My Linksys Wireless Won't Connect to the Internet in Vista

Troubleshooting wireless connectivity in Windows Vista.

In recent years, many people have chosen to use wireless networks in the their homes due to convenience and ease-of-use. An Internet modem connects to a wireless router which takes the Internet service and broadcasts it over the air. Your computer connects to this wireless network in order to go online. Because of this configuration, sometimes a computer will connect to a wireless network even when there is no Internet service being delivered to that network by the modem. This can be confusing, because your computer will connect to the wireless network without connecting to the Internet. By taking a few simple steps, however, you can eliminate this confusion and figure out what is blocking your connectivity.

Instructions

1. Reset all devices. This is the first thing that any technical support rep will have you do, and for good reason---because it resolves about 90 percent of all Internet connectivity issues. Locate the power cords or both your modem and Linksys wireless router (if you use a Linksys modem/router combination, simply unplug its power cord). Leave both cords unplugged for a full 30 seconds and plug them back in. Also restart your computer. When your computer boots back up, try and connect to the Internet again. If your connection is still not working, it is useful to try to connect to a different wireless network.

2. Attempt to connect to a different wireless network. If you live within range of another wireless network---and you are legally allowed to use it---try and connect to that network (if you don't live near another wireless network, you can try and connect through a public WiFi hotspot). If you are not able to connect to this wireless network either, you may be experiencing an issue with your wireless card and will need to address that issue with the manufacturer or your computer. If you are able to connect to other wireless networks but not your home network, it is necessary to troubleshoot your home network.

3. Bypass your wireless router. Locate the Ethernet cable that connects your modem to your Linksys router and unplug it from your router (again, if you use a modem/router combination, you can disregard this step). Plug that Ethernet cord directly into one of the Ethernet ports on your computer and reset the modem in the manner described above. If your connection still does not work, contact the technical support department of your Internet service provider (ISP). If your modem goes online with the router bypassed, your router is blocking your connection and it is now necessary to contact Linksys technical support at 800-326-7114.