Vista - Local Access Only

Okay, I give up! I've seen several similar posts to my issue and I've tried just about everything suggested to no avail.

I have Vista Home Premium (32-bit). I've had the same laptop/modem/DSL for over a year and everything worked fine, then about a week ago I started getting the local-access-only message and can no longer connect to the internet.

What I've tried:
1) Taking my laptop to another wireless location - same error.
2) Trying an XP laptop on my home wireless - works just fine.
3) Rebooting in Safe Mode - still doesn't work.
4) Deleting the Network adapter drivers and letting windows reinstall - still doesn't work.
5) Going back to the latest windows update and uninstalling it - still doesn't work.
6) Disabling TCP/IPv6

Any other suggestions? I'm out of ideas and quickly losing my patience!

Have you tried the diagnose and repair option in network and sharing center and resetting your router/network adapter?

How is your laptop connected to your modem?
Direct USB-mode
Wireless USB-dongle
Wireless expansion slot card
Direct RJ45(LAN)

Yes, I've tried the dignose and repair option, and have tried resetting the network adapter. Neither worked.

I'm connected through wireless, but I've also tried an ethernet connetion and that doesn't work either. I also took the Vista laptop to another site and tried it there with no luck either.

Is your system setup as a Private or a Public network? Check that in Network and Sharing center.

Public. I tried Private and that didn't seem to make a difference. I also tried an ethernet connection.

Set it to private and leave it there while you investigate any further issues.

I have just experienced a similar problem. I purchased a laptop with Vista onboard about a week ago and found that it instantly made a wireless connection to my Linksys router.
Following installation and use of Winferno Registry Cleaner the laptop would only connect on a "local" basis i.e. connection to the router but no connection to the internet with the message that it could not identify the ISP.
I tried all sorts of remedies as advised on various internet sites ( I still have access to the internet via a desktop and Windows XP) all without success. My son who is an IT systems analyst, but living in Australia, advised that I should " lock down" the McAfee firewall. I did that and ensured that the Windows firewall was also switched off and the problem was solved. As simple as that!
I hope that works for you i.e. switch off any firewalls.

I was having problems like that. I recently fixed my problem and this is how I did it

Basically, I reset the router. Hooked-up my laptop to the cable modem and set up a new broadband connection which worked. I then put in the CD which came with my router, ran it and let that set up all the stuff. My wireless connection worked after that

However, today it decided to screw up again. Don't know if this is related or not but I ran the vista disk defrag and after I shut down and powered on the laptop, the network was stupid again, so I am going to do the same process as before and see what happens