another limited or no connectivity problem!

fifib

ok im totally stumped! i think ive just about readthrough every "limited or no connectivity" and "router cannot acquire IP address" thread on the web and tried all the possible solutions and nothing works!
have a dell 6400m xp sp3 and BT voyager 2110 wireless router. keep getting a limited or no connectivity message when trying to connect wirelessly to router and if i try troubleshoot says it did not receive an IP address. have a destop connected/cabled to same router and no problems here at all.
Tried the cable in my laptop but it wouldnt connect.
sometimes the IP address is 0.0.0.0 but ive tried manually setting the IP address on laptop, connected to router fine this way but could not access internet. i usually get an 192.168.1.2/3 IP address but its now giving me 169.254.239.100 address? and then it bombs out/disconnects
ive uninstalled my driver - Intel Pro Wireless 3945ABG and installed the latest driver, also installed the latest software version 12.0.0.2- no luck
ive deleted all other saved profiles from the Wireless connection utility
i cannot ping the router from the laptop
its WEP security - ive re-enter this..well lost count how many times now!
ive reset the router duno how many times
DCHP client is started
in the router configuration manager - DCHP table only shows the desktop PC. duno should it show the laptop too?

the same thing happened to me about a month ago but i usually keep my laptop on hibernate so i just restarted it and everything came up fine again but not this time!

can someone please help me before i go out of my mind...i duno what else to try!

Niall F

I suspect the laptop is set correctly. If it comes back with 169.254.x.x it means it tried and failed to find a DHCP Server. The laptop would only show up in the router if it has given out an IP. Laptop not talking to wireless at all.
Can you change the type of security the wireless is using? Try WPA - PSK if that's an option.

dub45

Have you tried turning off the firewall in the laptop? An 'update' to Zone Alarm caused very similar problems to those you describe for lots of people.

Have you tried using the laptop in a hotspot or other wireless situation?

Be careful constantly resetting stuff very easy to upset other stuff.

fifib

NiallF - I set up a WPA and no luck, still limited or no connectivity
noticed now the PC doesnt show in the DCHP table on the router. duno is this a result of changing to WPA now but it still connects to internet.

dub45- yes the firewall is turned off. no havent tried using wireless anywhere else cos i just use it at home. but i will see if i can try that


thanks for your suggestions guys...keep them coming! im determined to get to the bottom of this! that and cos i need to get my laptop back up and running!

Vanbis

fifib wrote: »

thanks for your suggestions guys...keep them coming! im determined to get to the bottom of this! that and cos i need to get my laptop back up and running!

Usually with that error it can be only a couple of things and one i think is the password you are entering is incorrect for WPA you have setup, remember its case sensitive so double check. The other option i would try would be to disable the security on the router and see if you still getting the same error.

Niall F

Hadn't seen where you said you manually gave it an IP and can connect to the router that way but not get out any further. If you give it a gateway as well (this will be the internal IP of the router, probably 192.168.1.254) and manually put in Eircom / BT or some ISPs DNS servers too. Does this get you out on the Internet?

fifib

ok im still stumped but the good news is it seems to be fixed
so i changed the encryption to WPA as suggested earlier but still got "limited or no connectivity", after that i changed it back to WEP like it was all along! ive been so careful everytime i put in the WEP key cos of case sensitivity but its mainly numbers. anyways i just turned on my laptop then this evening and low and behold we have internet!!
im baffled but delighted im back online

thanks for all your help and suggestions guys

dub45

fifib wrote: »

ok im still stumped but the good news is it seems to be fixed
so i changed the encryption to WPA as suggested earlier but still got "limited or no connectivity", after that i changed it back to WEP like it was all along! ive been so careful everytime i put in the WEP key cos of case sensitivity but its mainly numbers. anyways i just turned on my laptop then this evening and low and behold we have internet!!
im baffled but delighted im back online

thanks for all your help and suggestions guys

When you are happy that you have things sorted out get rid of the WEP and change to WPA - easier to use and definitely more secure.

fifib

dub45 wrote: »

When you are happy that you have things sorted out get rid of the WEP and change to WPA - easier to use and definitely more secure.

yea i really should do...just a bit afraid it touch it at the mo in case it goes belly up again!

Loveless

fifib wrote: »

anyways i just turned on my laptop then this evening and low and behold we have internet!!

I always find a reboot when making changes to DNS settings is always a good idea.

(Also a fan of using the Winsock Repair Utility when having connectivity problems.)