First, let me give my setup as best I can.
PC Vista Home Premium - Norton Firewall.
laptop - XP
smart phone (actually, Windows Mobile)
PDA

The router is connected to my PC. Cable modem connected to my router.
I can access the internet with my PC.
Netgear XE104 connected to the router. I can plug the laptop in to any
outlet and see my PC. I can surf the net on my laptop.
Netgear NAS connected to the network though an electrical outlet. The
PC can see the NAS.



The problem lies with my wireless network.
It shows up on the PC as Home_wireless (I have changed the name). This
network is visible on the laptop, SmartPhome, and PDA. All show signal
strength as Fair to Excellent. But, none can access the net. I have
read too many documents/web pages in the last 2 weeks and tried millions
(OK, 'a lot') of variations. If it matters, although the laptop can see
the wireless network, 'Network and Sharing Center' shows it as
'unidentified' and an 'X' between 'unidentified' and 'internet.'
Laptop, PDA, Smartphone all accept the password wihout complaining.
Finally, FWIW, the laptoo can find 3 networks although only 2 exist.
The 3rd network shown is the old (I thought, deleted) network of several
months ago.
What am I missing? I hva found many documents guiding me through
network setup but very few on troubleshooting.

Let's focus on the "unidentified" firsdt. Is this multihomed computers?
Posting the result of ipconfig /all may help. Or check this search result.
Resolution of Vista Unidentified Network
The Vista Unidentified Network or Limited Connectivity could be
gateway, hardware, TCP/IP configuration or security issues. ...
http://www.chicagotech.net/vista/uni...irdnetwork.htm


--
Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on
http://www.ChicagoTech.net
How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on
http://www.HowToNetworking.com
"j lunis" <jay.lunis@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:%23nCJ6nu1IHA.2188@xxxxxx

> First, let me give my setup as best I can.
> PC Vista Home Premium - Norton Firewall.
> laptop - XP
> smart phone (actually, Windows Mobile)
> PDA
>
> The router is connected to my PC. Cable modem connected to my router. I
> can access the internet with my PC.
> Netgear XE104 connected to the router. I can plug the laptop in to any
> outlet and see my PC. I can surf the net on my laptop.
> Netgear NAS connected to the network though an electrical outlet. The PC
> can see the NAS.
>
> The problem lies with my wireless network.
> It shows up on the PC as Home_wireless (I have changed the name). This
> network is visible on the laptop, SmartPhome, and PDA. All show signal
> strength as Fair to Excellent. But, none can access the net. I have read
> too many documents/web pages in the last 2 weeks and tried millions (OK,
> 'a lot') of variations. If it matters, although the laptop can see the
> wireless network, 'Network and Sharing Center' shows it as 'unidentified'
> and an 'X' between 'unidentified' and 'internet.' Laptop, PDA, Smartphone
> all accept the password wihout complaining. Finally, FWIW, the laptoo can
> find 3 networks although only 2 exist. The 3rd network shown is the old (I
> thought, deleted) network of several months ago.
> What am I missing? I hva found many documents guiding me through network
> setup but very few on troubleshooting.

Robert L. (MS-MVP) wrote:

> Let's focus on the "unidentified" firsdt. Is this multihomed computers?
> Posting the result of ipconfig /all may help. Or check this search result.
> Resolution of Vista Unidentified Network
> The Vista Unidentified Network or Limited Connectivity could be
> gateway, hardware, TCP/IP configuration or security issues. ...
> http://www.chicagotech.net/vista/uni...irdnetwork.htm
>
>

I suppose I should take this 'multihomed' literally. No, just my
residence .
ipconfig? How do I do that?
ChicagoTech - thanks for the link. I'll run through it as I get time.

Go to start, type cmd and press enter. In the command line type ipconfig
/all and press enter.

--
Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on
http://www.ChicagoTech.net
How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on
http://www.HowToNetworking.com
"j lunis" <jay.lunis@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:OVQkCj41IHA.1772@xxxxxx

> Robert L. (MS-MVP) wrote:

>> Let's focus on the "unidentified" firsdt. Is this multihomed computers?
>> Posting the result of ipconfig /all may help. Or check this search
>> result.
>> Resolution of Vista Unidentified Network
>> The Vista Unidentified Network or Limited Connectivity could be
>> gateway, hardware, TCP/IP configuration or security issues. ...
>> http://www.chicagotech.net/vista/uni...irdnetwork.htm
>>
>>

> I suppose I should take this 'multihomed' literally. No, just my
> residence .
> ipconfig? How do I do that?
> ChicagoTech - thanks for the link. I'll run through it as I get time.

Robert L. (MS-MVP) wrote:

> Go to start, type cmd and press enter. In the command line type ipconfig
> /all and press enter.
>

IPconfig /all
Microsoft Windows [Version 6.0.6000]
Copyright (c) 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Users\name>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : Home
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Bluetooth Network Connection 2:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Bluetooth Device (Personal Area
Network)
#2
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-16-38-5E-A3-53
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : USB Wireless 802.11 b/g Adaptor
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-16-44-7D-B8-71
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) 82566DC-2 Gigabit
Network Connec
tion
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-1E-8C-05-B7-AC
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . :
fe80::cd00:4729:fd2b:cc4%8(Preferred)
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.3(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Monday, June 23, 2008 8:24:43 AM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, June 26, 2008 8:25:35 PM
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 201334412
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 6:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . :
isatap.{DB23A2CA-70D1-4580-857A-E839F7128
CFC}
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::5efe:192.168.1.3%11(Preferred)
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 13:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . :
isatap.{3A9E50DE-D4D3-483E-96C1-435A1FC7B
1B7}
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 9:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 02-00-54-55-4E-01
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IPv6 Address. . . . . . . . . . . :
2001:0:4137:9e50:2cd3:1571:3f57:fefc(Pref
erred)
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . :
fe80::2cd3:1571:3f57:fefc%10(Preferred)
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : ::
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 10:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #3
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

"The problem lies with my wireless network" because the wireless doesn't
talk to the DHCP and no IP address..

> Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection:
>
> Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
> Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
> Description . . . . . . . . . . . : USB Wireless 802.11 b/g Adaptor
> Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-16-44-7D-B8-71
> DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
> Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

--
Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on
http://www.ChicagoTech.net
How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on
http://www.HowToNetworking.com
"j lunis" <jay.lunis@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:OATMKJ71IHA.4852@xxxxxx

> Robert L. (MS-MVP) wrote:

>> Go to start, type cmd and press enter. In the command line type ipconfig
>> /all and press enter.
>>

> IPconfig /all
> Microsoft Windows [Version 6.0.6000]
> Copyright (c) 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
>
> C:\Users\name>ipconfig /all
>
> Windows IP Configuration
>
> Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : Home
> Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
> Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
> IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
> WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
>
> Ethernet adapter Bluetooth Network Connection 2:
>
> Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
> Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
> Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Bluetooth Device (Personal Area
> Network)
> #2
> Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-16-38-5E-A3-53
> DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
> Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
>
> Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection:
>
> Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
> Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
> Description . . . . . . . . . . . : USB Wireless 802.11 b/g Adaptor
> Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-16-44-7D-B8-71
> DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
> Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
>
> Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
>
> Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
> Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) 82566DC-2 Gigabit Network
> Connec
> tion
> Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-1E-8C-05-B7-AC
> DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
> Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
> Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . :
> fe80::cd00:4729:fd2b:cc4%8(Preferred)
> IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.3(Preferred)
> Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
> Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Monday, June 23, 2008 8:24:43 AM
> Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, June 26, 2008 8:25:35 PM
> Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
> DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
> DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 201334412
> DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
> NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled
>
> Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 6:
>
> Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
> Description . . . . . . . . . . . :
> isatap.{DB23A2CA-70D1-4580-857A-E839F7128
> CFC}
> Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
> DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
> Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
> Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . :
> fe80::5efe:192.168.1.3%11(Preferred)
> Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :
> DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
> NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled
>
> Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 13:
>
> Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
> Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
> Description . . . . . . . . . . . :
> isatap.{3A9E50DE-D4D3-483E-96C1-435A1FC7B
> 1B7}
> Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
> DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
> Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
>
> Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 9:
>
> Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
> Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface
> Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 02-00-54-55-4E-01
> DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
> Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
> IPv6 Address. . . . . . . . . . . :
> 2001:0:4137:9e50:2cd3:1571:3f57:fefc(Pref
> erred)
> Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . :
> fe80::2cd3:1571:3f57:fefc%10(Preferred)
> Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : ::
> NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled
>
> Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 10:
>
> Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
> Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
> Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #3
> Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
> DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
> Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Robert L. (MS-MVP) wrote:

> "The problem lies with my wireless network" because the wireless
> doesn't talk to the DHCP and no IP address..
>

>> Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection:
>>
>> Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
>> Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
>> Description . . . . . . . . . . . : USB Wireless 802.11 b/g Adaptor
>> Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-16-44-7D-B8-71
>> DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
>> Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

>

Very good. Now, for a PC-challenged individual, what does that mean?
DHCP - no idea what that is
IP address - I thought my router assigned each device an IP address.
Apparently, I thought incorrectly.
Is this an easy fix or do I continue digging through the chicagotech link?