PC Issue

[Nelson Atwell]

My daughter's new laptop suddenly stopped working on my network. It is very weird, because she can connect to an unsecured wireless network in my neighborhood, but not to my own network through wireless or even through her NIC using a Cat 5e cable.



Any suggestions on what may be the problem?

 

[Dale Carlson]

It happens, Nelson. Double-click on the network icon in the system tray (lower right-hand corner), click on View Wireless Networks, Click on Refresh Network List. Your network should show back up, and then you can select it again.



Edit: Just occured to me that if she connected to another network in the 'hood, that her IP address is now in the same subnet as that network, and not yours (because she also can't get on your network via the cable/NIC). After you do the stuff above, open a command prompt and type ipconfig /renew. Your access point should now issue a new IP address to her computer.

 

[George C]

Try changing the wireless channel on your router and then reconnecting to the wireless network. Sometimes there is interference on one channel and the others will work. If you are on 1 or 2 try 10.



George

 

[Nelson Atwell]

OK, I fixed it. Apparently, the router took a power surge during our numerous storms this week. For some odd reason the wireless and three of the hardwired ports stopped working. I bought a new wireless router and everything is good again. I guess it was time to replace that old Wireless-B unit anyway.



The next upgrade will be to replace my cable modem. The thing is going on six years old, and Cox says I'd get faster service if I upgraded.

 

[Deleted deleted]

Do you have the router and cable modem on a UPS? If not, it sure is cheap insurance.