Broadband tech question

[Mr Banana]

Apologies for asking, I'm a baboon. Lop my noggin off and chuck it to the seething hoards, Bozz.

Basically I've just bought a laptop, but can't connect to the wireless broadband signal in my lair. It (I'm going to personify the computer here, but I remain fully aware that 'it' is clearly not a sentient being) 'sees' the signal, as it were, but won't connect even though the encryption key I've entered is definitely correct, as those I live with testified last night while chortling at my cumbersome connection of the machine to the modem in the lounge via a wire which meant I had to perch by the door of my boudoir in a position usually attributed to strenuous yoga.

Help

 

[Wardy]

Is the router for some reason blocking the laptop?

 

[bhaexpress]

If you've just bought the laptop I would assume it's using Vista. If you are connecting to your ISP but the web pages are not coming up it'll be that you need to add the DNS server IP addresses to your Internet connection setup. I have had this problem as have quite a few others. The simplest thing to do is call your ISP and get them to guide you through the process as it's take too long here.

 

[Mr Banana]

My God you people are lovely.

 

[adrian29uk]

Hang on what for the Mac People to arrive and say

"BUY A MAC"

GGGGGGGGGGrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

 

[Arthritic Toe]

I would suggest temporarily turning off the encryption on the router (i.e so it requires no key to access it) and then see if you can connect. This will narrow down the problem a bit.

 

[Billy the Fish]

Also make sure that you are getting an IP address from the DHCP server (in this case your wireless router)
click on the start menu, then click on run. Type cmd to open the command shell and type ipconfig. This will bring up your ip address, if it starts with 169 you're not getting an address from DHCP.

 

[bhaexpress]

Hang on what for the Mac People to arrive and say

"BUY A MAC"

GGGGGGGGGGrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

They would have a point though, there seems to be something about Vista that is at the bottom of this. XP users seldon have this grief.

 

[adrian29uk]

I have been using Ubuntu for the last 3 weeks at home. Very happy with it and believe it or not, no issues.

Found all my hardware and I mean everything.
Plugged in my phone found this.
Plugged in my external USB drive, no Mount errors.

I actually quite amazed and happy with not using Windows.

On the other hand the machine I am on now has Vista installed. It has got to be biggest load of rubbish ever. 2GB of Ram, no desktop effects turned on and it is still running like crap.

 

[Winker]

Give it a short sharp slap with your hand, it works with my freeview box.