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Vista wireless not allowing internet access

JPN
Rising Star
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Registered: ‎19-12-2013

Vista wireless not allowing internet access

Trying to connect a laptop with Vista through my local network to the internet.  It seems to connect to the local network fine, but doesn't allow the connection to the internet.  It won't talk to its wireless printer either.  Hardwired, both printer and internet are fine.  Any ideas what's going on? (The wireless printer works fine from my XP systems).
17 REPLIES 17
shutter
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Registered: ‎06-11-2007

Re: Vista wireless not allowing internet access

What message(s) are you getting when you click on the internet/wireless connection ?
do you get a "connect or disconnect"... and then a list of availables/
Do you get a "windows cannot connect"... and with that do you get  "diagnose and repair " /
JPN
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Registered: ‎19-12-2013

Re: Vista wireless not allowing internet access

I'll check tomorrow the precise message, but from memory it's something like 'local access only'; as though it's sitting on the network at one level, but not communicating with the other machines.
ReedRichards
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Re: Vista wireless not allowing internet access

'local access only' can sometimes mean that something has gone wrong and you actually have no access at all.  For example, communication with a wireless printer is via the local network so if it won't talk to the wireless printer then it probably isn't connected to your local network
JPN
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Registered: ‎19-12-2013

Re: Vista wireless not allowing internet access

The connection with the wireless is there, it correctly picks up the Plusnet designation; the router sees it on the correct ip address and is not blocking it at all.    In the connection screens it says access is local, not internel. I assume local here means just the laptop, as it's not visible on the network to the other machines (other than the router) and they are not visible to it.  On the properties pages it does show a few packets sent but no packets received.
Browsing on the internet it seems that this is not an uncommon issue, with no clear resolution. So far I've tried setting a registry flag to avoid the broadcast setting, using norton removal tool to deal with potential conflicts there, and setting the ip address to be the same each time from the router. No luck yet!
As noted before, with a hardwire connection everything is hunky dory.
sjptd
Grafter
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Registered: ‎01-09-2014

Re: Vista wireless not allowing internet access

Have you checked for updates to the wireless card drivers?
Has the wireless ever worked, or is this a new issue?
Kremmen
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Re: Vista wireless not allowing internet access

We had a PC with Vista and the wireless element was forever dropping out and the only solution was a PC reboot because when it failed and I went into the network centre to try and reconnect it would show everyone elses SSID's but not mine as though it didn't exist or I'd hidden it, which I hadn't and was confirmed by another wireless device.
In the end I got some homeplugs and that solved it.
Let's be careful out there !
shutter
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Registered: ‎06-11-2007

Re: Vista wireless not allowing internet access

Daft suggestion...... check that you have your "wireless switch" switched on.... !... may be a seperate switch on the side of the laptop,...or a Fn switch with the wireless tower icon on it...
JPN
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Registered: ‎19-12-2013

Re: Vista wireless not allowing internet access

sjptd - yes, just tried driver update, and it's up to date apparently, and problem still there.  The laptop has been used in the past by my mother who lived alone, so I don't think the wireless has ever been used, though it looks as though it was configured on. Since it's been here it has not worked.
Kremmen - the system picks up the ssid ok, and says it is connected with excellent strength. There is just no communication.
Shutter - not so daft a suggestion - I've known it to happen.  In this case the wireless switch is on. (I usually have it switched off if I'm just using the hardwire link).
I'm still reasonably sure the problem is with the laptop rather than any other equipment on the network. More suggestions welcome.

shutter
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Registered: ‎06-11-2007

Re: Vista wireless not allowing internet access

Disconnect the wired link to the router....... make sure the wireless switch is on.... shut down the laptop, and then reboot... not re-start... proper cold reboot.. and see if it recognises the wifi..
There should be a way of using the Vista "Diagnose and Repair" and see what that says if it is not showing a proper connection...
Right click on the internet icon ... bottom right  corner.... should get  "Diagnose and Repair"... should also  give you Network and sharing centre... click on them  and see what comes up...
ejs
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Re: Vista wireless not allowing internet access

What wireless hardware is it?
Some laptop manufacturers don't really bother to supply driver updates, even though there might be more recent "generic" drivers available elsewhere, sometimes you can get them from the maker of the wireless chip.
shutter
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Re: Vista wireless not allowing internet access

On Network and Sharing,...you have some options that you can have ON or OFF... might be worth having a look at them.... e.g. Network Discovery    ... OFF ?      .........  printer sharing... OFF  ? 
ReedRichards
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Re: Vista wireless not allowing internet access

Quote from: JPN
The connection with the wireless is there, it correctly picks up the Plusnet designation; the router sees it on the correct ip address and is not blocking it at all.    In the connection screens it says access is local, not internel. I assume local here means just the laptop, as it's not visible on the network to the other machines (other than the router) and they are not visible to it.   On the properties pages it does show a few packets sent but no packets received.

What does Ipconfig /all say about the connection?
Can you actually login to the router from the laptop?
Do you have a USB wireless adaptor you can try as a substitute for the built-in one?  
JPN
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Registered: ‎19-12-2013

Re: Vista wireless not allowing internet access

Okay, thanks for the further suggestions.
I disconnected the wired link and shutdown with wireless on.  Cold reboot. No improvement. Vista diagnose and repair does see a problem, but then reports a possible problem with router/modem, which I don't think it will be. (I may try a full reboot of the whole network later, just in case).
The hardware is Atheros AR5007 Wifi adapter.
ipconfig seems ok.  The addresses/subnet are correct. dhcp enabled, autoconnect enabled, physical address correct,  it sees the router address correctly.  Node Type reported as hybrid.
There are other entries for tunnel adapter that show 'media disconnected', described as isatap.lan, teredo, and 6to4 adapter (multiple entries for each).
With just the wireless on, it will not login to the router (doesn't even get to the login page).  With wired it logs in as usual.
I don't have another wireless adapter; other wireless kits (tablets, another laptop etc) all connect fine.
Network and sharing options has file sharing and network discovery on, and printer sharing on. 
I have disabled the firewall/defender (with everything behind a hardware firewall).  Not sure if that is a factor as it seems to be needed for network discovery to be switched off?)
ReedRichards
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Re: Vista wireless not allowing internet access

Quote from: JPN
With just the wireless on, it will not login to the router (doesn't even get to the login page).  With wired it logs in as usual.

So you don't have a working wireless connection at all.  It could be your security software malfunctioning.  You could temporarily uninstall it if you have the licence key noted down for re-installation.  If that does not work, you can try uninstalling and re-installing the drivers for your wireless adaptor.  If that does not work then a USB wireless adaptor costs £10 to £20.  That will work because you have eliminated all other possibilities.