My PC connects to the internet via wireless but Internet Explorer won't connect.
I've used the driver that came with the card, uninstalled and reinstalled, and then reinstalled using Windows to connect. The connection icon says that connectivity is good / very good (to a Belkin router). I've connected the pc directly to the router via ethernet and Internet Explorer works fine. I'm running Windows XP SP2.
Any help would be greatly appreciated, I'm baffled by this and have searched these forums but can't find anyone with quite the same problem.

which wireless card are you using?

sounds like the wireless adapter isn't configured properly, or the router isn't broadcasting the right frequency. if you are using B, G, or N you will need to set the router to transmit on those channels or set it to "mixed" if possible. you could also simply try unplugging the router for 10 seconds or so and then trying it again.

I'm using a TL WN 321G card. I've tried unplugging the router for 10 secs but no luck there.
I'm not sure what you mean by B G or N channels? The router is configured to Mixed (11b + 11g) mode.
Currently the connection status of my pc is;
"Wireless Network 7 is now connected
Connected to Belkin 54g
Signal strength very good"
However Internet Explorer says "can't open this webpage". I've tried a few pages. Outlook Express also doesn't receive mail.

Exactly the same problem happened to me. I have two computers running Windows 7 and two laptops running XP SP3. They've all been connecting to Virgin cable internet perfectly via my Netgear wireless router until just recently. Then the XP systems gave the page not found msg even though the wireless connection was indicating Excellent. The Windows 7 computers have remained running absolutely OK. I connected the laptops by cable to the router and they work absolutely fine. I have a spare Linksys wireless router so I swapped it over - same situation. I've completely restored one of the XP laptops back to factory settings, reinstalled XP - same situation. So then I played with the router settings. And, whalla, when I turned off the security (i.e. no WEB and no WPA) - the XP laptops now work OK again.

I'm completely baffled. Anyone have any clue why this is? So currently I'm running with my internet connection exposed to the world, which I'm not too happy about. I'm really hoping someone knows how to solve the problem.

Let me know. Thanks.

when a modem=>system works and yet modem=>router=>system does not

then you should suspect the need to set the MAC masquerade address.

1) find the PC that you used on day-1 when you got your ISP connection
2) on that system, use run->cmd /k ipconfig /all
3) look for the output that reads

Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : UU-VV-WW-XX-YY-ZZ

this is the MAC address
4) use your browser to access the router conf page; login

find the WAN side setup (sometimes it is elsewhere)
look for the Router Mac Address and
(*) Use This MAC Address :: and enter the Physical Address from the above

save or apply this setting which will reset your connection

if there is a test button on the page, use it to verify your ISP connection

This is called Hardware Provisioning and most ISPs use it to verify that you are a client

Hi JOBEARD, thanks for getting back to me so quickly...

I'm a bit confused by your answer because it would suggest that it would be impossible for me to currently get internet connection on any of the PC/laptops via system->router->modem. But I only dont get internet in the circumstances where its the XP laptops connected wirelessly with wifi security (WEP or WPA) turned on.

In the other circumstances the internet works OK, i.e. its OK for:
- both XP laptops connected by wire to router
- both laptops connected wirelessly with wifi security (WEP/WPA) turned OFF
- Windows 7 laptop connected wirelessly to router
- Windows 7 PC connected by wire to router

I did the checks as you suggested...

The MAC settings on my Linksys WRT54G are:
- router MAC as seen by ISP is 00:0C:41:9D:A1:4B
- router MAC as seen on my local ethernet network is 00:0C:41:9D:A1:4A
- router MAC as seen on my local wireless network is 00:0C:41:9D:A1:4C
I cant find a way of resetting the router MAC on the Linksys.

The MAC settings on my Netgear WGR614v9 are:
- router MAC 00:1F:33B:43:AD
- router MAC 00:1F:33B:43:AC
There is a "Use This MAC Address" setting which allows me to change the router MAC.

The Physical Address on the Windows 7 PC wire connected to the router is 00-26-2D-14-17-47. This PC accesses the internet just fine.

The Physical Address on one of the XP laptops (the one I restored to factory settings and reinstalled XP) is 00-12-79-BD-16-87.

I haven't changed either of the routers MAC addresses yet (a) because I cant work out how to change the Linksys one; and (b) I thought I'd wait until you see this information above before I change the Netgear one using "Use This MAC Address".

What should I do next?

Thanks for your help.

Windows 7 pcs connect to your LAN and WAN okay correct?
Windows XP pcs connect to your LAN and WAN okay correct?

Can Windows 7 PCs share files with Windows XP PCs and can these XP Pcs access 7 shares?

Hi TIPSTIR.

Windows 7 pcs connect to your LAN and WAN okay correct?
- YES

Windows XP pcs connect to your LAN and WAN okay correct?
- They connect to internet OK by wireless if the router wifi security (WEP/WPA) is disabled, OR if connected by wire to the router.
- If wifi security (WEP or WPA) is enabled, then the XP laptops connect wirelessly to the router and show Excellent signal strength, but there's no internet (I see the IE page cannod be displayed message). PS I also tried with Chrome browser and it also doesn't get any Internet.
- this happens the same whichever router I use (the Linksys and the Netgear)!

Can Windows 7 PCs share files with Windows XP PCs and can these XP Pcs access 7 shares?
- sorry to say that I've never used the sharing files functionality so I dont know how to switch this on, so I cant answer this question.

Are you using WZC on XP SP3 and have those Link-Layer Topology Discovery patches from MS? There is a V6 out. Also have you invoked the IPV6 on those XP Pro SP3? That's how I have my two XP SP3 laptops on wireless connection using WPA2/AES no issues with WZC, IPV6 invoked and LTD Patch V6.

More here at my Zone (your free to look at my data and download links are there)
http://tipstir.the-talk.net/windows-xp-f12/

Thanks TIPSTIR...

Are you using WZC on XP SP3 and have those Link-Layer Topology Discovery patches from MS?
- pls can you tell me how I check this? I have the auto update set so its possible the patch came down from MS without me realising. Was this patch released in just the last few weeks which is when my problems started on the XP laptops?

Also have you invoked the IPV6 on those XP Pro SP3?
- How do I invoke this?

Thanks for all your help.

See the code box above it will show you how to invoke IPV6 on XP SP3.
That other patch was released from MS.

Try this instead info is on the last post in the thread for LLTD windowsXP-KB922120-v5-ENU.exe
http://tipstir.the-talk.net/windows-xp-f12/how-to-get-windows-xp-to-work-with-windows-7-t66.htm#316

V6 one works with SP2/SP3 but it might work on v5. Service needs to be invoked though.

Cool. Thx tipstir. I'm away from home at the moment. I'll try it at the weekend when I get back.