reinstalled XP, can't get to Internet, all TCP/IP and DHCP settings are fine?

  • Thread starter Thread starter jamesmgregg68
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J

jamesmgregg68

Here's what happened to me:

I bought a Dell Inspiron 600m laptop with XP in Aug. 2004.
No problems until last week, I accidentally browsed a site that did a
drive-by download of spyware and adware.
Nothing worked - I eliminated most of it, but couldn't eradicate 6
registry entries.

Since the drive was already badly fragmented and defrag never cleared
it all, I figured I may as well do a fresh reinstall of XP and start
from scratch. I've done this a few time's before on my ex's 600m, so I
knew what I was doing.

I reinstalled XP into the same partition, overwriting everything, and
reinstalled all the Dell OEM drivers from the CD provided with the
machine.

I installed the drivers for both the LAN card (Broadcom 702? Gigabit
Integrated Controller, or something like that) and the Centrino
wireless card, and all the others.

Wireless card connects to my wireless router, but no Internet activity.

I call Comcast (local cable company) tech support and very helpful and
friendly tech support person troubleshoots problem, and discovers the
following is my problem:
IP ADDRESS ASSIGNED IS 169.xxx.xxx.xxx, WHICH IS THE LAPTOP ITSELF AND
NOT ASSIGNED BY DHCP.

So, we try the following to fix it:
* disable and enable LAN card - no effect
* reinstall drivers - no effect
* hard boot cable modem and router (from her end too) - no effect
* check all DHCP and TCP/IP settings - no effect
* DOS prompt - ipconfig /release - doesn't work, won't release the IP

Since now we determined it was something with the wireless card and XP,
she refers me to Dell tech support.

That technician has me enable the LAN card and hard-wire directly to
the modem. Voila, IP assigned and Internet is working.

So...end of the story...
MY WIRELESS CONNECTION WON'T WORK BECAUSE THE WIRELESS ROUTER/CARD
WON'T GET AN IP ADDRESS THAT DOESN'T START WITH 169, AND I CAN'T
RELEASE IT THROUGH COMMAND PROMPT.

My next step is to call Microsoft tech support, but I'm a-scared of
that.

Any advice? Thanks much in advance!
 
Well, you cannot release an APIPA (169.254.x.x) address. Try ipconfig
/renew. If that doesn't work, manually configure your wireless card with an
appropriate IP address, subnet mask, default gateway and DNS IP. If that
doesn't work, you may not be properly authenticated to the wireless router
even though it says you are connected.

Doug Sherman
MCSE, MCSA, MCP+I, MVP
 
Along with Doug's excellent advice, also be sure you're using the latest
available drivers for your wireless NIC, and be sure that you have only one
connection manager (either Windows Wireless Zero Configuration service or
the utility that comes with the card) running.

--
Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User] (e-mail address removed)
* PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups
* for the benefit of all. Private mail is usually not replied to.
* My website, such as it is ... http://rgharper.mvps.org/
* HELP us help YOU ... http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
 
Solution:

I called Dell Wireless Support - she walked me through a bunch of steps
including:

* inconfig /renew
* uninstalling/reinstalling Wireless card
* updating drivers by downloading from Dell site
* Laptop cabled to router cabled to modem

Nothing worked. She determined it was a problem with my wireless
router and wanted to refer me to the "pay for use" tech support team,
which I refused.

I finally just reset and reinstalled my wireless router from scratch -
the one thing we hadn't tried yet.

Works like a charm now!

Thanks for your input.
 
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