years, try a
couple of simple things first:

1. Shut down the problem computer and disconnect the power from the
Netgear router. Wait a couple of minutes and then power up the router.
Wait until the lights on the router indicate that it has stabilized (you
might check that the other computer (which I assume is connected by wire
to the router) can successfully get to the Internet). Now power up the
problem computer. Can you connect now? Go to "view available wireless
networks" (or "choose a wireless network"); can you see your network?
What happens when you select your network from the list and click
"Connect"? If it shows as connected, disconnect and re-connect. If you
get any error messages, include the complete message(s) in your response
here.

If no joy,

2. On the *wired* computer, open a Command Prompt window (Start > All
Programs > Accessories > Command Prompt) and type "ipconfig" (without
quotes and press Enter. Write down the IP Address and Default Gateway
(the Default Gateway probably will be 192.168.1.1 and the IP address
will probably be 192.168.1.x where x is between 2 and 253).

On the problem computer, open a Command Prompt window and type
"ipconfig /all" (without quotes) and press Enter. Copy and paste the
information into your next post
(http://digitalmediaphile.wordpress.com/ipconfig-all-how-to-get-text-output/)

The Default Gateway should be the same as what you wrote down from the
wired computer. If it is not, particularly if it is 0.0.0.0, just post
back, being sure to answer all of the questions above.

If the Default Gateway on the wireless computer *is* the same as the
Default Gateway on the wired computer, then

a. in the Command Prompt window on the wireless computer, type "ping [IP
address of Default Gateway]" (without quotes and substituting the value
you wrote down) and press Enter. What is the result (just report the
number of packets sent, received, and lost)?

b. in the Command Prompt window on the wireless computer, type "ping
127.0.0.1" (without quotes) and press Enter. What is the result?

c. in the Command Prompt window on the wireless computer, type "ping [IP
address of wired computer]" (without quotes and substituting the value
you wrote down) and press Enter. What is the result?

d. in the Command Prompt window on the wireless computer, type
"ping www.google.com" (without quotes) and press Enter. What is the result?

e. in the Command Prompt window on the wired computer, type "ping [IP
address of wireless computer]" (without quotes and substituting) and
press Enter. What is the result?

BTW, did you remove any malware on the problem computer recently?
--
Lem -- MS-MVP

To the moon and back with 2K words of RAM and 36K words of ROM.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer
http://history.nasa.gov/afj/compessay.htm

 

[JonMiller9]

Malke and Lem -

Thanks once more for your time and attention. Replacing the router
fixed the problem. Woo-hoo!

Take care,

Jon

 

[Lem]

Malke and Lem -

Thanks once more for your time and attention. Replacing the router
fixed the problem. Woo-hoo!

Take care,

Jon

Thanks for letting us know.

--
Lem -- MS-MVP

To the moon and back with 2K words of RAM and 36K words of ROM.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer
http://history.nasa.gov/afj/compessay.htm