Wireless connectivity issue

[pnave01]

Laptop Specs

OS xp pro sp3
Pentium m 1500 Mhz
512 mb ram

wireless nic Realtek Rtl8180 wireless LAN

Problem

I had a laptop that wouldn't connect to the internet do to a virus. I was able to determine that the drivers for the nic were corrupt, downloaded a new set and updated them. After the update i could pic up wireless, I tested it in three separate location to confirm it work. Gave it back to my friend they took it home and then i got a call saying it wasn't working, the laptop for some reason that i am missing keeps obtaining a 169 ip address at there location. Now it had gotten wireless before at there home, and they have a secondary laptop that still does. There have been no changes to my friends router or wireless, but i am still going to go over there and check on the weekend. Just hopping I could get some ideas before i head down there.

Here's what i did when i first got it to diagnose the problem, maybe i missed something or screwed something up.

Ran ipconfig /all

Result

It wouldn't obtain an ip address or subnet mask it showed up as 0.0.0.0, default gateway showed up as blank.

Made sure it was set to auto obtain ip address and DNS server

i've tried ipconfig /release, ipconfig / renew but i got an error saying "an error occurred while renewing interface wireless network connection : unable to contact your dhcp server. Request timed out."

Tried netsh winsock reset, and also tried running WinsockxpFix usually when i got this error this would fix it. Not this time.

Then i checked DHCP Service to make sure it was running, and it was set correctly (DHCP Client service was Started and its Startup Type was Automatic)

Bad NIC card drivers, uninstalled the drivers restarted the computer then reinstalled the drivers. I restarted one more time and i was able to access the internet again.

I don't think i missed any of my steps but i probably have, dead tired writing this. Could really use some help from the networking God at Technibble, this thing is driving me up the wall.

 

[anonymous Mac Tech]

9 times out of 10 these issues turn out to be Norton or some other security sweet leftovers that are still in the system somewhere. Even if you don't see anything like that still in the system, you should download and run the removal tools anyway.

 

[pnave01]

Now even if there is still a remnant of norton, it worked before even with that remnant there. I will try it tough.

 

[XFalloutX]

Maybe also there is a saved wireless profile that is causing that problem. I find that deleting all saved wireless profiles help with wireless problems sometimes.

 

[pnave01]

Update deleted the profiles still can't get on the net.

 

[Cue]

Sometimes this can happen if the transmitter in the wireless card is fried.
Very tricky to diagnose on a normal router.

But you can have a look in the router, does the computer have an assigned ip? (remember to clear and renew it first).

 

[Cue]

I remember a repair I had.

There was a file broken in windows, sorry to say that I cannot remember its name.

Try SFC.

 

[TLE]

Have you checked to see if there is a static addressed assigned on the connection in TCP/IPv4.

Might be worth rebuilding the TCP/IP stack.

 

[apukareem]

Try connecting to the router using an ethernet cable and make sure u pick up a proper ip address, default gateway and dns. Then, using the wireless and try again.

Also you could try moving closer to the router, and try disabling security for a short time.

You could also try deleting the wireless profile and re-adding it manually.

 

[MobileTechie]

+1 for the last post. You need to reduce the number of variables to find the problem. Also using a valid, static IP would be worth trying to see if it's just DHCP or a wider connectivity problem.

It doesn't sound like a driver issue, more like a configuration issue but could be wrong.

If none of that works then I'd look at Winsock (Winsockfix) or an IP stack reset (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/299357)