WiFi Works on Laptop, but not on Desktop

[andrewboon]

My internet is working for my laptop but not for my desktop. Both my laptop AND my desktop are using wireless (yes I know I should be using a wire for my desktop, but my modem is too far away). I am using this adapter to get internet for my desktop
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833704045

Last night, my internet (Comcast) suddenly stopped working. I was instantly disconnected from all my videos and video games I was watching/playing. So I went to my modem and router and unplugged both for ten seconds and then plugged it back in. It started working again, and then the same thing happened again about 10 minutes later and it happened about 3 times total. Then when I woke up in the morning the internet was fine. It is stable and good to use. The only problem is I can't connect with my desktop at all. For my laptop, the Wifi is working perfectly fine, but my desktop will try to connect to my network and then it will say unable to connect. I tried unplugging my adapter and plugging it back in but kept getting the same message.

I hear there is a way to use /cmd or command and it lets you reset something. I am very bad at networking and I have absolutely no idea what is wrong. I would appreciate anybody's help in this issue. Thanks for posting!

Laptop: MacBook Pro
Desktop: Windows 7 desktop with Intel i5 2500k processor
Router: Linksys WRT54G
ISP: Comcast

If you need any other information let me know. I will promptly reply.

 

[mammador]

It could be that an IP address is not being assigned by the router to the desktop. Or the desktop's wifi NIC is faulty.

 

[andrewboon]

It could be that an IP address is not being assigned by the router to the desktop. Or the desktop's wifi NIC is faulty.

Can't be faulty because it was working yesterday and the desktop is recognizing the wifi adapter. So how do i get it to assign a ip address?

 

[JackMDS]

Maybe this can Help.

Go over these steps and tell us where the breaking point is.


Check the Device Manager for valid Wireless card entry.
http://www.ezlan.net/Win7/net_dm.jpg


If there is No valid entry, delete any Bogus Entry, and re-install the Wireless card's Drivers.


Check the Network connections to make sure that you have a Wireless Network



Connection Icon/Entry, and that the Properties of the Icon (right click on the Icon) are correctly configured with TCP/IPv4 protocol in the Network Connections Properties.
http://www.ezlan.net/Win7/net_connection_tcp.jpg

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Many Wireless cards' drivers also install the vendor's Wireless utility.

Make sure that if there is a vendor's Wireless Utility is Not Running together with the Windows native Wireless utility (WLAN Service) .
----------------
Make sure that No Firewall is preventing/blocking the Wireless components to get to the Network.

Some 3rd party Software Firewalls/AV/Security suit,s keep blocking aspects of Local Traffic even it they are turned Off (disabled).


If possible configure the Firewall /Security suit correctly, otherwise totally uninstall it, and get rid of its residual processes to allow clean flow of local network traffic.
If the 3rd party software is uninstalled or disables, make sure that Windows native Firewall is On .


3rd party Network mangers like Bonjour, and NetMagic can block local traffic too.
---------------------------
Working TCP/IP stack should look this way.
Right click on the Wire card Network Connection, choose Status, Details, and see if it got an IP and the rest of the settings.
http://www.ezlan.net/Win7/status-nic.jpg
Description is the card manufacturing data.
Physical address is the card's MAC number.
The xx should be a number from 0 to 255 (all xx same number).
yy should be from 0 to 255
zz should be from 0 to 255 (all zz the same number.
The lease date should be valid to the current time.

*Note 1. IP that starts with 169.xxx.xxx.xxx is not valid functional IP.

*Note 2. There might be an IPv6 entries too. However, they are not functional for Internet traffic or LAN. They are needed for Win 7 special HomeGroup configuration. ---------------------------------------------------
A message in the Wireless little Window that says Connected does not means that your are really have a valid functional connection.


If everything above is OK you have to be able to connect to the Router.

Connecting to the Router means that you can enter the Router's core IP into an address bar of a browse, be able to connect, see, and configure the Router's menus.


If it does not connecting to the Router, log from any computer that can connect to Wireless Router with a Wire, disable the Wireless Security, make sure that the Wireless broadcast SSID is On, and try to connect with No Wireless security.
Enable the Wireless security after you mange to establish a functional connection.

 

[lakedude]

Have you tried turning it off and on again?

 

[Fardringle]

Can't be faulty because it was working yesterday and the desktop is recognizing the wifi adapter. So how do i get it to assign a ip address?

It is absolutely possible that it was working perfectly yesterday and stopped working today. Most electronics either work or they don't. It's not a gradual failure like mechanical devices.

I'd consider temporarily disabling the wireless adapter in the laptop and plugging that TPLink into the laptop to see if it works properly there. If not, then you have a dead adapter. If it works in the laptop, then you have a software problem on the desktop. Work through Jack's suggestions and see if it helps.