Wireless is Connected, but IE will not use it

[Composer]

Configuration:

1. Broadband wall socket wired to
2. D-Link ADSL modem wired to
3. Netgear FWG114P wireless router/firewall wirelessly linked to
4a. Windows XP Professional using mini-PCI card, and
4b. Windows ME using Netgear WG511 wireless adapter card, and
4c. Apple PowerBook

Problem:

On the XP machine, Internet Explorer (and Netscape too) won't use the
connection, even though XP says that it is connected to "Wireless
Network Connection" at a speed of 2mbps with hundreds of packets sent
and received.

Have tried every combination in IE > Tools > Internet Options >
Connections > and it's clear that IE thinks there is no connection. It
always tries dial-up, if that option is turned on.

The "Windows XP Help and Support Center" app says "This troubleshooter
has detected that your computer cannot ping your default gateway. This
indicates that you are not connected to the Internet".

Apple is happily communicating over the broadband.
Apple see the ME machine and all its files.
ME machine sees the Apple.

Will be grateful for any advice. Thanks.

 

[Doug Sherman [MVP]]

Try:

1. IE > Tools > Internet Options > Connections > select Never Dial a
Connection. Click the LAN Settings button and make sure all check boxes are
cleared.

2. If #1 doesn't work, run IP config /all and make sure that your IP
address, default gateway etc. are correct. If not, try manually configuring
these settings.

Doug Sherman
MCSE, MCSA, MCP+I, MVP

 

[Composer]

Thanks, Doug.

Tried solution #1 and restarted. No luck.

The results of #2 are:

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : DELL500M
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcast
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Network Bridge (Network Bridge) 4:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : MAC Bridge Miniport
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 02-90-4B-B1-88-43
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration IP Address. . . : 169.254.218.27
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :

....and it does not seem right that my default gateway is blank, but I'm
not educated enough to know what to do about it. Can I ask for some
pointers? Thanks again.

 

[Doug Sherman [MVP]]

OK, the problem machine is not getting an address and other settings from
the router. Also, it appears that there are or were more than one network
adapter in the machine and a bridge has been configured. Try:

1. On the problem machine, go to network connections, right click on any
Local Area Connections other than the one for the "mini-PCI card" and select
disable. If there is no Local Area Connection for the "mini-PCI card" check
Device Manager and make sure the device is working properly. Don't know if
you can disable a bridge - if a network bridge is listed, you may have to
delete it. Nothing you have told us indicates a need for a bridge.

2. Then on the problem machine, open a command prompt and run ipconfig
/renew.

3. If #2 does not succeed, we will try manually configuring the enabled
Local Area Connection for the "mini-PCI card", but this may not be necessary
if the other connections are disabled.

Doug Sherman
MCSE, MCSA, MCP+I, MVP

 

[Composer]

Doug, you are right on top of it. Your solution number 1 worked.
I deleted the Network Bridge, then ran ipconfig /renew and then
restarted.
Now IE, and Netscape, and Outlook are all happily using the wireless
connection.

Thanks very much!

 

[Doug Sherman [MVP]]

Go get 'em, Composer!

Doug Sherman
MCSE, MCSA, MCP+I, MVP

 

[Composer]

Thanks.
Now I move on to the ME machine. It can see the broadband, it can ping
some websites I know, but when I ask IE to look at a site, it crashes.
Looking for an appropriate newsgroup to take that problem to...