Dell Laptop wont connect to internet

[imported_Lucifer]

Hi,

My brother and I have been trying to get the internet to work on my uncle's Dell Latitude C840 Laptop. It doesnt connect to the internet period. The drivers are installed, and according to the device manager, the Ethernet drivers are working fine. We tried troubleshooting with the troubleshooting in the help and support and it didnt help. I reinstalled the ethernet drivers for the Laptop, and still wont connect.

Laptop specs:
Pentium 4 2.4GHz
512mb RAM
Windows XP Pro.

 

[thirdlegstump]

Replace it with a Powerbook. You know you want the power to save the world. (from Powerbook 5300 series commercial)

 

[Lyfer]

Need some more info:

1. Are you using a router or connecting directly to a DSL/cable modem.

 

[imported_Lucifer]

It is connected directly to the Cable Modem.

 

[imported_Lucifer]

good night bump.

 

[imported_Lucifer]

Any help on this issue?

 

[Childs]

Can you ping 127.0.0.1?

 

[imported_Lucifer]

Yup. It pings, but doesnt connect. I did that using the troubleshoot thing in Windows Help.

 

[Childs]

Was this a new cable self install, or was the broadband in place before the laptop?

 

[imported_Lucifer]

The broadband was in place before the Laptop.

 

[Childs]

Are you using DHCP, or using the ISP connection software?

Also, do you have link of the network port?

 

[imported_Lucifer]

We are using DHCP. What do you mean by "do you have link of the network port" ?

 

[Childs]

The light on the network port. If you don't physically have a light next to the port or dongle, enable Display Network Status in the properties of the network card.

Enter a shell and do ipconfig /all. Do you get a gateway or nameserver?

 

[imported_Lucifer]

It has a light on it, and it flashes when a ethernet cable is connected. I dont have the laptop with me right now, so I will have to do the ipconfig/all when I get it tonight. I will post back letting you know the results.

 

[stevty2889]

Was the cable modem previously connected to a different computer? If so, it's more than likely looking for the MAC address of the network card it was previously connected too..you may have to leave it disconnected over night in order for it to work. Not 100% sure even that will work. May want to get a router and clone the MAC address of the previous network card if that doesnt' work.

 

[Childs]

One thing to consider is that with some cable ISPs, specifically Comcast, they require you register unique mac addresses with their site before you can go out on the real internet.

 

[imported_Lucifer]

The cable modem was previously connected to my uncle's Emachines computer, which I am servicing right now. He wanted to use his internet, so he connected his laptop to the internet, and it didnt work. I took it home, connected it to my DSL modem, and it still wouldnt connect. He uses Road Runner Cable, and I use SBC Yahoo DSL. The lappy wouldnt connect to either one. The Emachines however, connects to my DSL with no problem.

 

[imported_Lucifer]

Problem solved. For some reason, not sure why, but someone disabled the LAN in the BIOS. The internet is working fine now.

Thanks for your help!