Win 8 Laptop Computer Connects to Wi-Fi but Not to the Internet

[bsquared18]

Hello,
I have an HP Pavilion g7-2233cl Laptop running Windows 8. I bought it new (refurbished) about a year and a half ago.

Until recently, I’ve had no problem connecting to the Internet via Wi-Fi. But recently, although everything says I’m connected to our home Wi-Fi and things are working swimmingly, I cannot access anything on the Internet. I get messages like “Unable to connect” or “Cannot show this page.”

We have other computers on the same Wi-Fi, and none of them is having a problem.

I’ve tried several remedies based on tips I’ve seen on the Internet (using a different computer, of course). For example, I:

Deleted all the temp files.

Flushed a bunch of stuff using the Admin. Command Prompt:
ipconfig /flushdns
nbtstat –R
nbtstat –RR
netsh int ip reset c:\resetlog.txt
netsh winsock reset
Disabled Webroot.

Connected to the router via an Ethernet cable.

Tried System Restore to about a month earlier.

Any suggestions?
Bill

 

[xwb]

Are you sure it is connecting to the home wifi? I have a similar situation where my laptop picks up my neighbour's wifi first and about 2 minutes later, it picks up our home wifi. I haven't bothered fixing it: I just wait the 2 minutes and then try the internet.

Click on the bar graph and see which wifi it is connecting to.

 

[bsquared18]

Yes, it's our wi-fi. Thanks for the try, though.

Anyone else?

Bill

 

[xit]

Under Internet properties/connections/lan settings, make sure that Proxy Server is not checked, if it is uncheck it.

 

[goombawaho]

Assuming you can ping the router successfully from a CMD prompt.
Can you ping

http://www.tek-tips.com

and get a reply back?
Can you ping 216.45.19.33 and get a reply (tek-tips ip adderss)

This should determine whether it's a DNS issue IF ping by name fails but ping by ip works.

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[bsquared18]

Re: "Can you ping

http://www.tek-tips.com

and get a reply back?
Can you ping 216.45.19.33 and get a reply (tek-tips ip adderss)"

I pinged both and got perfect reply results.

Thanks for the suggestion. Any others anyone?

Bill

 

[edfair]

Possibly time for a winsock reset or a ipreset to clean things up?

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[bsquared18]

Re: "Possibly time for a winsock reset or a ipreset to clean things up?"

In my initial post, I mention the items I typed in at Command Prompt (Admin) and pressed ENTER to activate. Messages indicated they all functioned correctly. I've listed them below. Are there more I should do?

ipconfig /flushdns
nbtstat –R
nbtstat –RR
netsh int ip reset c:\resetlog.txt
netsh winsock reset

Keep the ideas a comin'.

Bill

 

[guitarzan]

You didn't answer xit's question about proxy server settings.

You didn't mention which browsers you tried. I would try at least 2 browsers to rule out an issue with one.

 

[bsquared18]

Proxy Server did not have a check mark in the box.

I've tried both Internet Explorer and Firefox.

Bill

 

[goombawaho]

Thanks for the suggestion. Any others anyone?

I'm not done yet my brother.

If you paste the IP address I gave you above into the browser, does it take you to Tek-Twerps???

Does an IPCONFIG /ALL show the same DNS servers and default gateway for the working VS. non-working machines?

Assuming there is no left over bits of Mcafee/Norton or other anti-virus running on the machine!?!?
I would completely remove Webroot, reboot, run CCleaner registry cleaner, reboot and then test again.

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[edfair]

Sorry, missed the previous resets.

Can the browser see your c:, possibly docs and settings, your user, your docs, your pictures?

Can the browser see other systems on the wireless network?

What browser? And the suggestion of trying another sounds good to me.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[linney]

Are the sites that you are trying to access web sites you are launching via stored addresses in your browser? What happens if you type in to your browser a URL address that you have never been to? Does the page open then?


Will your Internet browsing function in Safe Mode with Networking? Some Wi-Fi wont because of drivers not loading in Safe Mode but it might be worth a try.


Try also a Clean Boot.

How to start Windows 8 in Safe Mode

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/start-windows-8-in-safe-mode/

How to perform a clean boot in Windows

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929135/en-au

How to perform a clean boot to troubleshoot a problem in Windows Vista, Windows 7, or Windows 8

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/929135

If you test with another Windows user rather than your current user does that make any difference?

Create a user account Windows 8.1

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-au/windows/create-user-account#create-user-account=windows-8

I see lots of recommendations here for programs like -

Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware

http://www.malwarebytes.org/products/malwarebytes_free

SuperAntispyware

http://superantispyware.com/

 

[bsquared18]

Sorry,

We're packing for a road trip, so I will have to wait until at my destination to continue this troubleshooting. My wife's laptop will be with us in addition to my misbehaving one, so I'll be able to use that one to connect to the Internet.

My problem is that not having extensive technical background in computers, I am not understanding some of the most recent comments or how to carry out the suggested actions. That will require my googling to try to understand things like "Can the browser see your c" and "try a clean boot."

I really appreciate all the suggestions, and I'll try all of them as soon as I can. You folks are the best!

Bye for now,
Bill

 

[ArizonaGeek]

Check your Hosts file in C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc

Copy the file to your desktop, open it with Notepad. You should have a bunch of stuff at the top preceded with # signs, essentially it will look like this:

# Copyright (c) 1993-2009 Microsoft Corp.
#
# This is a sample HOSTS file used by Microsoft TCP/IP for Windows.
#
# This file contains the mappings of IP addresses to host names. Each
# entry should be kept on an individual line. The IP address should
# be placed in the first column followed by the corresponding host name.
# The IP address and the host name should be separated by at least one
# space.
#
# Additionally, comments (such as these) may be inserted on individual
# lines or following the machine name denoted by a '#' symbol.
#
# For example:
#
# 102.54.94.97 rhino.acme.com # source server
# 38.25.63.10 x.acme.com # x client host

# localhost name resolution is handled within DNS itself.
# 127.0.0.1 localhost
# ::1 localhost

If there is anything underneath this, delete it. Make sure you scroll all the way to the bottom, some viruses will add things to the Hosts file. Once you're sure there is nothing underneath the # stuff, copy it back and overwrite the file in C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc

That might fix it.

The answer is always "PEBKAC!

 

[cdogg]

Bill,

It sounds like you have something installed that's blocking outgoing and/or incoming HTTP connections, since you are able to ping sites successfully (which also means ArizonGeek's suggestion above shouldn't apply; skip it). I would definitely check for and disable any third-party antivirus/firewall programs you have installed first. Then try the clean boot option linney suggested above (there are links there that show you how depending on your operating system).

If that doesn't work, I suggest creating a new user profile in Windows and log into it. This will create a fresh profile with no history on the laptop. If you are able to browse the internet there, then there is some kind of corruption in your old user profile. If you still can't browse the net, then you have a system-wide issue. We'll need to narrow that down first before continuing.

Let us know what you find, and we'll go from there!



-Carl
"The glass is neither half-full nor half-empty: it's twice as big as it needs to be."

[tab][navy]For this site's posting policies, click [/navy]here.

 

[goombawaho]

It sounds like you have something installed that's blocking outgoing and/or incoming HTTP connections

Hence my suggestion further up to remove any traces of anti-malware programs and third party software (webroot, bits of older products).

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[cdogg]

Goom,
You're exact quote was:

Assuming there is no left over bits of Mcafee/Norton or other anti-virus running on the machine!?!?

While you may have meant to include firewalls and other third-pary software, you didn't explicitly state that, hence my suggestion! I don't treat this as a competition and I wasn't trying to steal your thunder big guy!

-Carl
"The glass is neither half-full nor half-empty: it's twice as big as it needs to be."

[tab][navy]For this site's posting policies, click [/navy]here.

 

[goombawaho]

There's no thunder yet only failure, so I wasn't worried about that. I meant that removing things hasn't been tried yet to my knowledge. I'm wondering if we're troubleshooting linearly based on posted suggestions or just all over the place.

And I said:

I would completely remove Webroot, reboot......

So I did mention third-party software.

The windows firewall should not be an issue.

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[cdogg]

Goom,
No prob. I also agree that the Windows firewall is not likely the issue and was referring to "third-party" firewalls.

Bill,
Ignore the minor squabble in the last three posts. Goom and I appear to be on the same page!