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Thread: Another computer question.

  1. #1
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    Another computer question.

    I picked up an old Dell windows XP laptop I'm trying to access the internet on. I installed drivers for both the wired and wireless hardware. Checking their status tells me they are both working properly. However, using internet Explorer neither will connect to the internet. I'm using the Cox supplied modem and a purchased wireless router I have been using for ages without issue using my iPad. Using the laptop gets me the message "server not found" on any URL I enter. I was on the verge of thinking I had bad hardware. But, I have a small data acquisition box also plugged into the router. When installed it was automatically assigned an address (192.1xx.x.xx). When I type that address into the internet Explorer address bar it communicates fine with both wired and wireless interfaces and I can access its functions and read data through its built in server. Haven't really used a windows machine in years. Maybe I'm missing something simple? IDK. Any advice appreciated.
    My three favorite things are the Oxford comma, irony and missed opportunities

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    Is the wifi adapter and/or the lan port actually turned on?

  3. #3
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    How did you set up the IP4 address on the XP box, DHCP or manual? That it works with the hardcoded IP address sounds like it doesn't have a good DNS server address set.

    Can it see the iPad?
    Yoga class makes me feel like a total stud, mostly because I'm about as flexible as a 2x4.
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  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lee DeRaud View Post
    How did you set up the IP4 address on the XP box, DHCP or manual? That it works with the hardcoded IP address sounds like it doesn't have a good DNS server address set.

    Can it see the iPad?
    . Thanks for taking time to help. What you say sounds reasonable. Must have been automatic. I'm looking at the connection status window and it shows Assigned by DHCP, IP address 192.168.1.149, subnet mask 255.255.255.0 and default gateway (which I assume is my router) 192.168.1.1. Is that what you're referring to? Not sure what you mean by "Can it see the iPad" but my iPad access the internet fine.
    My three favorite things are the Oxford comma, irony and missed opportunities

    The problem with humanity is: we have paleolithic emotions; medieval institutions; and God-like technology. Edward O. Wilson

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lee Schierer View Post
    Is the wifi adapter and/or the lan port actually turned on?
    I assume so, I can access the web from other devices and the laptop says the adapter is working normally
    My three favorite things are the Oxford comma, irony and missed opportunities

    The problem with humanity is: we have paleolithic emotions; medieval institutions; and God-like technology. Edward O. Wilson

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by Michael Weber View Post
    I picked up an old Dell windows XP laptop I'm trying to access the internet on. I installed drivers for both the wired and wireless hardware. Checking their status tells me they are both working properly. However, using internet Explorer neither will connect to the internet. I'm using the Cox supplied modem and a purchased wireless router I have been using for ages without issue using my iPad. Using the laptop gets me the message "server not found" on any URL I enter. I was on the verge of thinking I had bad hardware. But, I have a small data acquisition box also plugged into the router. When installed it was automatically assigned an address (192.1xx.x.xx). When I type that address into the internet Explorer address bar it communicates fine with both wired and wireless interfaces and I can access its functions and read data through its built in server. Haven't really used a windows machine in years. Maybe I'm missing something simple? IDK. Any advice appreciated.
    It's a good thing you weren't able to connect to the Internet. XP hasn't been supported in years. When I go into a bank and they're still using XP on their terminals, I just leave. Don't be an easy target.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Michael Weber View Post
    . Thanks for taking time to help. What you say sounds reasonable. Must have been automatic. I'm looking at the connection status window and it shows Assigned by DHCP, IP address 192.168.1.149, subnet mask 255.255.255.0 and default gateway (which I assume is my router) 192.168.1.1. Is that what you're referring to? Not sure what you mean by "Can it see the iPad" but my iPad access the internet fine.
    What IP/gateway/DNS addresses is the iPad using? Assuming the iPad is also set up in the 192.168.1.xxx range, you should be able to open a command ("DOS") window on the Dell and ping the iPad to see if the WIFI on the Dell is really working. You can also try manually setting the Dell to use whatever DNS the iPad is using.
    Yoga class makes me feel like a total stud, mostly because I'm about as flexible as a 2x4.
    "Design"? Possibly. "Intelligent"? Sure doesn't look like it from this angle.
    We used to be hunter gatherers. Now we're shopper borrowers.
    The three most important words in the English language: "Front Towards Enemy".
    The world makes a lot more sense when you remember that Butthead was the smart one.
    You can never be too rich, too thin, or have too much ammo.

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Doug Dawson View Post
    It's a good thing you weren't able to connect to the Internet. XP hasn't been supported in years.
    Actuallly that's only half true- What's not supported is AUTOMATIC updates... Microsoft has still releases regular updates for XP; 639 updates in 2018, 366 so far this year. XP users must hit Microsoft's update catalog and download them manually...
    ========================================
    ELEVEN - rotary cutter tool machines
    FOUR - CO2 lasers
    THREE- make that FOUR now - fiber lasers
    ONE - vinyl cutter
    CASmate, Corel, Gravostyle


  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lee DeRaud View Post
    What IP/gateway/DNS addresses is the iPad using? Assuming the iPad is also set up in the 192.168.1.xxx range, you should be able to open a command ("DOS") window on the Dell and ping the iPad to see if the WIFI on the Dell is really working. You can also try manually setting the Dell to use whatever DNS the iPad is using.
    Thanks again Lee. The iPad address is a series of 6 hexadecimal numbers as near as I can tell. Can't ping it at all. I did drag out another old computer and wired it to the router. I could ping the laptop from it and also ping it from the laptop. I'm beginning to recall why I developed a dislike to windows years ago. About ready to put this problem on the back burner.
    My three favorite things are the Oxford comma, irony and missed opportunities

    The problem with humanity is: we have paleolithic emotions; medieval institutions; and God-like technology. Edward O. Wilson

  10. #10
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    Sounds like a DNS issue to me. Your DNS address on the iPad looks like it is an IPv6 address, which might not be installed on your Windows XP machine.

    Open a command prompt and issue the command ipconfig /all. What do you have for the DNS addresses? If they look legit, then try pinging them and see if you get a response. If you do, then your network communication is fine and you will need to look elsewhere for an issue, like an internet security program or a proxy server that is misconfigured. If you can't ping the DNS servers, it may be a configuration issue with your router.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Derek Meyer View Post
    Your DNS address on the iPad looks like it is an IPv6 address, which might not be installed on your Windows XP machine.
    "A series of 6 hexadecimal numbers" sounds more like a MAC address. Worst case temporary fallback is to set the DNS to 8.8.8.8, which is Google's public DNS address.

    (Kind of unlikely that Cox is supplying an IPv6 address for its default DNS server: that's just asking for a veritable flood of tech support calls.)
    Yoga class makes me feel like a total stud, mostly because I'm about as flexible as a 2x4.
    "Design"? Possibly. "Intelligent"? Sure doesn't look like it from this angle.
    We used to be hunter gatherers. Now we're shopper borrowers.
    The three most important words in the English language: "Front Towards Enemy".
    The world makes a lot more sense when you remember that Butthead was the smart one.
    You can never be too rich, too thin, or have too much ammo.

  12. #12
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    Thanks everyone for trying to help. I just don't have the background needed for this and i won't ask others to waste their time in what i expect is a futile undertaking. The more I work at this the worse things become. Time to get ready to leave for vacation on Thursday.
    My three favorite things are the Oxford comma, irony and missed opportunities

    The problem with humanity is: we have paleolithic emotions; medieval institutions; and God-like technology. Edward O. Wilson

  13. #13
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    The problem may be your Internet Explorer browser. I seem to remember that the last version of IE compatible with XP would no longer access the internet with many providers. You may need to download Chrome on another PC and load it to this PC

  14. #14
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    To check if it's a DNS problem you could input this number in your browser address bar: https://172.217.10.110. That's the ip address for google.com. If that works DNS is not happy. If it doesn't you may have something else going on. Incidentally there are free operating systems that work pretty well on XP era computers and are supported.

  15. #15
    I haven't fully read all the responses, if this has been covered, my aplogies...

    Open a command prompt (click START/RUN/ type 'command') then type IPCONFIG and enter...

    if you get 192.168.xx.xx then your router HAS issued your computer an IP address-

    However, if you get 0.0.0.0, you're TCP-IP stuff isn't setup correctly- I'm in a time crunch at the moment or I'd continue, sorry- I'll be back, in the meantime, IF you're getting 0's, maybe someone can help with that in the meantime...
    ========================================
    ELEVEN - rotary cutter tool machines
    FOUR - CO2 lasers
    THREE- make that FOUR now - fiber lasers
    ONE - vinyl cutter
    CASmate, Corel, Gravostyle


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