Thinkpad wont connect to internet

[ros_b]

At my wits end... maybe one of the bright folks on here will have a suggestion....

I have a Lenovo X270 laptop running Windows 7. The machine type is 20K6.

At some point on 21 October, my computer crashed. I got a blue screen and it rebooted. When it cameback up, I was unable to get Internet access through the hotel's wifi. My computer connected to the Wifi network, but it showed a little yellow exclamation mark and the message "No Internet Access". I did the Troubleshooting process and got this message: "Problems found: Windows can't communicate with the device or resource (primary DNS server). Security or firewall settings might be blocking the connection" I disabled the Windows Firewall as well as my anti-virus program (ESET NOD). On 20 October I had updated Adobe Flash, which seemed to have installed McAfee Security scan, so I uninstalled both. This didn't help (obviously I was rebooting several times, after each time that I made some change). The hotel IT guy come over and looked at everything he could think of. We ran ipconfig and flushdns and all of those commands to try and reset things. I also tried disabling the Wifi radio, and then tethered my phone (connected successfully to the hotel's wifi connection) via USB cable to my laptop. This connection showed as "Network 57 No Internet access." When troubleshooting this connection, I got the same result: "Problems found: Security or firewall settings might be blocking he connection".

I then went to work and connected to the work Wifi.... same issue. Plugged an ethernet cable into the laptop... same issue.

I don't know if updating the drivers will help, but I don't even know how to achieve this without internet access from my laptop.

Any bright ideas out there?

 

[ponder]

What happens when you disable the firewall & antivirus?

 

[Jet-Fighter7700]

What happens when you disable the firewall & antivirus?

this
IP settings set to auto, DNS setting set to autoconfig?
also IPV6, turned off?

 

[Rickster]

Boot from an Ubuntu USB, if it connects to the net then its a buggered driver or windows.

If not then its a hardware issue.

 

[ros_b]

What happens when you disable the firewall & antivirus?

There's no change. Troubleshooting the network connection reports the same possible issues.

 

[YoungSandwich]

Have you uninstalled the wifi adapter in device manager and reinstalled them?

Also: do you have Lenovo Vantage installed?

1. Search for Device Manager
2. Click under Network Adapters
3. I belive the Lenovo X270 uses a Realtek driver, so you should see something like that
4. Right click - Uninstall
5. Click Action and scan for new hardware changes.

Note: You may have to download the drivers from Lenovo again, just incase Windows doesn't have anything
built in for that make. You can get them here:
https://pcsupport.lenovo.com/us/en/...ries-laptops/thinkpad-x270/downloads/ds120411

Also, I know that McAfee has in the past not uninstalled EVERYTHING off the machine, so just double check that, and if you see anything labeled McAfee in your Program Files, Shift+Del it.

 

[Pineapple Smurf]

try it at a friends house where there wont be a firewall like your work probably does
failing that it sounds like a driver issue, backup your laptop and re install a fresh new copy of winblows

 

[ros_b]

Have you uninstalled the wifi adapter in device manager and reinstalled them?

The problem persists even when Wifi is completely turned off (when trying to connect to the internet via USB terhering to my mobile, or via Ethernet cable) so surely it cant have anything to do with the Wifi adapter?

Also: do you have Lenovo Vantage installed?

I have Lenovo Thinkvantage.

1. Search for Device Manager
2. Click under Network Adapters
3. I belive the Lenovo X270 uses a Realtek driver, so you should see something like that
installed?

I don't see Realtek. This is what I see.

Also, I know that McAfee has in the past not uninstalled EVERYTHING off the machine, so just double check that, and if you see anything labeled McAfee in your Program Files, Shift+Del it.

There are a few files and folders hanging around... mostly looks like text files, but I've deleted them.

 

[upup]

I know 2 persons, even at there house, they use a lan cable, only way it connect to the www

 

[ros_b]

this
IP settings set to auto, DNS setting set to autoconfig?
also IPV6, turned off?

See screengrabs:

 

[ros_b]

try it at a friends house where there wont be a firewall like your work probably does
failing that it sounds like a driver issue, backup your laptop and re install a fresh new copy of winblows

Thing is, its been working fine for over a month, both at the hotel and work. The problem only started after the machine crashed yesterday. So yeah, I'll have to try get someone to help with a reinstall. How does one even do that if the machine came with Windows already installed and is out of warranty?

 

[ros_b]

Boot from an Ubuntu USB, if it connects to the net then its a buggered driver or windows.

If not then its a hardware issue.

Great idea. Gonna try this in the morning.

 

[ponder]

Do you have a previous restore point you can roll back to?

How to Use System Restore on Windows 10 and Windows 11

System Restore is a Windows feature that can help fix some crashes and other computer problems. Here’s how System Restore works, how to set it up, and how to use it to fix PC problems on Windows 10 and Windows 11.

www.howtogeek.com

 

[ros_b]

Do you have a previous restore point you can roll

Yes, there was a restore point at 19 October, with description "Critical Windows Update" and we restored to that point - no change.

 

[YoungSandwich]

The problem persists even when Wifi is completely turned off (when trying to connect to the internet via USB terhering to my mobile, or via Ethernet cable) so surely it cant have anything to do with the Wifi adapter?


I have Lenovo Thinkvantage.

I don't see Realtek. This is what I see.

View attachment 938452


There are a few files and folders hanging around... mostly looks like text files, but I've deleted them.

I see you have ProtonVPN installed, maybe try and remove that? It could be interfering with your DNS entries.

 

[ros_b]

I see you have ProtonVPN installed, maybe try and remove that? It could be interfering with your DNS entries.

OMG OMG OMG!!!! I uninstalled both ProtonVPN and Windscribe VPN software, rebooted and...... its working!!! I've had these installed for at least a month so cant fathom why their mere presence suddenly caused this issue but hey.... mine is not to question why.
I've subsequently reinstalled Windscribe, which is the VPN I use (Proton was just a trial) and all is still well.
Thank you so much, YoungSandwich!

 

[YoungSandwich]

OMG OMG OMG!!!! I uninstalled both ProtonVPN and Windscribe VPN software, rebooted and...... its working!!! I've had these installed for at least a month so cant fathom why their mere presence suddenly caused this issue but hey.... mine is not to question why.
I've subsequently reinstalled Windscribe, which is the VPN I use (Proton was just a trial) and all is still well.
Thank you so much, YoungSandwich!

It's no problem mate, have a good one

 

[ponder]

OMG OMG OMG!!!! I uninstalled both ProtonVPN and Windscribe VPN software, rebooted and...... its working!!! I've had these installed for at least a month so cant fathom why their mere presence suddenly caused this issue but hey.... mine is not to question why.
I've subsequently reinstalled Windscribe, which is the VPN I use (Proton was just a trial) and all is still well.
Thank you so much, YoungSandwich!

You should still look at installing Win10, preferably a clean install.

What happens when Windows 7 support ends? - Microsoft Support

Windows 7 support will end on January 14, 2020. After that, technical assistance and software updates will no longer be available for the product.

support.microsoft.com

 

[|tera|]

OMG OMG OMG!!!! I uninstalled both ProtonVPN and Windscribe VPN software, rebooted and...... its working!!! I've had these installed for at least a month so cant fathom why their mere presence suddenly caused this issue but hey.... mine is not to question why.
I've subsequently reinstalled Windscribe, which is the VPN I use (Proton was just a trial) and all is still well.
Thank you so much, YoungSandwich!

Windscribe doesn't disable it's "firewall" switch at times.
I've had this exact issue a few times.
Usually opening Windscribe and flipping the firewall switch off resolves it.
Complete removal of it will fix it too, as you've seen

 

[ros_b]

Windscribe doesn't disable it's "firewall" switch at times.
I've had this exact issue a few times.
Usually opening Windscribe and flipping the firewall switch off resolves it.
Complete removal of it will fix it too, as you've seen

Yes, I subsequently discovered this... it seems when my computer crashed (because this happened again subsequent to my first post) Windscribe comes back with the firewall switch flipped to On. Flipping it to Off solves the issue.