Help with wireless internet connection?

Question

We have cox internet connection, with a linksys wireless broadband router. My laptop won't connect to the internet stating that a local area cable is unplugged. We have plugged and unplugged every wire, cable...but it still won't work. i was definitely thinking it was the router...but when my sister came over with her laptop, it allowed her access to the internet, as well as a friend who came over with her laptop. I am very computer-stupid. Please offer solutions!

Answer 1

Well if it is saying local area cable is unplugged, then it seems like you don't have a wireless card in your laptop. Because it seems like you are trying to connect wireless.

1. Try connecting to the internet by plugging in the Ethernet cable to your router (make sure it is one of the 4 extra ports, don't unplug anything that was already plugged into the router already in this step).

2. Open up interent explorer. This should allow you to connect.

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Assuming you have a wireless card.

1. Start

2. Then go to Control Panel

3. Then Network Connections

Note: there should be two items here A local area connection (which means Ethernet port) and a Wireless Connection. If you don't have the wireless connection, you A. Don't have a wireless card, or B. Have not installed the driver.

Assuming the wireless network connection is present

1.  Right click on the Wireless Connection Icon

(If you notice, that it has a disable feature thats fine, but it it has the enable feature when you right click on the icon, select that one.)

2. Once enabled  go back to the same icon

3. Right click, and then select Connect/Reconnect, this should work.

Note: When you right click on the connection, if it has the enable option, that means this was previously disabled. Sometimes another way to enable the wireless card is to hit, the Fn (Function button on the laptop to the left of the keyboard) and pressing one of the F1-F12 buttons. Usually it is the button that has a wireless symbol on the key, ie hitting Fn+F2 at the same time.

If these don't work you could have other problems, but feel free to contact me, i believe yahoo answers allows this.

Answer 2

Check that your wireless is turned on. Many laptops have a tiny slide switch round the sides of the case and it is very easy to knock it into the off position.