IE8 Does Not Display with Wireless Connection

I am having a problem with a laptop connecting with internet when using wireless LAN. Computer is 2 years old and has been used continuously with WIFI without a problem - until 3 days ago. It has the VISTA home edition OS and I am using IE8. The WIFI network adaptor is Atheros AR5007 802.11b/g. Connection can be obtained, however, when using cable from router. Problem is confined to WIFI use. In addition, I have a second laptop and it connects via WIFI with no problem from the same location. (The laptop is stationary and used from the same location nearly all of the time.) I have gone through most of the diagnostics outlined in other posts (from MS KB article ?). The only thing I was not able to complete was "confirm IP address is being assigned" (method 2, I believe) because I could not find this information when doing "diagnostics ". (Maybe VISTA requires something different?) When I type "IPCONFIG ALL" in RUN command box, a summary page appears on screen for a fraction of a second and then disappears. I also have not re-installed IE, since the problem seems to be limited to WIFI connection only.

I have thought of connecting the computer via cable and downloading a new driver from Atheros web site - but have not yet done this.

Any guidance concerning how to continue trouble shooting this problem will be appreciated.

 

Have you tried shuting down everything, (modem, router and PC's) then turn them back on in this order? Modem, router, PC. Let each one settle down for a minute or two then turn the next one on.

 

Type "cmd" in RUN command & then "IPCONFIG /ALL" on DOS Prompt.

 

Thanks for comments.

1. Yes, I have gone through the routine of powering down router and computer several times. As I pointed out, I have a 2nd laptop that is working OK, so it does not seem to be the router, (at least that is the way I interpret it, but maybe I am wrong).

2. When connecting with IE8, I get the standard page of "Internet Explorer cannot display the webpage ". Once I go through all the diagnostic problems, I get the message that there are still problems that cannot be repaired. I have checked the settings and the "proxy" has not been selected.

3. Thanks for the input on "IPCONFIG /ALL ". I was able to get the data, and it is copied below:
-------------------------------------------------------
C:\Users\Dennis>IPCONFIG /ALL

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : Dennis-PC
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Atheros AR5007 802.11b/g WiFi Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-23-4D-08-6C-4B
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::5cd7:5ed2:14b:a9d8%11(Preferred)
Autoconfiguration IPv4 Address. . : 169.254.169.216(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 234890061
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-10-56-82-39-00-23-4D-08-6C-4B

DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : fec0:0:0:ffff::1%1
fec0:0:0:ffff::2%1
fec0:0:0:ffff::3%1
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : intl.dvn.com
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8102E Family PCI-E Fast Ethern
et NIC (NDIS 6.0)
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-1D-72-76-B9-D0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 6:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : isatap.{38D74C42-7C05-421A-B688-AE57C996E
3AB}
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 11:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : 6TO4 Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 12:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 02-00-54-55-4E-01
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 13:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : isatap.intl.dvn.com
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
---------------------------------------------------

I certainly do not know how to interpret this - but read somewhere that if a "169.0.0" IP address is given, then it means the WIFI equipment is NOT receiving the correct info needed from router.

Any additional input on what this all means, and what else I might do to straighten out this problem will be appreciated.

As pointed out in original communication, I have thought of connecting the laptop to cable and downloading a new version of wireless driver from internet. Does this seem like a worthwhile effort?

 

You could connect wired and try updating your driver. If that don't work, you can always roll it back to the last one. You can also go in and uninstall the device from Device Manager and reboot the PC and let Windows find it and install it.

 

I have already unistalled the drivers (both wireless and ethernet) several times in an effort to identify the problem. Drivers (from HD) are re-installed after rebooting and the problem persists. I do not know how to install a new driver from internet (where by the new one is installed rather than the old one already on HD). Perhaps adequate instructions will be provided by supplier once I connect ... but if anyone has comments, please let me know.

 

In the Device Manager, go to the device in question and click on it then tell it to update the driver. It will ask if it is OK to connect to the internet. Tell it OK and go from there. That is assuming that you can get on line with a wired connection.

 

I deleted the driver from HD and let computer 'search' for new driver upon rebooting. I still cannot connect.

If anyone has comments concerning data posted above from IPCONFIG ALL command, I would like to know if this sheds any light on the problem.

I am thinking of uninstalling EI8, but am concerned that I may be put in a situation where I cannot connect to internet even with cable. Is there a way I can download a complete version of EI8 and save to hard drive, then delete the installed version, followed by installation of saved copy ?? If so, perhaps someone can provide any other guidelines (if any).

Perhaps this thread should be moved to section? The problem is basically that the WIFI doesn't connect with internet. (WIFI connection - WIFI to line - is supposedly OK, since message says I "am connected ".)

 

If you uninstall IE 8, it will revert back to IE 7. You could try to just download IE 8 again and let it install.

 

I downloaded the VISTA version of IE8 that I was lead to by "Googling" "IE8, Vista" ... but could not install it, since the message says the version I have already installed is newer than then one downloaded. The downloaded version is: Vista X86 ENU, 6.3.15.0.

Can you tell me how to access a newer version? (I don't see how to find out which version of IE8 I have currently installed on computer.)

 

When you powered down did you unplug the modem and the router.

 

Is this where you went?
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...B4-C610-4A1E-811D-DFE0F1DD84D1&displaylang=en
In IE go to Help/About Internet Explorer

 

OOPS! Sorry MrBill.

 

Yes, the site I went to for downloading the IE8 for Vista was the same MS site listed - (I tried again today) - and get the same message, "the version of IE8 installed on computer is newer than the one being download, and it cannot be installed ".

Any suggestions as to where I go from here?

 

Why don't you upgrade to IE9 ? Why stick with iE8 ?

 

I was of the impression IE9 was still in the Beta stage and still had bugs to be worked out. If the general consensus, however, is that IE9 works well, I'll give it a try.

Another question: Does it sound like the WIFI card installed in the laptop may be defective? Is there any way to check it - other than replacing it with a new one?

 

IE 9 is not in BETA anymore. Been using it for a couple of weeks. So far, so good.

 

I downloaded IE9 and it seems to be working OK with cable connection. Still cannot connect with WIFI. The other laptop I have does connect with router via WIFI with no problem. The problem obviously lies with this individual laptop.

If it is software related, maybe I should try to download another internet browser to see if I can connect with it. Suggestions?? Are there any other diagnositic tools to rule out EI as the problem?

If the problem is related to hardware, I'd appreciate any recommendations on diagnosing this. The computer indicates that the WIFI connection exists ... but does not make the link to the internet.

Thanks.