Why can't I use the internet despite my router telling me I can?

March 28, 2009 11:02 PM

Please help me get my internet back! My computer is showing it is connected to the router and the internet, and it says it is in the router logs and through its updater, but I cannot load any webpages or use anything needing anything the internet.

My router suddenly broke this afternoon during normal internet surfing. One minute it was fine, the next no pages would load despite the network icon in my system tray telling me it was both connected to the network with the blue circle indicating the internet still being available. I can connect the computer to the cable modem and the internet works fine (how I am sending this).

I have tried so many methods to try to work out why it has done this including the usual full power restarts including cable modem and computer, unpluggin and replugging everything. I have loaded up two different firmware versions but still no change. Sometimes the router has problems establishing the dhcp server and obtaining the IP address and dns servers from my isp Virgin Media.

The frustrating thing is that I know the internet works fine, and all of the settings look as they should, especially since I have reentered most of them today. When I click on the button on the router software to look for firmware updates, it is able to check and give me results as well as the working option to download it, which it did albeit very very slowly.

Does anyone have any idea how to solve this infuriating problem? All the lights and signals are on for me being connected to the internet, but it just wont work!

My router is a Dlink DIR-655, I am using an Acer laptop on Vista.

posted by tumples to computers & internet (5 comments total)

Could be a DNS problem. Try using OpenDNS: 208.67.222.222, 208.67.220.220.
posted by Etaoin Shrdlu at 11:21 PM on March 28

Something I stumbled across once has helped me a lot when this happens. If you use IE, particularly if you use IE 7, try pulling it up. If you get the gray "we cannot load this page" screen, there should be a link called "Diagnostic [something something]. Click on that, and there is a troubleshooting program that will pop up and run for you.

I once had exactly this problem, and finally tried the diagnostic and found out that it was all some weird string of code that had gone kerfluey when it came to my system connecting via the FTP, and that was the whole problem. If this diagnostic is able to fix the problem, it will, and it will keep a log of what it found. I looked up the exact error it had found, googled how to fix it, and there I was.

On occasion it may tell you that it's not able to fix it, but it does help narrow down where the problem is in that instance.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 11:22 PM on March 28

If this loads Google for you:

http://74.125.45.100/

Then it's a DNS problem. If that doesn't work either, then your problem is more basic.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 11:48 PM on March 28

If you have a firewall program installed, check its settings. With our home router, we've had many issues, and were immediately back online after turning if off during our troubleshooting.

The fact that you are able to successfully access the internet when connected directly to your cable modem makes me think that there's probably one or two settings on your router that are keeping everything from working right.
posted by mtphoto at 3:26 PM on March 29

My D-link router does this every once in a while also. I've had success unplugging it for 5 minutes or so then plugging it back in. [Under similar circumstances, ie. cable modem still is connected to the net]
posted by i_am_a_Jedi at 5:55 PM on March 29