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I'm using a Compaq Presario laptop and Linksys Wireless-N Broadband Router. I "upgraded" from an old Belkin because of a weak signal. Now my signal strength is great, with 54Mbps, but my connection keeps dropping. When I say dropping, I mean, within 30 seconds of connecting -- that is, when it will connect at all. It just seems to "toggle" on and off repeatedly.
My Mac desktop is connected directly to the router, and the connection is fine. My sister's HP Pavilion has great wireless connectivity, so I don't think it's the router. (I think her laptop also uses the Broadcom.) I have changed about every setting I can think of, including using a static IP address. I have updated the Broadcom driver, XP TCPIP Repair, so many things I can't even remember everything I've done. Any ideas?
Did you forget to enter the key if it uses WEP or is MAC address filtering enabled?
How do you know when a politician is lying? His mouth is moving.
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Thank you for your quick reply. I did enter it. As is typical with this problem, today I have had no trouble connecting. I do not expect this to last, however. It usually doesn't work for more than 2 days before the connection is dropped again.
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Download, update & run anti malware from malwarebytes.org
How do you know when a politician is lying? His mouth is moving.
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As usual, the thing is totally unpredictable, except that it's predictably unpredictable. Last night it worked just fine until the wee small hours of the morning, then when I turned it on today, no connection, although it said I was connected with a strong signal.
In my list of available networks, I usually see mine and two other neighbors. Today I had mine and four others, two of which I had never seen. One was unprotected, so I tried logging on to it just for diagnostic purposes, but its signal was too weak. I tried to "repair" my connection, which didn't work. At some point my network disappeared from the list of available networks, along with two of the others. Once again, my sister's laptop has no trouble connecting.
I tried to run WinsockXPFix, but it hung and I had to quit it. Then I ran XP TCIP Repair and reset the TCP/IP Stack as well as repairing Winsock issues. After restarting, I am online again.
I'm still planning to take guapo's suggestion to download the anti-malware from malware.org. I hope to find something that Avast and Norton missed.
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I downloaded the program from Malwarebytes (sorry for the incorrect reference earlier) and found 33 infections after which I restarted my computer. Unfortunately, I am now without a connection once again.
When I tried to repair the connection my network disappeared from the list of available networks.
I'm not sure I'm back to square one. I actually feel I'm several steps behind.
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Here's an update. I ran XP TCIP Repair again, restarted and could not get online. Looking at my available networks, mine was not listed. I refreshed the list, mine appeared so I tried to connect. Voila, it was connect with excellent strength and 54Mbps, but still can't open a web page! As usual, my sister's laptop (which I'm using to make this post) works just fine.
I can't understand how I can be connected but NOT connected. It's a complete conundrum. It seems as though it has to be something within my laptop, but since I have nothing else to do, I guess I'll go cycle the modem and router again just for fun.
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Update & run anti malware again. If you still can't get a connection, open a command prompt, run ipconfig /all & post the output.
How do you know when a politician is lying? His mouth is moving.
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Oh, if only it were so easy. I took your advice and tried to run the anti malware again, only to discover there was no icon on my desktop and I couldn't find an executable file. As usual, the laptop is behaving erratically. Sitting in my doctor's office, I logged onto their network with no problem at all, and downloaded the anti malware again. It uncovered 6 more infections.
As for the ipconfig, I had tried doing that, and got only a brief, blank black screen that pops up and disappears in less than a second. I tried again just now with the same result.I can't seem to run any commands. I've tried several with the same result. And yes, I am connected on my own network this evening. Slow (despite the strong signal and 54 Mpbs) but functional. I'm starting to think maybe it's cat hair sucked in by the fan. Any more thoughts?
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I finally got the ipconfig /all info and instead of copying it right off the bat, I decided to do a dns flush while I was at it. Whether coincidence or not, the result is the connection was dropped again. I did another ipconfig /all and notice it now says "media disconnected" for local area connection 3, whereas before it said "domain invalid." Once again, I'm bumming my sister's laptop.
Here's the result:
"C:\PROGRAMMicrosoft(R) Windows DOS
(C)Copyright Microsoft Corp 1990-2001.C:\DOCUME~1\VALUED~1>ipconfig /all
Windows IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : PC709462706027
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : NoEthernet adapter Local Area Connection:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : NVIDIA nForce Networking Controller
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-16-36-8F-22-00Ethernet adapter Network Connect Adapter:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Juniper Network Connect Virtual Adap
ter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-FF-68-67-39-8AEthernet adapter Local Area Connection 3:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom 802.11b/g WLAN
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-14-A5-F2-59-F4C:\DOCUME~1\VALUED~1>
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I don't have my laptop in front of me now but I don't think that connection is supposed to be listed as Ethernet Local Area Connection 3. Something is wrong there.
How do you know when a politician is lying? His mouth is moving.
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Once again, it's working for the moment. On this morning, then "limited or no connectivity" despite the strong/54 reading, then it disappears from the list of available networks, along with my next door neighbor's network. Magically, it is back and I'm online again.
How should the connection be listed? What is the significance of the way it is currently listed?
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If I remember correctly, it will be listed as wireless.
How do you know when a politician is lying? His mouth is moving.
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Buy or borrow an external USB wireless adapter. Install it & see what happens. I would give up on PCI.
How do you know when a politician is lying? His mouth is moving.
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