XP IP address Query

[#1]

Okay, I'm willing to make a small bet that it isn't a fix.  By the way, do you have some sort of a nickname, 'A Fox ...'.  I find the full name a bit too much to type.
I think most of us are probably our own worst enemies, actually.  Is that lucky?     

[#2]

Hi,back again.Removed 1394 firewire pci card.Its no longer needed.No change.Tried to connect.Connection failed,repair failed.I then unplugged the adaptor,plink plink sound.Plugged it back in,plink plink sound.Connection established very quickly. If the adaptor is faulty,why does it work first time every morning but fail later the same day.If the connection is poor surely it would drop out in use.Its on a short bendy connector which I think is there so it can be moved to gain the best signal.I have tried moving it around but no loss of connection.I think I have already tried it without the bendy connector with no improvement but will try it again.

[#3]

Quote from: ReedRichards

Okay, I'm willing to make a small bet that it isn't a fix.  By the way, do you have some sort of a nickname, 'A Fox ...'.  I find the full name a bit too much to type. I think most of us are probably our own worst enemies, actually.  Is that lucky?

An anagram of "a fox is evil" is "axisofevil"
If you are not your own worst enemy, it means that someone else is.   

[#4]

When the adaptor connects to the router it has to go through a 'hand-shaking process' to exchange some basic information that it never has to repeat until the next time a connection is made.  When you first use it in the morning the electronics inside the adaptor are all nice and cool but when you use it they heat up.  A lot of marginal electronics works when cold but not hot or sometimes vice versa.
Bumbershoot, I don't think you have ever really explained your criteria for deciding whether the connection is working or not.  Do you see a cross or an exclamation mark against the wireless icon on the task bar?  Or do you just try to connect to a web site and get a browser error message?    

[#5]

Quote from: A

An anagram of "a fox is evil" is "axisofevil"

I noticed you changed your name a while back.  I could call you Jeremy, would that be okay?  It looks like I won that small bet; what did I win? 

Quote from: A

If you are not your own worst enemy, it means that someone else is.

But then it really depends on whether somebody else would do a better job of being your enemy than you would yourself?

[#6]

Quote from: ReedRichards

Quote from: A An anagram of "a fox is evil" is "axisofevil" I noticed you changed your name a while back.  I could call you Jeremy, would that be okay?

Why don't you call him Bruce - just to avoid confusion.

[#7]

When i switch on green box in bottom right corner shows signal.Computer icon next to it has yellow dot moving underneath it.It either connects,computer icon has two curved lines to the right,or yellow dots continue and a windows box appears telling me it failed to connect.If I click on this I can click on repair and normally it renews the ip address,occasionally it cannot renew and I restart the computer.
Would buying a wireless pci card help.
My criteria for deciding the connection is not working is windows telling me I have limited or no connectivity and when I hover the curser over the green box showing the signal strength the address is shown as 0.0.0.0.0

[#8]

Okay, so it sometimes fails to establish a wireless connection as I thought.  Nothing to do with DNS!!!
I don't see that a PCI card is any better than just buying another USB adaptor, you should be able to get one for around £20.

[#9]

Quote from: ReedRichards

I don't see that a PCI card is any better than just buying another USB adaptor, you should be able to get one for around £20.

PCI every time, if you can. 
(similar price)
There are SOME reasonably good USB units and many indifferent ones.
Personally I'd go for a PCI device with a separate desktop aerial on a reasonable length of lead.
e.g. : EdiMax EW-7128g
(available widely, £10 to £15 on Amazon for example)

[#10]

Quote from: bumbershoot

My criteria for deciding the connection is not working is windows telling me I have limited or no connectivity and when I hover the curser over the green box showing the signal strength the address is shown as 0.0.0.0.0

I got that with a PCI Wireless card - but the DNS fix fixed it for me.

Quote from: ReedRichards

I could call you Jeremy, would that be okay?  It looks like I won that small bet; what did I win?

That would be fine.

Quote from: A

I'm willing to make a small bet that this is a fix

Sorry ReedRichards Bruce - I only said I'd be willing to make a small bet.
I didn't actually make any bet...
BTW a PCI connection is connected directly to your main data bus; USB is an extra layer of complexity.
Go for PCI every time - you will need to open the box though and permanently install it.

[#11]

My main doubt about PCI is that you can end up with the aerial in a less-than-ideal position.  If you can get one with a separate desktop aerial (as HPSauce recommends) then that would be great.
Jeremy's problem was a consistent failure.  Software is pretty good at consistency.  Bumbershoot's problem is inconsistent; sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't.  I think that is much more likely to be down to a hardware problem, although it could be some other external factor.