Laptop cannot connect to Netgear router

I have a problem with one of my laptop at home. It won't connect to my wireless network, router is Netgear WNR2000v1 with upgraded firmware. The laptop that won't connect is a Compaq Presario 2100 with a Netgear WNR511B network adapter, OS is Windows XP Home SP 3. It used to be able to connect with no problem but for some reason, it won't connect to the network/internet for the past 2 days. I tried resetting everything, unplugging modem & router and turning off all computers. Plugged modem again, after 2 minutes, plugged the router, and after a minute, turned on the laptop. It still won't connect. My 2 other laptops, both ACER Aspire One with built-in wireless adapter connects easily, no issues. My desktop which is wired directly to the router works perfectly. So I suppose the problem is with the network settings in the Compaq. Almost everything in the Compaq is new, including motherboard, processor, hard drive and network adapter so I hope it's not a hardware problem. I did an ipconfig/all on the Compaq and below is what came out:

Windows IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .: COMPAQ
Primary DNS Suffix . . . . . . . . . . .:
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .: Unknown
IP Routing Enabled . . . . . . . . . . .: Yes
WINS Proxy Enabled . . . . . . . . . .: Yes

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection 2:
Media State. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .: Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .: RangeMax(tm) NEXT Wireless Notebook Adapter WN511B
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . . . . .: 00-1F-33-32-2B-77

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
Media State. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .: Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .: National Semiconductor Corp. DP83815/816 10/100 MacPhyterPCI Adapter
Physical Address . . . . . . . . . . . . : 00-0B-CD-32-C3-A6

I also used the Compaq's built-in wireless adapter but it still won't connect. I noticed that the IP Routing and WINS Proxy on my desktop and both ACERs are not enabled. Just thought I need to mention this.

Your help is much appreciated. Thanks!

 

Check that there isn't a small physical switch for the wireless/Bluetooth somewhere on/under the front edge or sides of the laptop.

 

Thanks for replying. Yes there is a switch on the front of the laptop for the built-in adapter. I turned it on, the blue LED lit up, but still won't able to connect to network.

 

Run another ipconfig /all, is there any difference this time?

 

ipconfig/all now reads:


Windows IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .: COMPAQ
Primary DNS Suffix . . . . . . . . . . .:
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .: Unknown
IP Routing Enabled . . . . . . . . . . .: Yes
WINS Proxy Enabled . . . . . . . . . .: Yes

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection 2:
Media State. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .: Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .: RangeMax(tm) NEXT Wireless Notebook Adapter WN511B
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . . . . .: 00-1F-33-32-2B-77

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
Media State. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .: Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .: National Semiconductor Corp. DP83815/816 10/100 MacPhyterPCI Adapter
Physical Address . . . . . . . . . . . . : 00-0B-CD-32-C3-A6

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:
Media State. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .: Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .: LAN-Express IEEE 802.11 PCI Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . . . . .: 00-02-8A-9F-B5-02

BTW, I also turned off all Windows Firewall on the laptop in case this is the problem but no success.

 

Thanks for replying. I hard wired directly to the router but I can't connect. Did an ipconfig/all and this is how it reads:

Windows IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .: COMPAQ
Primary DNS Suffix . . . . . . . . . . .:
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .: Unknown
IP Routing Enabled . . . . . . . . . . .: Yes
WINS Proxy Enabled . . . . . . . . . .: Yes

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:
Media State. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .: Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .: LAN-Express IEEE 802.11 PCI Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . . . . .: 00-02-8A-9F-B5-02

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .: National Semiconductor Corp. DP83815/816 10/100 MacPhyterPCI Adapter
Physical Address . . . . . . . . . . . . : 00-0B-CD-32-C3-A6
Dhcp Enabled . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .: Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabed . . . . . . .: Yes
IP Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .: 10.0.0.11
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . . . . .: 10.0.0.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .: 10.0.0.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .: 10.0.0.1
Lease Obtained . . . . . . . . . . . . . .: Monday, January 31, 2011 5:01:48 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . : Tuesday, February 01, 2011 5:01:48 PM

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection 2:
Media State. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .: Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .: RangeMax(tm) NEXT Wireless Notebook Adapter WN511B
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . . . . .: 00-1F-33-32-2B-77

I'll try connecting directly to the modem and will let you know the outcome.

 

Hard wiring directly to modem is also not successful. BTW, during Windows boot-up, I always select Microsoft Windows XP Wireless Zero Configuration instead of NETGEAR Smart Wizard. Anyway, selecting NETGEAR Smart Wizard also doesn't help. Appreciate your help. Thanks.

 

I just tried configuring WZC, rebooted the laptop, and made sure that WZC is running as suggested but I still cannot connect. I didn't try the second suggestion to re-install the driver for the network card because I can see my wireless network and all others that are available. Should I re-install it anyways?

 

This laptop is about 9 years old but it died on me 3 years ago. It was repaired in the beginning of December last year, 2010, and have since been working great. Motherboard, hard drive, processor were all replaced and the network card is new as well. I did a devmgmt.msc and everything looks good (no yellow question marks or red X's).

 

I tried hard wiring directly to router again and it worked. So is it a faulty adapter or should I try reinstalling the driver first?

 

Yehey!!! I got it to work after reading one of the forums. If you have tried WZC configuration, reset, etc., and you still cannot connect to your wireless network, try changing your network security passcode to a shorter one, like 8 to 9 characters only. Typing routerlogin.net on my web browser, I logged in and changed my security wireless security settings. I have a WPA2+PSK passcode with 18 characters which I temporarily changed to WEP using the auto-generated key 1 passcode, clicked apply and logged out. Went to my network connections, right clicked on my selected wireless network connection properties, then on wireless networks tab, typed in the temporary WEP passcode. Tried to connect to the network/internet and it worked. Then I went back to change my wireless security settings back to WPA2+PSK but now I typed in only 8 characters. Then I copied the new passcode to my laptop network connection and it worked! Hope this will help someone who's as frustrated as I was. Thanks Major Geeks.

 

I wish I knew why. The laptop that I'm on now won't connect to any WPA encrypted network. That doesn't leave me a lot of choices, I switched back to WEP but i will try a short WPA key now. I put this laptop on the shelf after trying to troubleshoot it for far too long. I took it to work to troubleshoot and it connected at work. Seems I might have had WEP on there. :-o

I haven't figured out why it isn't working, i just shut off my SSID broadcast until the new computer comes and hope the aspiring hackers can see the open network next door!