wireless web

[Meaghan McLeod 179664]

When I am at my incall location, there is a wireless web I can use. It is not password protected.

 

So, some days I can log in fine. Other days, it won't let me. I've asked the management to look into this, but they claim there is nothing wrong with their router.

 

The errors I get are "logged into internet, no internet access,". Sometimes when I run my trouble shooting, it shows "DNS server not responding error". Sometimes it says "we can't figure it out" (or something to that effect).

 

I never have problems accessing my computer from my home internet, or from internet connections of friends that I log into.

 

This is driving me nuts. I really don't want to buy a rocket stick to access my home internet. I will be getting a new incall location that has wireless, so hopefully it won't be a problem there.

 

I really don't know enough about these issues, to offer any opinions, other then their router is fucked, or that someone there is pressing a button to stop me from using their wireless. Am I being paranoid?

 

A friend told me to do something to my computer (clean up the empty spaces?), but I don't trust him (he brakes everything he touches, so I don't want him anywhere near my computer).

 

Any help would be appreciated.

[mooncabanaboy 191]

Often issues like you reported are due to a flaky router or internet connection but they can also happen when the signal is marginal.

 

Use your wireless control panel to check the signal quality (if it is poor, often indicated by yellow/red indicator or a large negative number like -75 or -80) then you can try an WiFi adapter on your laptop ($10-$30) which have an antenna, lots of signal power and are easy to use.

Overall your WiFi reception will be greatly improved.

For example:

http://www.amazon.ca/Alfa-AWUS036H-802-11b-Wireless-Network/dp/B0045C6MGA/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1373736821&sr=1-1&keywords=laptop+wifi

 

Be aware that an open wifi channel is trivial to monitor and capture any/all traffic on and that you need to either use a VPN service, https or a wifi password (WPA or better).

 

A useful free download is inSSIDer

http://download.cnet.com/inSSIDer/3000-18508_4-10848357.html

 

Which shows you all WiFi connections and their signal strength so you can pick the best one.

 

Good Luck

[Meaghan McLeod 179664]

The signal quality is Excellent - all bars lit up.

 

It says "wireless network connection" - Connected

 

You are currently connected to: XXX - no internet connection.

 

As I said, sometimes I have no problems and other times it just won't connect, no matter where I sit.

 

Thanks for the tip!

[Guest S*rca****sid]

The signal quality is Excellent - all bars lit up.

 

It says "wireless network connection" - Connected

 

You are currently connected to: XXX - no internet connection.

 

As I said, sometimes I have no problems and other times it just won't connect, no matter where I sit.

 

Thanks for the tip!

Sounds to me like it's a MAC address issue. No this has nothing to do with the debate between Windows and Mac. A MAC address is the alpha-numeric code all wired and wireless connection hardware have.

The router that is transmitting the wireless connection may be set to only connect to certain MAC addresses. It's a security feature on all routers.

If this is the case, you will need to contact the admin of the router and give them your MAC address. If this router is simply an "open" connection, then you might be SOL and telling someone you are/have used their connection will open yourself to a legal situation.

[Meaghan McLeod 179664]

Thanks. I am allowed to use this wireless connection, so asking management to fix a problem is not the issue, identifiying what the problem is to them so they can fix it. Their computer works on their router, (or so they say), and my computer only has problems at certain times. Right now it is working just fine - no issues today, but other days, I just can't hook in.

 

BTW, I don't know what my mac address would be. I am on an IBM computer.

[fortunateone 156618]

Ok, this just happened to me two days ago, I contacted the router folks directly. I assume you don't have the box right in front of you to tell them what kind it is, etc. in any event it doesn't actually matter what you are using or not using. It helps that you don't need a password.

 

 

you have to follow a few steps. It isn't the wifi, or the router, it's your computer that needs to be reset. According to dlink helper, these things happen and it can be a number of factors. In other words, stuff happens, don't worry about it, here is the fix:

bear with me because i cannot read my own writing

 

Click on Start

Click on Control Panel

Go to Network and Internet

Go to Network and Sharing

 

in the task list, you will click on Manage Wireless Networks

select the network that you have been using from the list and click Remove. If a warning comes up click ok, you do want to remove it

 

Now go back to Network and Sharing and choose Change Adapter setting

Right click the wireless network connection > click Connect/disconnect

 

click refresh to view the available networks, and highlight the one that you want to connect with and double click it.

 

 

do this again if it doesn't work. When i had to do it to my computer the first time didn't work. My friend had it happen as well and she only had to do it the once.

 

cheers

 

And look at me, posting a tip in the Tech section :)

[impoverished 643]

DNS issues, at least in my experience, are usually a router/modem problem and simply resetting the two will resolve the issue. Sometimes, it can be a bit more stubborn and then changing the mac address on the router and resetting the router and modem (thereby forcing a new IP address) can help.

 

Something you could try on your end is forcing your computer to use Google's public DNS servers and bypassing those automatically assigned by the router. To do this.. go to Network and Sharing Center > Change Adapter Settings > Right Click on network adapter and go to properties > Highlight Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and click Properties > change the option box to "Use the following DNS server addresses > and then finally enter the public google DNS servers which are 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4

 

Note - I'd definitely try disabling and enabling your network adapter as suggested by a previous poster before changing your DNS server addresses.