I have no idea how this happened but my wireless connection has "Limited or No Connectivity". It's happened before not to this degree. Somehow I obtained an invalid IP address which is preventing me from connecting to my wireless network. I'm currently on my dad's computer and I did some research and it says if you have an IP address of 169.254.xx.xx and Subnet Mask of 255.255.0.0, which I somehow obtained, then that's the problem. I somehow got assigned an "Automatic Private Address" and my Gateway is the same as the invalid IP. Thing is, none of this stuff is making sense to me on how to fix it. I found out the problem but I'm having trouble comprehending on how to solve it. If anyone knows anything about this, please someone help me and sort of give me a step-by-step on how to fix it. My computer is basically dead to me and I'd be forever grateful. Thanks!! Edit: What I've already tried: Run > cmd > "regedit" ; "ipconfig /release" ; "ipconfig /renew" ; TCP/IP is checked ; even as a last resort did a system restore for the hell of it. Nothing has worked. Also a site told me to download and then run the Windows XP SP2 file. I really don't know about this. So like how can I do that if I cannot connect to the Internet on my computer to download it? I swear...
Reset your router. If you don't have a router, press the 'Standby' button on your modem, if your modem has one, and let it sit for a couple seconds before pressing it again.
I tried that multiple times and it didn't work. Ugh, I could just cry right now, lol. I really don't know what to do anymore. I've tried almost everything suggested on various sites and nothing has worked. I really don't want to call comcast tomorrow. They don't know shit but I might just have to do it.
Try going Into the Connections area, Then into the "Manage Network Connections" part, If you see like local area connection or your Main connection, Right click and Disable it, then wait a few seconds and re enable it. Earlier today I had a strange problem that said I had my local area network and ANOTHER network (which was the network to other Pc's in the house running simultaneously) Well they SHOULD have been the same thing but it split them somehow so I did that and it fixed it so..try it
I've definitely tried that multiple times as well and it didn't work. I am beginning to think this isn't fixable.
You haven't given us that much information. Do you use a router, and if so, which one? Otherwise, does your modem have a configuration page? What's your IP and gateway address normally? The 169.254 address is an IP that's given to your when your router fails (some kind of DHCP error or the router simply times out) to give you an IP address, so instead of Windows assigning you 0.0.0.0 you get 169.254.255.x.
We have two computers in our house running on cable. My dad's computer has the router and my computer is wireless. The router is from Comcast and it's Netgear. I feel so stupid because I'm not really smart when it comes to computer tech stuff so I don't know how much info I can really give. Like, I know my dad's IP, gateway and so on but I don't know mine...unless it's the same as his? Because right now I have the automatic address on mine and of course it's not showing what it was before. This just doesn't click in my head for some reason. I've researched it and there's plenty of solutions but none of them are working so I'm at a loss. Edit: I'm going to bed. I have been trying to resolve this thing for HOURS and I've had it for now. I guess I'll try again when I can think properly.
Oh god, you're having the same problem I was with my dad's computers?! Same problem... Bloody hell, I thought I was done with that headache. On the bottom of the router, there should be a model number. The gateway would be the same as your dad's. Probably 192.168.1.1 or similar. Anyway, there's two things that might work. Firstly, a temporary fix would be to use a manual configuration. Network Connections > Properties of adapter > select TCP/IP > Use the following IP address: IP Address: 192.168.1.110 [this should be similar format to your dad's] Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0 [should auto-fill] Default gateway: 192.168.1.1 [same as dad's] As for the other way, I can't remember which command my dad used on his computer, but I'll get back to you on that once I remember.
LOL, I'm so sorry. I'll try that when I wake up in the morning and I'll let you know what happens since I already shut my computer down. Thanks!
Yeeah, it wasn't pleasant. His internet went down every so often, and that meant dragging me upstairs every time. *mutters* I'm not ever 100% sure that the manual config solution works, but it's work a try if DHCP isn't assigning addresses properly. I can't remember the solution my dad used, which my ISP told him, and I was surprised it worked, buut he apparently didn't write it down. I *think* it was 'netsh winsock reset' but don't run it, until someone like Neil confirms my hunch, as I'm not fully sure of it's purpose. FTR: I'm a programmer, not a network specialist.
Ok, I did the manual config and it took away the "Limited or No Connectivity" message. BUT I still cannot connect to the internet. Packets are being sent but I am not receving them. When I manually entered the IP's there is a section for DNS. It says "Use the following DNS server address" and then it lists Preferred DNS Server, which is blank, and Alternate DNS Server, which is also blank. Should there be something there? Also for the "Physical Address" under the Wireless Connection Details section, it has all these letters and numbers. Is it supposed to be like that? Oh and I also tried that netsh winsock thing way before you said it, lol. It didn't work.
NEVERMIND. I resorted to calling Comcast because I was ready to just throw my computer out the window. Talked to a really nice guy and he said I had the wrong encryption key...whatever that is, lol. So he helped me generate a new key, entered it and it connected to the network and now I can access the Internet on my computer. AMEN! I didn't think they would know anything but I guess I was proven wrong, lol. Thanks for all your help. I'm so glad this ordeal is over with, lol.
I don't know how that happened or what I even did to make that happen, lol. I feel so stupid. Haha. But at least it's fixed because this was seriously driving me up a wall. Whew.