Help needed with "Limited or No Connectivity" message on wireless network

[scoutabout]

Looking for some permanent solutions here.

The setup is a D-Link 615 wireless N router in the basement home office providing WPA2 access throughout the house and accessed regularly by a Dell work laptop and a personal Samsung N120 Netbook.

Basement desktop and netbook are running XP; work Dell laptop is running 2000 Professional

The Issue - I installed this router about four months ago (my first) and it setup easily and has performed flawlessly...until about three weeks ago.

Then, upon boot-up of either laptop, I'd get the limited or no connectivty message -- even though Signal Strength was showing Very Good. Same behaviour for both laptops. At first, it would self-correct after a few minutes and show good connectivity.

This weekend, for the first time, no amount of waiting or manual disconnect/reconnect would re-establish connectivity.

As a first effort, I did a hard reset of the router to restore the factory defaults and reinstalled it. That worked immediately. Then, today at bootup of the netbook, I was back to the old limited connectivity message.

Several manual disconnects failed to restore connectivity so I used the Repair tab in the Windows troubleshooter. This restored connectivity immediately but I have no confidence it will hold for the next reboot.

I have not changed anything about the network since first installing it nor have I changed the location for the router or changed the structure of the house in any way to affect signal strength, which shows Very Good to Good throughout the place.

The only hint I found was a message that the network had "failed to assign an IP address".

Any ideas why this condition would emerge after all the months of flawless performance and how can I effect a permanent fix?

Any ideas appreciated! I have a basic grasp of network connectivity issues but am by no means in my element.

 

[ezbtr]

Re: Help needed with "Limited or No Connectivity" message on wireless network

Re: Help needed with "Limited or No Connectivity" message on wireless network

did you add any equip? Try rebooting all? flush dns?

 

[Cofe]

Re: Help needed with "Limited or No Connectivity" message on wireless network

Re: Help needed with "Limited or No Connectivity" message on wireless network

I have had a similar problem with a Linksys wireless N router. The only way I could get my laptops to work was to let the windows connectivity program to run, and manage the wireless connection. Then disable the "dell" wireless connection program.

You can also temporally hard cable net work to the router while you do a search for your network. Once connected you can unhook the network wire. Hope this helps you.

 

[lowkee]

Re: Help needed with "Limited or No Connectivity" message on wireless network

Re: Help needed with "Limited or No Connectivity" message on wireless network

'Limited connectivity' means you are connected to the router, but the router has no internet access (the cablemodem is off or your provider is down). Sometimes the cablemodem or router itself may barf and just needs to be unplugged and re-plugged in. I wouldn't mess with your local setup, as it obviously can see the router, so the network is working, just not the internet (from the router, out) side of it. Next time it happens, make a note of your cablemodem (or DSL) lights and see if any are out. I'd restart the router as a 1st test, then the cablemodem.

 

[Moody Blue]

Re: Help needed with "Limited or No Connectivity" message on wireless network

Re: Help needed with "Limited or No Connectivity" message on wireless network

I had the same problem (different router) about 18 months ago. Problem came out of the blue.

I did finally resolve the problem BUT I can't recall how I did it . I found the solution on line by googling "Limited or No Connectivity". I had to reset? something using the ipconfig \??? command. After that everything work flawlessly and continues to do so today. Some kind of corrupted file or something.

Sorry I couldn't be more help.

 

[Moody Blue]

Re: Help needed with "Limited or No Connectivity" message on wireless network

Re: Help needed with "Limited or No Connectivity" message on wireless network

I found it.

This was the first approach I tried but didn't work.
go to start - run - type in CMD and hit enter
type in ipconfig /release
type in ipconfig /renew
The first step makes windows get rid of the invalid IP address
The second step tells it to ask for a new IP
If there is another problem that is causing your wireless card to not be
able to communicate with the router, it won't be able to ask for a new IP and
you will end up with the 169.254.xxx.xxx ip again. If that happens, try
cycling the power on the router, turn it off, count to 30, turn it back on,
wait for it to do its self check. Then go to your laptop and run the
ipconfig commands again. Barring an actual hardware fault this will usually
work.

This was the ultimate solution.

reset the TCP/IP stack, it's possible that it's corrupted or infected by Malware.
From the command prompt type the following:
'netsh int ip reset'.

Good luck.

 

[4JawChuck]

Re: Help needed with "Limited or No Connectivity" message on wireless network

Re: Help needed with "Limited or No Connectivity" message on wireless network

Check the mfg website for a router firmware update and follow the instructions. The built in Dell software is pretty crappy too, I disabled mine for the same problem and let Windows manage my wireless connection and all is fine now.

 

[scoutabout]

Re: Help needed with "Limited or No Connectivity" message on wireless network

Re: Help needed with "Limited or No Connectivity" message on wireless network

Thanks gents -- think I'll try that firmware update first, then move on to the CMD route.

Although the netbook booted up with no problems tonight, it's nice to know I'm not imagining things.

The work laptop I can live without (sorry boss )...but not my iboats lifeline via the netbook. Anything but that!

 

[Bifflefan]

Re: Help needed with "Limited or No Connectivity" message on wireless network

Re: Help needed with "Limited or No Connectivity" message on wireless network

On mine i had alot of problems using WPA, i went to WEP and am doing fine now.
Its alot older encryption and really is little better than nothing at all, but it always works.
And if someone really wants in then a wireless is not what you want to keep them out anyway.

 

[bkwapisz]

Re: Help needed with "Limited or No Connectivity" message on wireless network

Re: Help needed with "Limited or No Connectivity" message on wireless network

Thanks gents -- think I'll try that firmware update first, then move on to the CMD route.

Although the netbook booted up with no problems tonight, it's nice to know I'm not imagining things.

The work laptop I can live without (sorry boss )...but not my iboats lifeline via the netbook. Anything but that!

LOL. My wife blasted me the other day because she says "all you ever do is sit on that laptop. Who are you talking to anyways?" I said: "To these guys I met on iBoats.com. I'm learning relly cool stuff here, honey..."

She rolled her eyes and went away.

 

[dolluper]

Re: Help needed with "Limited or No Connectivity" message on wireless network

Re: Help needed with "Limited or No Connectivity" message on wireless network

Me thinks someone is hacking your connection

 

[v1_0]

Re: Help needed with "Limited or No Connectivity" message on wireless network

Re: Help needed with "Limited or No Connectivity" message on wireless network

Well, you have several things to contend with here.

First, there is the actual signal between the wireless router and laptop. If you have a weak signal, this will affect your ability to connect - but, based on your post this is not the case for you (you have a good connection: "Signal Strength was showing Very Good.")
This can be viewed similar to having a good highway...

The next thing is the actual DATA traffic between your router and laptop. Consider this as the 'cars' on the highway mentioned above - you can have a great highway, but if there are no cars, then you would still have no data (no connectivity).

Pushing the highway/car analogy (too) further: it sounds like something is blocking/diverting your cars. Perhaps the police have a roadblock, or the street signs are wrong and the cars aren't going where they should.

The police, in this instance, would be the security that you have setup. The street signs are things like your protocol and/or (IP) addresses.

Ok, that introduction (!) aside, let's go into the technical details of what *should be* going on between your router and laptops/pc.

Your router is (probably - this can be disabled) periodically transmitting a pulse telling anyone listening that there is a wireless network active.

Your laptop is capable of listening for this pulse. It would show up on your "available networks" list.

When you tell it to (you have to tell it to connect automatically at least the first time) - the laptop will try to connect to the network. This much we know is happening in your case...

The laptop and router will "handshake" - exchange information - first at a hardware level (ie: the radio transmissions), then at an intermediate level - data packets. Now, here's where the first level of security kicks in. These data packets are sent either in the 'clear' or encrypted, based on how you have the router and PC setup. The setup must match - both must be 'in the clear', or encrypted with the same security protocol and key. If the setup does not match, you have no communication (one is speaking French, the other Russian and they can't understand each other - so no communication, even though they are both speaking).

If they get past that point, the router and laptop exchange MORE information, but this is targetted at a software level - most routers also act as a DHCP server, that is that they assign IP addresses dynamically. This doesn't have to be the case, you can manually assign a "static" IP address on your laptop. However, it is important that the router and laptop(s) all agree on how this is going to be done!

It is possible to assign a static IP that is 'outside' the range that your router is set to listen to. In that case, the router will ignore all the (software) data packets that the laptop is sending - so here we have each of them sending data, but to the wrong address.

The router also sends administrative (ICMP) packets to the laptops from time to time.

You may also have a firewall on the laptop that has not been setup correctly, and it is rejecting data from the router (thinking it is 'outside' the range of your network).


The bottom line here is that it is most likely a configuration issue - you need to make sure that your computers and router are in agreement about how they are going to handle things, and that any security you have in place (in addition to your encryption), *allows* communication *inside* your home network.

The best way that I can recommend to resolve this (remotely) is to FIRST "plan" your home network. This is, draw a picture of it out. If you are assigning any static IPs (as with a network printer, etc) write those on the drawing. Put your home network IP address range at the top of the drawing. All your static IPs should be "within" this IP address range.

Then, shut off all your security. (If you want to be really safe, turn off/disconnect your internet modem/line so that you can't get outside your home network).

Now, one layer at a time, get your home network working. First would be to get *all* of your computers to be able to connect to your router, and be able to get to the admin page of the router... This should involve making sure that all of these things agree on who is giving IP addresses, and what range they should be in.

Then enable your encryption. Go back to each computer and set them up so they can connect to your router...

Go step by step through all your security levels like this - one change at a time across all your PCs - until you are at the level you want to be. Then, if you have disconnected it, reconnect to the internet...

 

[ShaneCarroll]

Re: Help needed with "Limited or No Connectivity" message on wireless network

Re: Help needed with "Limited or No Connectivity" message on wireless network

There are many possible causes and solutions to this problem. I know you said you reset the router, but did you reset the modem at the same time? You keep resetting the router, but the problem is the feed into the router. Reset the modem, try plugging the modem directly into the computer and see if it works well that way. I used to repair those connections, and it took me countless hours to realize I was working on the wrong thing. The router can only send out the signal it is getting in, so, bad in, bad out.

 

[ShaneCarroll]

Re: Help needed with "Limited or No Connectivity" message on wireless network

Re: Help needed with "Limited or No Connectivity" message on wireless network

Well, you have several things to contend with here. . . . Then, if you have disconnected it, reconnect to the internet...

Dude, great answer! I hope you have a copyright on that book before someone else steals it! Just kidding, but the problem is gonna be before the router if the router is putting out a good signal.

 

[v1_0]

Re: Help needed with "Limited or No Connectivity" message on wireless network

Re: Help needed with "Limited or No Connectivity" message on wireless network

Dude, great answer! I hope you have a copyright on that book before someone else steals it! Just kidding, but the problem is gonna be before the router if the router is putting out a good signal.

Well, if anything I would write a book about debugging! I've had the pleasure of professionally debugging all sorts of software, and later on, software configuration management / development processes. On the personal side, I've done hardware/network/electrical/plumbing/automotive/etc. "trouble shooting" - aka "debugging". I've gotten pretty good at it..

Back to the router issue, "Limited or No Connectivity" is a message that appears on the computer when it tries to connect into a network. It is telling you that there is some problem between the computer and router.

A problem between the router and the internet (modem) is a different thing - and won't display such a message. All that you would see is that your internet exporer would pull up its error page. FTP would tell you that you can't connect, and some other (self updating/manual updating) programs might tell you that there is no internet connection.

Fortunately, it is easy to check this - just attempt to log into the administrative page of your router. If you can do that, you have communication between your router and PC. If you get a time out, then you don't have communication. Or, you can "ping" your router (windows/unix both supply a ping and a tracert command, both for debugging connectivity issues).

-V