Connected local only to unidentified network

Grant523 · Oct 16, 2010

Starting from a few days ago, I've not been able to connect to the internet through one of my computers. I use a Belkin wireless adapter to connect to this first PC. At first when i diagnosed the problem, it said that i have a network cable unplugged. I've tried plugging the router straight into the PC, yet it still doesn't work. I've tried manually entering an IP address. This made it so that the unidentified network was identified with a name, but now after having turned the computer off and on again, it is once again unidentified. I've tried diagnosing the problem again, where it now says the message attached to this post.

The connection still remains local only and regardless of whether the network is identified or not, (it seems to switch between the two) i still cannot access the internet. Other systems can access the internet wirelessly such as games consoles and a mac.
I've used the ipconfig /all command and the results are as follows:

Can anybody help me figure out how to fix this?

Lottiemansion · Oct 16, 2010

Hi,

What firewall/ Anti virus are you using?
What type of connection have you got between
1. PC to PC
2. Wireless routers/ access points etc?

Shadowjk · Oct 16, 2010

Grant523 said:
Starting from a few days ago, I've not been able to connect to the internet through one of my computers. I use a Belkin wireless adapter to connect to this first PC. At first when i diagnosed the problem, it said that i have a network cable unplugged. I've tried plugging the router straight into the PC, yet it still doesn't work. I've tried manually entering an IP address. This made it so that the unidentified network was identified with a name, but now after having turned the computer off and on again, it is once again unidentified. I've tried diagnosing the problem again, where it now says the message attached to this post.View attachment 20924
The connection still remains local only and regardless of whether the network is identified or not, (it seems to switch between the two) i still cannot access the internet. Other systems can access the internet wirelessly such as games consoles and a mac.
I've used the ipconfig /all command and the results are as follows: View attachment 20925
Can anybody help me figure out how to fix this?

Okay as above has Said please state your Connection type (Ad Hoc , Dial-Up..etc)

Also could you please disable your Firewall and then Follow these Instructions:

Flush DNS Cache and restore HOSTS file

Copy and paste the following into notepad and save it as a batch file (.bat)

@Echo on
pushd\windows\system32\drivers\etc
attrib -h -s -r hosts
echo 127.0.0.1 localhost>HOSTS
attrib +r +h +s hosts
popd
ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew
ipconfig /flushdns
netsh winsock reset all
netsh int ip reset all
shutdown -r -t 1
del %0

Then run this batch file as an administrator.

Be warned this will Restart your Computer once it has finished running!

And the File will be deleted automatically after Restart

Many Thanks,
Josh

Grant523 · Oct 17, 2010

Hello, thank you both for replying.
I use Norton 360, which has its own firewall on this computer. On the broken PC i have the default windows firewall, but have it turned off.
I have a Broadband PPPoE connection to the access point, but I'm not too sure about the connection between both PC's (sorry for my lack of knowledge in this area).
I've ran the batch file as administrator but i still get no internet connection.

Lorien · Oct 17, 2010

The first message seems to indicate that Norton may be blocking the other PC - I suggest you deactivate the Norton firewall and see if that helps.

Are the PCs connected by ethernet cable or wireless? Is the broken PC using the other PC to connect to the internet or does it have its own connection - it looks to me like it's using ICP through the good PC but I'm not certain. IPCONFIG shows everything seems to be going through the LAN. Also the DNS address is different from the default gateway which is unusual - and it doesn't show a DNS connection suffix which I suspect means it is not getting a DNS connection at all. I also don't see DHCP assigning IP addresses and there's no static IP address - I'm not sure the broken PC has an IP address - at least I don't see one. From what I see, I'm not surprised that PC cannot connect. Some changes are required - though I'm not yet sure quite what as I can't figure out how the connection or the network is setup or how IP addresses are assigned or why the DNS IP address differs from the default gateway. Can you please send a screenshot of ipconfig /all from the good computer?

Thanks!

Grant523 · Oct 17, 2010

Hi,
I disabled the firewall and nothing seems to have changed.
I'm connected wirelessly to this computer, and i go through this computer to get internet on the broken one.

I'm unsure as to what the actual problem is, because the diagnosis changes. It'll either say there's a problem with the firewall, a cable is unplugged, or that resetting the wireless connection will help. I've tried going through the menus on the diagnosis but it never seems to do anything.

Also, I think it'd be important to add that after running the batch file I've gone through Ipconfig again and the IPv4 address has changed.

Thanks

Lorien · Oct 17, 2010

Please re-read my prior message as I've edited it many times so you get the current version. In addition to ipconfig /all on the good computer I'd like another shot of it on the broken one if it has changed. How are you assigning IP addresses? What is the real DNS server IP address (and if it's different from the default gateway, why?) At the moment, can the two computers commuicate with each other - can you access the public files on each of the computers from the other computer? When you say you are connected wirelessly between the computers, do you mean that both have wireless cards and are connected through a wireless router to which the internet modem is attached or is it set up differently and if so, how?

Thanks!

Grant523 · Oct 17, 2010

Here's the ipconfig /all from this working PC.

The one from the broken PC;

I assigned the IP automatically by going into the network and sharing centre, then manage connections. I right clicked the wireless connection and went into properties. I click on IPv4, and then properties. I click the "use the following IP address" button where i type it in.

Lorien · Oct 17, 2010

You are not assigning IP addresses automatically if you are typing them in - you are setting up static IP addresses. And now the broken PC sees the proper DNS server but isn't connecting and it no longer has a default gateway and its IP address is completely wrong - it should be 192.168.x.x.

On the broken PC, go to Start / Control Panel / Network and Sharing / Manage network connections and go to the wireless network connection and right click on it and go to IPv4 and click on it. Check Obtain IP address automatically. Check obtain DNS address Automatically. Click on Advanced. Tell me if under TCP/IP address it says DHCP enabled or if it says something different (if so, what does it say).

If it says DHCP enabled, close out run IPconfig /all again and see if it now shows a default gateway the same as the DNS server and if it now has an IP address of 192.168.x.x or is still something completely different. Also, does it also show listings for DHCP Server and does one show the same address as the default gateway.

Thanks.

Lorien · Oct 17, 2010

Please tell me why you are going through the other PC to connect to the internet instead of going directly to the router. Is it not a wireless router but an ordinary ethernet router? If so, why do you need it and not just connect the good PC directly to the ISP modem? What else is connected to it besides the good PC? I'm very confused about how your network is setup.

Grant523 · Oct 17, 2010

DHCP is enabled. Here's the ipconfig:

There's a wire going from this PC to the router. Games consoles and a MAC computer are also getting a connection through the router.

Lorien · Oct 17, 2010

So the network connection of the broken PC is not through the other PC but by ethernet cable directly to the router? If so, its IP configuration should be essentially the same as the good PC but with a different IP address and one inside the DHCP scope - not what is showing up. The changes have made things worse as it now can't see the DNS server address or the default gateway and still has an incorrect IP address. I think it's time to start fresh here. Let's delete this entire connection and start over from scratch with a whole brand new connection. Set it up just like it is on the good PC. If on the good PC you have specified an IP address (established a static IP address) then leave it alone and when you setup the new PC do the same but use a different address that isn't already taken. If the good PC is setup to use DHCP, then setup the problem PC the same way. Then reboot and try to connect. Whether it does or not, send me another ipconfig /all from the problem PC.

Thanks!

Grant523 · Oct 17, 2010

Sorry, what i mean is the broken PC gets it's internet connection wirelessly to the router. The good PC, which i am on now, is connected to the router with a wire. Everything else is wireless.

Lottiemansion · Oct 18, 2010

Hi,

Have you set a traffic rule for your network in Norton? The setup for v4.0 follows open Norton 360

Settings
Firewall
Traffic
Add
use the wizzard as follows: -
Allow
connection to & from computers
only computers listed below, click add (This starts a new wizzard).
using a range
(Now enter the address above the routers ie 192.168.2.2 not the routers address 192.168.2.1) and add the final addresss of that block in the other section i.e 192.168.2.255
all types (TCP & UDP) to allow
click "Next" until you are required to "Name your rule".

Now you move this rule until it its the top item in the listed rules of the firewall.

This should allow you to communicate with the other PC on all levels.

I hope this helps?

Lorien · Oct 18, 2010

Grant523 said:
Sorry, what i mean is the broken PC gets it's internet connection wirelessly to the router. The good PC, which i am on now, is connected to the router with a wire. Everything else is wireless.

I understand. So setup a new wireless connection that is configured exactly like the good PC (except a different static IP address if you're using static IP addresses even though DHCP is enabled and is wireless instead of cabled). Something is hosed with the current connection and it's simply easier to start over from scratch than to try to figure out what's wrong with the current connection. If the new connection also doesn't work, then the problem lies in the TCP/IP settings or somewhere deeper in networking. Compare the settings (not just TCP/IP but all the networking options) on both machines and change the bad computer to match the good computer wherever different.

SOMETHING is different besides wireless vs. cabled. Other wireless devices work, so we know the router is transmitting fine. Check Device Manager to make sure the wireless device in the bad computer has no error symbols and says it is working properly. If it is a desktop, open the case and remove and reseat the card to be sure it is properly connected (this is not reasonable with a laptop) and if possible, use a different slot if one is available to rule that out.

If the bad computer is the only computer using Norton, then what Lottiemansion suggested should certainly be done - I had assumed Norton was on both computers so if it was the problem, the good computer wouldn't work either but I may have overlooked this. I hope that's what it is and resolves the problem - but if not, then follow the above steps in this post.

In case it helps, here are some articles on networking, wireless networking, and connecting to the internet which may provide you with a clue as to what might be the problem (it may help to at least scan over them before you start on the new connections and checking the settings so you'll know more when you do those tasks):

Here's a tutorial on how to setup a home network (including a wireless one) - check out the additional links for further information that may be of great help: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Setting-up-a-home-network.

Here's an article on troubleshooting wireless network connections (again with helpful links): http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Troubleshoot-network-connection-problems.

Here's a long guide on wireless internet connections in Vista: http://www.techwarelabs.com/guides/misc_mod/vistaconnection/.

Here's an article on how to setup wireless internet connection in Vista: http://www.clpgh.org/usingthelibrary/technology/wireless/WindowsVista.pdf.

You may need to setup a wireless internet connection in Network Sharing as well as the normal local network wireless connection and connect to it as well as the local connection (it depends on the modem and router and how they are configured - I just changed modems and went from needing to login to both networks to only needing to login to the local network which automatically connected me to the internet). If you need to do so and don't do this, you won't have an internet connection. You also need to enable some features in the Network Sharing main box to access the internet - they are fairly well defined.

I hope this helps.

Good luck!

Grant523 · Oct 19, 2010

Thanks Lottiemansion, but it didn't work. I've got Norton 360 on both PC's but on the broken one the subscription is long overdue and it no longer functions. I changed the settings as you said so on this PC , however there's no change. Looks like I'll have to start from scratch like Lorien suggests.
How would i go about finding the card, and plugging it into another port?

Lottiemansion · Oct 20, 2010

You need to change the settings on both PC, so please change the Norton 360 serial number of the broken PC to the same as your working one to reactivate you Norton 360. This will give you the same expiry date as the working PC: -

Start Norton 360.
My account
renew my subscription, Please enter the new serial number number on this screen.

Then carry out the instructions from earlier.

Let me know if that helps?

Grant523 · Oct 22, 2010

I tried renewing the subscription, but it requires an internet connection. After a bit of going through menu's i got to the section where you can manually type in a renewal code, but i imagine it's a different code to the product key. The key is too long for the space provided, and I can't find any other codes. Am i doing it wrong? Is it a different key to the "product key"?

Lorien · Oct 22, 2010

If by "product key" you mean the 25-digit alphanumeric code of 5 sets of 5 digits separated by dashes on a label on the computer, then that is the Vista Product Key and has nothing to do with Norton. Even if pre-installed, they would not have put a Norton label on the outside of the computer. Do you still have the box Norton came in or was it pre-installed? If pre-installed, do you still have all the info that came with the PC - it may be in there though that's doubful. If you have an online account on the Norton website and registered your product, they may have requested the serial number and it may be available there - if you never registered, then they won't be able to help with that as they have no idea which serial number you received.

If it wants a renewal code (as opposed to a serial number) and you renewed the subscription, they should have provided you with the renewal code on the screen or by-email or by phone or somehow when you paid for the renewal and that's what you need (not anything that's on the system or on the computer). If you just renewed the subscription, call their customer service department and they should be able to give you the code.

If it really wants the original serial number, can you download on the new computer (or whatever you are using to communicate now) and install programs on the broken PC (perhaps with a flash drive or by burning a CD or over the local network if that works between the computers)? If so, try installing Belarc Advisor - Free Personal PC Audit and run it. It provides serial numbers and Product keys for many installed programs and perhaps Norton will be included (I'm not certain as I don't have Norton, but it shows a great many of my programs - and then you'll have the serial number). If not, try http://www.gtopala.com/. If that too doesn't work, post back and I'll try to find another way to get at the serial number.

I hope this helps.

Good luck!

Lottiemansion · Oct 22, 2010

Hi,

Log into your Norton account here: -

https://www.mynortonaccount.com/amsweb/default.do?product_lang=EN

This will list all of your current activations & serial numbers under that E-mail account.

Belarc Advisor will not show you the number.

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