Trouble with Wi-Fi/Internet?

Question

I have Wi-Fi thru my building. The past couple days (out of nowhere)--it WILL connect me to the network but WONT pull up the Internet--it says "internet Explorer cannot open the web site".. I have tried different addresses in the adress bar and tried my PC in various places in my apartment..No Go. It cant be my PC as the Wi-Fi worked last nite in an internet cafe.. any ideas?? suggestions?? I tried a few things (though I really dont know what Im doing) and it says No problems with the device.. HELP!!

Answer 1

yes its not your computer its the network, you can be connected to a network and not have access to the internet.

Answer 2

The router may need to be rebooted. Can anybody else connect  to the network in your building?

"SO its "normal" to be connected but not be able to get Internet?? "

Yes, that can happen and it is fairly common.

Here is a diagram of the network:

Cable/phone line <==>Modem<=>Router<=>Antenna<=>Client

Your computer is the client. The connection from the client  to the router is fine. I suspect the problem is somewhere between the router and the phone line, so either the router is not talking to the modem or the modem isn't doing it's job, or the cable(or phone line if it's DSL) is dead.

If another computer can connect to the network and to the internet  my theory is wrong. I've encountered a windows vista problem that causes this symptom. Details here:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/928233/e...

Certain routers can give vista problems. It would be unusual for it to connect and then suddenly stop connecting if this was the problem. (I wouldn't pursue it until I saw another computer connect to the internet wirelessly on the network.

Keep me posted.