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Old 02-04-2009, 08:30 PM   #5
tw
Read? I only know how to write.
 
Join Date: Jan 2001
Posts: 11,933
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shawnee123 View Post
It just stops acting like it's even connected yet the icon at the bottom says 54.0 Mbps...which is good, right?
First the wireless connects to the wireless router. When that happens, your have a digital connection; in your case 54 Mbps.

Next, your machine must ask for an IP address. The router's DNS server provides (leases) an IP address to your wireless card.

I have seen some routers make the connection (ie 54 Mbps), but the DNS server refuses to lease an IP address. The solution was to power cycle the wireless router.

Don't know why. Never had sufficient time to learn why. But if you are having the same problem, the Geek squad would never see the problem and still charge you.

First suggestion: determine if the problem is in the router. IOW any computer that has not connected wirelessly to that router in over a day would demonstrate the same problem. (Any computer connected wirelessly in less than a day may not see the problem.) If both connect at some speed but will not talk, then you have saved yourself a payment to the Geek Squad.

A second suggestion: enter "IPCONFIG /ALL" in the same command window where "netsh winsock" was entered. If the IP address for your "Wireless Network Connection" does not start with 192.168.xxx.xxx or 10.xxx.xxx.xxx, then an IP address is not provided by the router.

A computer can connect. But without an IP address, it still will not communicate. Later in the day, that routers DNS server can fail. But your computer would continue to work for the next 24 hours - when the lease for the IP address expires and it was ask the router's DNS server for an new address lease. No new lease from a failed DNS server means it would again connect only to the router at 54 Mbps, but not connect to the network.
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