GregHowley.com

Wireless Woes

Thursday, October 16th 2008 ·

(6 comments)

Why does this crap always happen to our computers? This time it's Linda's laptop. Every time she reboots, it work fine for 10-15 minutes, and then the connection drops. But wait - it's only the browsers. She can still use IM, she can still ping the router and yahoo.com from a command prompt, but neither Firefox or Internet Explorer can bring up any web pages. Not even the router.

I've run virus and malware scans, I've checked the HOSTS file, restarted a couple services, and changed many router settings, but nothing has fixed the issue. I've currently got Spybot running a full scan in safe mode on her machine, but I'm not hopeful.

Here's the interesting thing: I've found a number of other sites with people describing the exact same problem, and no one has found a solution other than reinstalling the operating system. Aack. Guess if all else fails, I'll try that this weekend.

Comment on “Wireless Woes”
Comments on Wireless Woes
 
Comment Friday, October 17th 2008 by tagger
If all your other PCs are working OK, the problem is probably with the client. First thing I would do is to try a wired (CAT-5) connection. If that works, you may be dealing with flaky hardware on Linda's PC.

Try typing IP addresses instead of names. Here are some you can try:

http://209.85.171.99 -- Google

http://207.46.232.182 -- Microsoft

http://63.245.209.10 -- Mozilla.com

You have to type the protocol (http://) into the browser if you use an IP address. If the numbers work and the names do not, you're most likely looking at a DNS problem. Before you run off and reinstall Windoze, try reinstalling TCP/IP.

At the risk of beating a dead elephant, as cryptic as UNIX is, these kinds of problems are a lot easier to ID. Ever consider Linux?

If I think of anything else, I'll let you know. Good luck.
 
Comment Friday, October 17th 2008 by pmd
As far as your issues go... What he said. I still don't trust those new-fangled things, so I haven't done much troubleshooting on them.

Oh, and about Linux... I'm taking a Linux class now (about time), it's really pretty slick. I'm not fully sold on switching over, but I was impressed. Wish I could say the same about the instructor since the class doesn't have much faith in the guy. Seems to get stumped a little too much.
 
Comment Saturday, October 18th 2008 by tagger
Guess I shouldn't have retired so soon. :-)

Linux is Unix, I don't care what GNU says. After teaching Unix user, troubleshooting, tuning and admin classes for about 16 years, I can tell you if your instructor learned it out of a book teaching it is going to be problematic. If you can get close to a working admin type, you'll get a lot out of it.

Pass the course to get the credit and learn it by using it, is my advice.
 
Comment Saturday, October 18th 2008 by Greg
Well, even IP addresses don't work through the browser. I'm reinstalling the OS even as I type.
 
Comment Tuesday, October 21st 2008 by The Dock
Greg as potential purchaser of wireless equipment in the near future. Did the OS re-install solve your wild, wearisome, wireless, woes, whose, wholesomeless, wranklings, wracked your worried head? In short, with out all the aliterative verse, did re-installing operating system (windows?) solve the issue?

Oh and the new Knight Rider is a nice sedative even when you have chugged a vat of coffee. I have seen better waffle in cheap diner.
 
Comment Tuesday, October 21st 2008 by Greg
Yeah - the reinstall fixed everything.
Comment on Wireless Woes
Name:
URL: