Weird Network/Internet Issue

oliB

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 14, 2004
Messages
1,391
Location
Germany
Alright guys, I ran out of ideas and maybe you can help me out.

Here's the deal:
We have a Router in our basement and from there Ethernet cables go to every room. This worked fine for quite some time, over 1 year with this particular router alone. About two weeks ago we started having problems, many random websites just wouldn't open. Websites that are definitely not down, like Canyouseeme.org. I did a reset on the router, installed the latest firmware and so on.

Here's the kicker:
On my PC all the websites work. However, on my laptop, two other laptops and one other PC in our hosehold many websites just won't work. I thought maybe Antivirus/Firewall issues, but I have a Firewall on my PC and none of that stuff on my laptop. Plus, all the computers are set up differently software wise but connected to the same router, so I really don't know what's causing the problem. On one computer everything works fine, 4 others are having the exact same problem. Some websites as well as the network itself still work fine, shared folders, printers, the lot.

What's your take on this?

TIA
 
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Do you use DHCP or Static IPs? Maybe your laptops aren't getting the DNS addresses from the router, somehow?
 
Why dont u try getting a wireless router? You can still have some lan cables from it and the laptops can use the wirless
 
ok, what happens when you do this?

find a website thats not working on your laptop.
go start->run->cmd and enter
then type
ping nameofwebsite and press enter

tell me what you get.

also tell me what happens when you do this on your main PC
 
Do you use DHCP or Static IPs? Maybe your laptops aren't getting the DNS addresses from the router, somehow?
Static on all computers. I don't think it's an IP issue either, because I checked the IPs, tested it when only one of the computers was running, many websites do work as well as all the network stuff, et cetera.

Why dont u try getting a wireless router? You can still have some lan cables from it and the laptops can use the wirless
Thanks, but I don't think that's gonna help.

The router in the basement is wireless enabled. But because there's a lot of concrete down there, it doesn't cover our entire house. It barely covers the first floor and it's a 5 story house. However, on the second floor there's a second WiFi router set up as an access point and connected to the router in our basement. It makes no difference if I connect the laptops directly to the main router via an ethernet cable or if I go the WiFi route via the second router.

ok, what happens when you do this?

find a website thats not working on your laptop.
go start->run->cmd and enter
then type
ping nameofwebsite and press enter

tell me what you get.

also tell me what happens when you do this on your main PC
Alright, first I tried it canyouseeme.org, which works on my PC but doesn't work on my laptop. Then I tried google.com, which works on every PC.

Here's what I got, PC:
http://img212.imageshack.**/img212/3627/pckh1.jpg
Everything seems to be fine.

Laptop:
http://img71.imageshack.**/img71/2981/laptopqf6.jpg
Google works. For canyouseeme.org it says something like "Host could not be found. Check name and try again."
 
Is the listed DNS server the same on the laptop and the PC?

Do a "ipconfig /all" in the command prompt.

Are you able to reach canyouseeme.org using its ip address? (204.16.252.109)

You may want to run "tracert 204.16.252.109" to see if that works.
 
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Get the DNS servers your router is using, just their IPS (is listed and under ereignisse on my fritzbox) and enter them in the network thingy on your laptop...
 
Is the listed DNS server the same on the laptop and the PC?

Do a "ipconfig /all" in the command prompt.
I have two DNS server addresses listed in the TCP/IP configuration and they're identical on the PC and the laptop.

I did the the "ipconfig /all" thing and to me they look identical. Except for the IP address of course.

Are you able to reach canyouseeme.org using its ip address? (204.16.252.109)

You may want to run "tracert 204.16.252.109" to see if that works.
I cannot reach canyouseeme.org by entering it's IP into Firefox on my Laptop. I can, however, "ping it" using the above IP address and the cmd prompt.

"tracert 204.16.252.109" works as well.

Get the DNS servers your router is using, just their IPS (is listed and under ereignisse on my fritzbox) and enter them in the network thingy on your laptop...
Good idea! The DNS servers entered in the TCP/IP configuration were in fact different from those, that the router is using. Just changed them on my laptop to those the router is using and now I can open canyouseeme.org! Seems like the problem is fixed, tried another page that didn't work before and it's working now! Just tried it with the other laptop and it works too!
:D
Great, thank you very much! All of you, although it looks like Buba nailed it. Now I'm left wondering why my PC didn't give me any issues...
 
;-)

What kinda router do you have? There was a problem like this on some Fritzbox Firmwares, I had it as well.
Problem with "my solution" is, that it is kind of a workaroud, since you will have to reenter correct dns servers if those won't work one day...
Well, anyway you know its a DNS Problem, that is a step ahead ;-)
 
Our main router is a Fritzbox too. Let's see how long this works... :)
 
You have the 7170 WLAN FON? The newest firmware 29.04.29 works VERY good for me, and you could always try a "labor" one, www.avm.de/labor
 
No, we got the 7050. Got it through 1&1 over a year ago. But thanks man! Is the 7170 the newest one? I might upgrade the non-WiFi router at my place to a Fritzbox once I get my new WiFi enabled cellphone.

BTW, I always thought Fritzbox is a stupid name for such a device. All the foreigners on here will probably think it's hilarious. You know, because for them Fritz is such a stereotypical German name. :p
 
The 7170 is newer than yours, but not the most up to date. There is a reworked one, just has some letters after the 7170, and there is -> http://www.avm.de/de/Produkte/FRITZBox/FRITZ_Fon/index.html which should be totally awesome, if you live in a small apartment.

Yeah, you are right about the name, I never wanted to get one because of the name, but 1&1 doesn't come with anything else. But hell its great. You can even mod it for the use with torrents, afaik...
 
BTW, I always thought Fritzbox is a stupid name for such a device. All the foreigners on here will probably think it's hilarious. You know, because for them Fritz is such a stereotypical German name. :p

That, and it's not a good thing when an electrical device "goes on the fritz." :p
 
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