Urgent Help Needed! Laptop Connection to Hotel LAN
 

I can't get my laptop to connect to the LAN at the hotel I'm currently staying in. I've tried everything, and their IT guy knows even less than me :(

So now I'm currently in their business centre in the hope that the fount of all knowledge can help once again.

This is where I'm up to at the moment. I've disabled the wireless connection, I've enabled the Local Area Connection.
In IE settings I've changed the LAN setting to automatically detect settings.
The computer is telling me it is connected, at 100mb, and is sending packets quite happily, but isn't receiving anything at all :confused:

I suspect I need to change something in my computer, but because Windows Help is written in geekese I have no idea what :wonder:

...so how did you post the above ;)

Assuming you are running XP or similar, click the Start button and choose "Run...". Then type "cmd" and click OK, and then in the window with a black background that appears type "ipconfig/all" and post up what appears.

Any geeks around can then check how "connected" you currently are.

mb

;)



I'll go back up stairs now and give that a try.

That's not a command to kill my hard drive is it :Suspiciou

no, that wont kill your hard drive.

All that command will do is report back your internet protocol configuration, this in turn will give the IT guys something to work with to let them know what the problem could be

Jason

OK Here is the info that came up

IP Routing Enabled: No
Wins Proxy Enabled: No
Node Type: Unknown

Local Area Connection
Connection Specific DNS Suffix
Description: Realtec NIC

Physical Address: 6 sets of 2 digit numbers separated by -
Phcp Enabled: No
IP Address: xxx.xxx.x.xxx
Subnet Mask: xxx.xxx.xxx.x
Default Gateway: xxx.xxx.x.x
DNS Servers: xxx.xxx.4.xxx & xxx.xxx.8.xxx

Apart from the 4 & the 8 the DNS server numbers are the same, but different from the IP Address

Actually it is the numbers that are the important bits ;)

The first problem seems to be the "Phcp Enabled: No" (it should actually read "DHCP Enabled"). Currently you have a fixed address which is almost certainly incompatible with your hotel's network.

So you need to turn DHCP on, which depends on your operating system. After doing that (and re-booting just in case) the "IP Address:" bit should hopefully begin with "192.168" and you will be getting close to Interweb access!

mb

The operating system is Windows XP

The IP address does begin 192.168

I cant read my own writing, it does say DHCP, so how do I enable it :wonder:


I'm a bit wary of putting all the numbers on, not knowing much about it, I don't know who or what I could be giving access to :rolleyes:

Double-click on "My Computer" on the Desktop (or via the Start menu).

Hopefully on the left under "Other Places" is "My Network Places" - right-click this and choose Properties.

Hopefully you will have a "Local Area Connection" entry displayed, as well as probably a Wireless entry. Right-click the "Local Area Connection" and choose Properties.

A dialogue should appear with a list of items, one (usually the last one) of which is called "Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)" - select this and click the Properties button.

Another dialogue should appear, and there should be a (round) Radio check-box "Obtain an IP address automatically" - select this (you probably currently have "Use the following IP address" and some numbers below).

Also check the "Obtain DNS Server address automatically" if it isn't already selected.

Click the various OK buttons until you get back to your desktop.

Re-boot just in case, and try to connect to the network

Make notes as to exactly what you changed, so you can change it back afterwards (or when it all goes pear-shaped ;) ).

mb

Just find a newsagent and buy a porn mag !

i have had one way transmission on a wired lan also when a crossover lead was used instead of a straight lead.

ok
internet access and name resolution are two entirley different things

so dont get to worried about DNS (inportant though it is)

if you can get to the command line type the following

ping 4.2.2.2

if you get the following

Reply from 4.2.2.2: bytes=32 time=60ms TTL=245

you have internet access (now you need to confirm DNS)

if you get a "request timed out" it means you have a routing problem

try and ping your default gatway (as shown on your ipconfig output

so ping "www.bbc.net.uk" - no quotes

if you get

Pinging "www.bbc.net.uk"[212.58.253.67] with 32 bytes of data:

then DNS is fine (it doesnt matter that it does not replt coz bbc block replies)

if both the above work -- you have a "browser" problem -- prob a proxy connection

assuming the hotel has no internet proxy details - uncheck the auto detect settings in IE as well

prob have but uncheck auto detect settings (don't know if it makes any difference)

the network might not be connected to the internet!

At last, here I am coming to you live from my own computer :thumb:

With grateful thanks to Boomer Hodgy and my old faithful friend the reboot :D



Why would I do that when I can sneak the TV subscription onto the expenses :norty: