eMachines Windows Vista FAQ

Windows®. Life without Walls™. eMachines recommends Windows 7.

Windows Vista - Wireless Networking

  1. Make sure that the system is in the same room as or very close to the router to the wireless router or access point. This should eliminate possible low signal errors. A low signal error can cause the computer to get a 169.254.x.x address, which is not a valid IP address. The system will not connect without a valid IP address.

  2. If the computer is a notebook using the integrated wireless adapter, make sure that the wireless antenna radio is turned on. Most Gateway notebooks have a designated multi-function button or function key to turn your wireless antenna on or off. This information is located in your notebook's user guide.

    • Gateway 200ARC - Multi-function button (last on right)
    • Gateway® M275 - keyboard keys Fn+F7
    • Gateway M505 - Multi-function button (first on top)
    • Gateway M500 - Multi-function button (last on top)
    • Gateway M675 - Multi-function button (last on right)
    • Most other Gateway notebooks - keyboard keys Fn+F2

  3. If this is a notebook computer that has problems connecting when on battery power.

    Many wireless network interface connectors (NICs) in laptops have settings that are designed to reduce the power consumption when running on battery power. The default setting is less power to the radio and so the transmitter does not work as well. The setting varies from adapter to adapter but can be accessed through Device Manager.

    1. Open Device Manager and locate the wireless NIC.
    2. Double-click the wireless NIC entry to open properties.
    3. In the Properties dialog box, click the Advanced tab.
    4. Look through the various options on this page to see if there is anything related to Power Save settings or similar. If so then try increasing this to a higher value.
    5. Save the change. Reboot and test.

  4. If the computer is a desktop with an internal PCI wireless adapter, make sure the card is physically installed correctly. Make sure the antenna is connected to the card.

  5. Check for environmental interferences like cordless telephones or microwaves using the same frequency.

  6. If the system can connect to the network but not the Internet, delete the browsing history.
    1. Open Internet Explorer.
    2. In the Internet Explorer window, click the Tools pull down menu in the upper right, and then click Internet Options.
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    3. In the Internet Options dialog box, in the Browsing history section, click Delete.
    4. In the Delete Browsing History dialog box, click the desired option. To delete all browsing history, click Delete all.
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    5. In the Delete Browsing History dialog box, click Yes.
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  7. Make sure that the wireless network being connected to is actually the router you have by changing the SSID in the router's configuration. This is especially true if the SSID is the default.

  8. Make sure the broadband Internet service is active by temporarily connecting the computer directly to the DSL/cable modem, using an RJ45 cable.

  9. Make sure that the wireless adapter is working properly in Device Manager.

  10. Make sure that the version of Windows installed on the computer is supported by both the router and the wireless adapter.

  11. Make sure that the version of the service pack installed on the computer supports the version of encryption used on the router.

  12. Remove and then and re-install the driver for the wireless adapter.

    • Open Device Manager. Locate the Network Adapters entry, and then expand it by clicking the plus (+) symbol in front of it.
    • Select the entry for the wireless adapter. Right-click the entry, and then from the menu select Uninstall.
    • From the Action menu, click Scan for hardware changes.
    • Windows redetects the wireless adapter and installs the appropriate device drivers.

  13. Make sure that the adapter and wireless router are using the same protocol (802.11a/b/g).

  14. Make sure that the SSID is turned on at the wireless router.

  15. Unbind TCP/IPv6.
    1. From the Windows Vista Start menu, click Network.
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    2. In the Network window, click Network and Sharing Center.
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    3. In the Network and Sharing Center window, click Manage network connections.
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    4. In the Network Connections window, right-click the network connection you are trying to use (Wireless or Local Area Connection), and then click Properties.
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    5. In the Properties dialog box, on the Networking tab, in the This connection uses the following items: area, click to clear check mark from Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6). Click OK.
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    6. Shut down Windows, restart the computer, and then try connecting to the Internet.

  16. Change the adapter settings for TCP/IPv4.
    1. In the Network Connections window, right-click the network connection you are trying to use (Wireless or Local Area Connection), and then click Properties.
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    2. In the Properties dialog box, on the Networking tab, click to select your network connection, and then click Configure.
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    3. In the Controller Properties window, click the Advanced tab.
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    4. On the Advanced tab, in the Properties area, click to select and then change the value of any option with an option of (IPv4) to Disabled. Click OK. The usual items to look for are: IPv4 Checksum Offload, TCP Checksum Offload (IPv4), UDP Checksum Offload (IPv4).
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    5. Shut down Windows, restart the computer, and then try connecting to the Internet.

  17. See if the notebook can recognize a different network than the one desired.

  18. Check if the wireless router and the cable/DSL modem are both using DHCP. Disable DHCP on the router if both are using it.

  19. Check if the wireless router and the cable/DSL modem are using the same IP address. Change the IP address on the router if both are using the same address.

  20. If the signal strength is high and the access is intermittent or drops after a few minutes, verify IEEE 802.1x authentication is not enabled (this will turn off all security).

    • Click Start, Control Panel, Network and Internet, Network and Sharing Center, and then, in the left pane, click Manage wireless networks.
    • Right-click the network that you want to disable 802.1X authentication for, and then click Properties. If the User Account Control dialog box appears, click Continue.
    • Click the Security tab, and then, in the Security Type list, click No authentication (open).
    • Click OK.
    • Retry the network connection.

  21. Reset the router to factory defaults. Remove the desired network from Wireless Network properties and try to reconnect.

  22. Complete an ipconfig release/renew sequence. After the default gateway repopulates, wait 30 seconds and reconnect.

    • Click Start, In the Start search box, type cmd and then press ENTER.
    • At the command prompt, type: ipconfig /release. Press ENTER. The information should appear without the default gateway being populated.
    • At the command prompt, type: ipconfig /renew. The information should appear after a few seconds with the default gateway repopulated. Write down the number for the default gateway.
      Note: If the IP address is in the 169.254.x.x range, continue troubleshooting as this is not a valid IP address. The system will not connect to the network without a valid IP address. 169.254.x.x is usually an indication of a properly functioning adapter that is trying to connect to a DHCP server that is not responding. The DHCP server can be either the ISP server or the wireless router.

  23. Reseat the RJ-45 cables between the router and the cable/DSL modem.

  24. Power-cycle the cable/DSL modem, then power cycle the router, and restart the computer. Make sure that the proper LEDs on each device are lit before power-cycling the next device.

    Note: If you are using VOIP and able to make a telephone call, do not power-cycle the modem as the internet connection is working. VOIP uses the internet connection for transporting the signal.

  25. Make sure a network bridge is not present.
    • Click the Start button, Control Panel, Network and Internet, and then Network and Sharing Center.
    • In the left pane, click Manage network connections.
    • If a Network Bridge is present, right-click on it. On the drop down menu, click Delete.
    • In the Confirm Connection Delete dialog box, click Yes.
    • If the User Account Control dialog box appears, click Continue.

  26. Attempt a System Restore to a time when the wireless network connection was functional.

    • Click the Start button.
    • In the Start Search dialog box, type: system restore, and then press ENTER.
    • In the System Restore dialog box, click Next and then click Finish. The system automatically reboots.
    • After the System Restore is complete, click Close.
    • Determine whether the computer is working properly. If necessary, repeat the preceding steps selecting an earlier time and date.

If following the above procedures did not resolve your problem, please contact Gateway through one of the following methods:
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