Windows 7: WIFI connects but unable to open Internet

Hello,

I konw this subject has been introduced to the boards many times, but having read through the threads I am still unable to connect.

At home everythgin works fine. WIFI connects every time. In hotels I locate the WIFI, connect no problem and immediately Skype clicks in, showing that the connection was successful. I can then Sykpe normally. But when I try to open a website, any website, I get the same message that the site in unavailable. Every hotel the same. I have gone through the settigns, tried everythgin, tried the troubleshooter, not luck. When I open my work pc in the same hotels (XP) no problems. Please help me before I throw the pc out of the window.

I am running a netbook on Windows 7 Starter.

Thank you!!

When the connection appears to be good but you can't get the browser to go anywhere it usually has to do with winsock being messed up or the TCP/ip stack isn't right.

Try running this batch file which will reset winsock, reset the TCP/IP stack and release renew your IP.

If the connection works at home but not on the road it could be a DNS problem or your A/V software or firewall is somehow blocking the connection.

Thanks Chev. Forgive my ignorance, but what is DNS and what can I do about it?

The Domain Name System (DNS) is a hierarchical naming system built on a distributed database for computers, services, or any resource connected to the Internet or a private network. It associates various information with domain names assigned to each of the participating entities. Most importantly, it translates domain names meaningful to humans into the numerical identifiers associated with networking equipment for the purpose of locating and addressing these devices worldwide.

As an example here is Googles DNS page which shows the DNS address 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4. If it's a DNS problem it might help to add Googles DNS server addresses to your IPv4 properties to get around the problem. I can only guess from here as your problem is rather strange and uncommon. Have you run the batch file yet?
Google Public DNS

You should be able to use the DNS of which ever network you are connecting too but it's hard to say if this is the problem or not unless I can see the ipconfig /all from your machine when it's having the connection problem.

There is a good chance that your A/V software is causing this problem also but that isn't something I can say for sure from here. Often times uninstalling the A/V software is the only way to find out if it's causing the problem or not.

It might also be helpful if you can post a screen shot of your ipconfig /all , just type that into a command prompt and hit enter then use the snipping tool to post a screen shot.

Hello Miles74,

In addition to chev65's suggestions please try the following:

Remove all wireless profiles stored in his computer and re-connect to your wireless network, make sure that you have the correct encryption needed if your wireless is secured. Click on Start=> Control Panel\Network and Internet\Manage Wireless Networks, then click on remove, then try adding it again.

Check your browser's Proxy settings if there's one setup, remove it if there is. From IE browser go to Tools => Internet Options=> Connections Tab => LAN Settings, uncheck the boxes if it''s checked off.

Please let us know.

Guys, I appreciate your help! I took my laptop to one of the IT guys at work and he fixed it in 20 secs. In the settings there was a fixed DNS server address. He clicked the option to generate one automatically everytime I connect, and hey presto. The only thing I am concerned about is whether it will connect me to my home router next time I try, but he reckosn that 99% yes

The ipconfig /all would have showed me that most likely.

It's best to set the DNS up in the routers settings rather than using a fixed one typed into the IPv4 properties. In the ipconfig the DNS server shows up as the default gateway which only points back to the router to obtain the DNS. I'm glad you got it fixed Miles.

Thanks for the feedback Miles74. Your IT guy is obsolutely correct.

Thx gents!

Hey... are you guys still here? I realize that this is an old thread.

I am having the same problem with my Netbook - running Windows 7 Starter. I can connect fine at home - and also at my local public library. However I was unable to connect at a motel I was at recently - and had the same problem when I visited another local library.

To be more exact, I can connect ok - but there is no internet access. How do I correct the DNS issue as described above?

Thanks!