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Help!

julesandsand
Grafter
Posts: 176
Registered: ‎18-02-2009

Help!

I have today installed a new modem/router (d-link dsl 2740r). I have successfully connected to PN and set up my wireless network. I have one desktop and 3 laptops.  All are connected  wirelessly OK to the network. I have internet access on 3 of the machines (2 running Vista and one running W7).
Here's the problem, one laptop (W7) will not connect to the internet although it is connected OK to the network. It WILL connect  if I connect to the router via wired LAN.
I ran network diagnostics and a primary DNS server (whatever that might be!) communication problem was detected.
I have no idea how to fix this, any ideas?
I'm not sure if I'm posting this in the correct forum, please move if not.
16 REPLIES 16
Oldjim
Resting Legend
Posts: 38,460
Thanks: 787
Fixes: 63
Registered: ‎15-06-2007

Re: Help!

moved to windows as this looks like a W7 problem
ReedRichards
Seasoned Pro
Posts: 4,927
Thanks: 145
Fixes: 25
Registered: ‎14-07-2009

Re: Help!

Try to connect wirelessly, open a CMD window, type ipconfig <enter>.  What are the parameters for your wireless adaptor?
julesandsand
Grafter
Posts: 176
Registered: ‎18-02-2009

Re: Help!

What parameters exactly?
Sorry not all that techy.
julesandsand
Grafter
Posts: 176
Registered: ‎18-02-2009

Re: Help!

The laptop now  is reporting that it is connected to the network (it is) with internet access - if it is it won't display any web pages.
ReedRichards
Seasoned Pro
Posts: 4,927
Thanks: 145
Fixes: 25
Registered: ‎14-07-2009

Re: Help!

Quote from: julesandsand
What parameters exactly?

What does it say in the CMD window? 
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Help!

If you type the IP address of your router into your browser's address bar, does it display your router's login or status web page ?
Your router's IP address will look something like "192.168.1.1" or similar.
If you do see your router's web page, then you at least have a working network connection.
Beyond that you need to check the results of "ipconfig" as "ReedRichards" suggested.
ReedRichards
Seasoned Pro
Posts: 4,927
Thanks: 145
Fixes: 25
Registered: ‎14-07-2009

Re: Help!

Yes, I had tended to assume you had established a working wireless connection between the errant laptop and the router.  But I think running ipconfig will enable us to tell that just as well as trying to logon to the router as Purleigh suggests.
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Help!

I was working on the principle that "a working wireless connection" had probably been determined by a system tray icon not showing a fault condition, whereas actually seeing a locally sourced html page (of which the router is as good as any) gives a little more confidence that the laptop has at least made the first step of having a network connection.
A second reason for connecting to your router, and then logging in, it should prove (assuming you have changed the router's password), that the network connection that you think you have, is actually connecting to YOUR OWN network and that you have not spuriously connected onto your neighbours unprotected wireless network instead - which you would not be able to determine from "ipconfig" alone.
And finally (for today !),  when you do get around to posting the result of "ipconfig",  it would be even more helpful if you actually did "ipconfig /all", as that provides the additional info about the DNS settings - which might be the very thing stopping you getting onto the internet !
julesandsand
Grafter
Posts: 176
Registered: ‎18-02-2009

Re: Help!

You're right, it was a DNS problem. I was on my own wireless network , could see all the router pages and all of the devices attached to my own network but no web pages. I looked at the wireless adapter properties and in the IPv4 properties the DNS settings were set to the address of my old router (why I've no idea), so I simply set it to obtain DNS settings automatically and bingo, internet access.
Thanks to both of you.
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Help!

That's good news  Cheesy
If you are interested in now ensuring that you are getting the best DNS performance - and therefore fastest web browsing speed,
If you tell us what your router DNS values are, then I will run those through a DNS speed checker to see how they compare with Google DNS and OpenDNS (which are usually faster than Plusnet's !).
julesandsand
Grafter
Posts: 176
Registered: ‎18-02-2009

Re: Help!

How do I do that? Both the routers and attached clients are set to obtain DNS automatically.
julesandsand
Grafter
Posts: 176
Registered: ‎18-02-2009

Re: Help!

Are these they?

Perferred DNS Server : 212.159.6.9
Alternate DNS Server : 212.159.6.10
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Help!

Yep, that's perfect !
So running your numbers against Google DNS and OpenDNS, I get -


and as you can see both Google DNS and OpenDNS are faster than Plusnet.
Of course these numbers do change around depending on the time of day, but generally OpenDNS comes out fastest most of the time, followed closely by Google, and then Plusnet.
So in your router, manually set the DNS's as follows -
Primary DNS (#1) = "8.8.4.4"  (Google DNS)
Secondary DNS (#2) = "208.67.220.220"  (OpenDNS)
then if you have further DNS settings available then fill them with -
DNS (#3) = "212.159.6.10"  (Current Plusnet DNS)
DNS (#4) = "212.159.13.50"  (Older Plusnet DNS)
This combination should give better web browsing speed, AND better reliability because you are spreading your DNS over three independent servers rather than relying on one provider.
And before anyone asks, I did also include 8.8.8.8, but the test decided not to show that on the graph as it was deemed a "slower replica of 8.8.4.4" - but not much slower !
julesandsand
Grafter
Posts: 176
Registered: ‎18-02-2009

Re: Help!

I've changed the settings, do I need to reboot the router?