Can't get a wireless connection to internet - please help!

[Midnight Blue]

I've just bought an Acer 5735 laptop running Windows Vista. Try as I may I cannot get online using a wireless connection.

I can connect to the wireless router but not to the internet. The only way I can get online is by ethernet cable.

I've pinged the laptop wirelessly and all 4 messages were received.

I've added the MAC address to the settings of the router but that made no difference.

I even tried entering the laptop's IP address in the connection properties box (can't remember what it is called!) but that didn't work either.

I've tried anything my limited knowledge will allow and being new to Vista is not helping!!. I brought home a laptop from school and connected with no problems once I had put the WEP key in - but all the school machines run XP.

I had the same problem trying to connect to the wireless system at school - it connected as soon as I put the security key in. However, it is a completely different system as you have to go through the cache pilot to access the internet which means setting up a new IP address etc etc. As it was me who set up all the school laptops to access wireless, I think I probably got that bit right!! <_<

I have sent emails to Sitecom (router manufacturer), to Acer and to the seller, so hopefully will hear something useful next week.

In the meantime, if any of you wizz kids can suggest anything to try I would be really grateful. I have spent hours just getting nowhere.

I have a nice new laptop sitting in a case while I am chatting to you on my old one!! I am slowly losing the will to live here!!

Thanks

 

[Cherie]

Sounds like the same problem we had getting Stacey's Vista laptop to connect to our wireless here. As far as I understand it, there's a couple of different 'languages' that the wireless can use to connect to devices, and Vista is a bit stupid, and only knows one. There will be something in your wireless server's settings to determine which language is uses, but I don't know the specifics.

I'm pretty sure Dal or Red will be able to fill in the details.

 

[Midnight Blue]

Thanks, Cherie. Fingers crossed!! :cheer:

 

[yippeekiay]

Vista sucks!!

A backwards step from XP if you ask me.

 

[Dal]

The trouble we had was that Vista only works through WPA security and not WEP. We had to change our wireless box to WPA so Stacey's Vista laptop would see it. Worth changing to WPA just to make sure.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/948180" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[DradusContact]

Yeah as said above

Make sure your on the same wireless channel
Make sure SSID is on (at least for setup)
Disable any security while setting it up

 

[fiestastman]

As said above disable any encryption and get connected 1st to make sure thats the cause.
Then set up security with a decent pass phrase.Change the SSID so it doesnt identify what provider you are using.
Use the link to get a random wpa code from the wpa generator.
Dont do any money transactions using the wireless connection,best be safe,just plug the ethernet lead in for that.

http://www.kurtm.net/wpa-pskgen/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[Midnight Blue]

Cheers for all info. I have been down all these routes along with others, including changing the registry. Nothing works. I've spent more than enough hours trying to get it sorted. An online test of my router said it would work with Vista. Before I splash out for a new one, in the hope it will fix the problem, I will find someone already running Vista on wireless and try to connect to that. If that fails the laptop can go back to where it came from ... it is lucky it hasn't been chucked in the skip before now!!

 

[fiestastman]

I know this might sound silly,but is the wireless card enabled on the laptop ?
Also check in services that the wireless servive is enabled.
Click start,in the run box, type in services.msc
scroll down to wireless zero and make sure its enabled and set to automatic.