Hi. I purchased a wireless laptop as my flat mates have wireless connection already set up at home. I expected to just take my laptop home and have internet. However, when I got home, I imputed the network address, then the password my flat mates gave me. It seems to work as it says in connected to that network. However, it also says there is limited or no connectivity. It gives me an option to repair and then when I do, it says it can't repair it cause my IP address needs renewing. How do I do this?

Also, sometimes when I go on 'view available wireless connections' it comes up with my network but says its not connected? So I right click and then the and another box comes up saying 'you are currently connected' even though the box behind says its not connected..

Im hoping this is a simple problem that can be resolved? I guess that I am nieve in the sense that I thought if you had a wireless laptop, and you had wireless connection, then it would just work? Things are never that simple I guess. Please help!!

What network address? Did you setup for automaitcally obtaining an IP?

I agree, make sure that in the Wireless Network Connection properties, under the IP Protocol settings, it's set to obtain both IP address and DNS settings automatically.

Also, be sure that you entered the password correctly. If the wireless router is working, usually that's why it says limited or no connectivity. If you don't have the right password, the router won't understand what your laptop is saying, so when the laptop tries to tell it something, like "I'm connecting to you," the router will just ignore it because it doesn't understand.

Thank you so far, that's really helpful..

Im pretty sure it is all set to go? I can get sporadic access to a unsecure wireless connection so think its all set to go. I will check tonight when I get home however.

On another note, I have been wondering if I imputed the wrong password. My flat mates gave me 2 options. If this is the case, how can I amend it? Do I have to disconnect to my Network and then re submit info with a different password?

Also, when I say 'my network' I mean what my flats mates called our internet... If that makes sense?

I *think* that if you go to the screen where it lists the networks you can connect to, which would be where the unsecured one and your roommates both show up, if you click Connect, it shuold have a box for you to enter the password again (that is, as long as it's secured). If it already says connected, then click disconnect first.

You can also do it from going to Control Panel, Network Connections, right click the Wireless network Connection and go to Properties, and go to the Wireless tab (I think it's called wireless... I don't have a wireless card around at the moment). There should be a list of networks toward the bottom, I'm fairly sure you can double click on those to edit the properties, so you should be able to enter the password there too.

Oky doky..

So let me get this right, I need to disconnect and then re connect with another password, or edit the properties? How will I know if it's the right password?. bearing in mind it it didn't reject the last one? Or, presumably, If I have entered the right password, then I will have internet connection? Are the passwords case sensitive? Sorry, all these questions!

I will try this tonight and see how I get on... Wish me luck!

In the meantime, Why would it sometimes say that I need to renew my IP address?

Yes, the passwords are case sensitive. It won't reject a wrong password, but when you connect, it just won't do anything, because your laptop doesn't know it has the wrong password. It will just think there is nobody to talk to. That's one bad thing about wireless... you can't really tell if the password is right or wrong. You can always just try to enter it again, though =P

And yes, if you enter the correct password, you *should have an internet connection. Assuming everything else is set up correctly, which it sounds like it is (as long as someone else can get on wireless, then it's set up correctly, bearing in mind that the password may have been written down for you wrong, too)

Thank you. Ill give this all a go tonight... What's =P ? Or is it actully simply what it says?

sorry, But when it comes to wireless/pc's etc, I don't want to assume anything is obvious..

=P is an emoticon. It's a guy smiling, while stick his toungue out, heh. It's probably my favourite one.