Cannot connect to Telkom ADSL Wi-fi modem

geezer

geezer

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I have the Telkom Wireless LAN 4-Port ETHERNET modem, and have been using it for more than a year without any problems. This past weekend I suddenly cannot access the internet anymore because I get a yellow exclamation mark on my LAN connection icon informing me I have limited or no connection. My two sons can still acces the internet by using this modem making use of the Wi-Fi connection. I also tried using my one son's Siemens USB Wireless adapter, (which works perfectly fine on his PC) but I stil cannot get a connection. When I plug my laptop in on the modem's LAN point, the laptop aquires an IP address immediately and then connects to the internet without any problem. I also installed another NIC into my PC, but I have the same connection problems then. I formatted an old hard drive and did a clean install of windows XP, but I still cannot connect. The same yellow exclamation mark appears after a few seconds. I am at my wits end trying to solve this problem.:confused::confused: Any help and suggestions will be appreciated.:confused:
 
That yellow exclamation mark indicates that your PC is set to receive it's IP address automatically but it didn't get a response from a DHCP server (who's job it is to give out IP addresses). It could mean one of a few things, but my guess is no 1:

1) Your router is not configured as a DHCP server (to dish out IP address configuration) and your computer was configured with a static IP address before and someone changed it (or the network card was replaced, drivers reinstalled, etc.) to allow IP addresses to be assigned automatically (check under network connections, local area network connection, tcp/ip properties). Compare with your son's working PC. If his is NOT set to have IP address assigned automatically, then take note of his IP settings and put the same in your configuration (DNS servers, default gateway), EXCEPT for the IP address itself - yours should be the same except for the last number (which can be anything). If his is set to receive it's IP address automatically, then there is something else wrong - probably someone re-hashed your security settings (often if you use WPA-PSK and enter an almost correct wifi passcode, then it will appear to connect but won't work.

2) Your router is configured as a DHCP server but your machine is unable to get an ip address for whatever reason - sometimes compatibility, sometimes other causes, but a work around is to (on your son's working PC), click START, RUN and enter CMD and click RUN to get the command prompt. At the command prompt, enter ipconfig /all. You will see details of his TCP/IP configuration. Make a note of the DNS server(s), the default gateway and the IP address, then enter these values under your TCP/IP connection (making it a manual configuration). Note that as above, the last number of the IP address should always be different to his or any other PC on the network.
 
I was alone at home when this happened, and I was busy browsing on the internet. when I opened a new page I just got errors and could not connect anymore. No hardware or software changes were made that might have contributed to this error. Both our PC's are set to obtain IP address automaticaly. Both answers really does not explain why the Wi-Fi connection does not work as well, and also with a new fresh install the same problems are encountered. Also why does my laptop (set to obtain IP address automatically) also not give the same problem when connecting through the same LAN cable connected to the modem? I will try to set up the TCP/IP settings as described to try and solve the problem, and will report back A.S.A.P.
 
geezer said:
I was alone at home when this happened, and I was busy browsing on the internet. when I opened a new page I just got errors and could not connect anymore. No hardware or software changes were made that might have contributed to this error. Both our PC's are set to obtain IP address automaticaly. Both answers really does not explain why the Wi-Fi connection does not work as well, and also with a new fresh install the same problems are encountered. Also why does my laptop (set to obtain IP address automatically) also not give the same problem when connecting through the same LAN cable connected to the modem? I will try to set up the TCP/IP settings as described to try and solve the problem, and will report back A.S.A.P.
Click to expand...

opened a page then stopped working? What page u open? Mightve been a harmful webpage, had one of those and all my connection settings got fooked. Though eventually I got to connect with wifi, but now my network sharing doesnt work and I need to stop and restart wireless card under system manager every few days...
 
The webpage I was looking at was news24.com, beeld.co.za and the weathersa.co.za pages. I have NOD32 installed and did a full system scan. No viruses nor any spyware are present. Still, the answers provided thus far does not explain why a new installation still gives the same connection error, but only on my PC.
 
What error do you get when you go to the command prompt and enter:
ipconfig /release all
ipconfig /renew all
?
 
I also had a problem with my telkom wifi router, it just did not connect and kept on giving me the exclamation mark. And to fix it, I went into the routers settings and changed the WPA key to something without the ":". And used the newly created key, worked like a charm
 
Ja, wot Gothans says could be true - funny WPA keys can deceive you into thinking that you are connected when you are in fact not - a compatibility issue with some cards AFAIK. See my first post.
 
groundnut said:
Ja, wot Gothans says could be true - funny WPA keys can deceive you into thinking that you are connected when you are in fact not - a compatibility issue with some cards AFAIK. See my first post.
Click to expand...

Yip, spoke to the people at marconi, and according to them it happens a lot, some machines have a problem interpreting the ":" in the key. Just create a new key without them
 
Why would I need to make use of the WPA key? I am trying to connect to the modem using the network cable. When I tried to use my sons Siemens USB wireless adapter us copied and pasted the WEP key into the relevant field. I am still trying to get to the correct answer why everybody else can connect to the internet by using this modem, but not me! It is only my PC that has this problem, and by replacing the network card and doing a clean new install does not solve the problem. Why not?
 
So you've done a clean install and replaced the network card.

Then it is obviously the router. Reset the router, you'll then have to configure it again but hey it might solve your problem.
 
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