I have a new Dell Laptop that my company bought for me. I connect to the Internet via my home computer and then use VPN to access files at work. Although the connection on my home computer is fine, I am having a devil of a time getting a connection now on the laptop. It tries to acquire an IP address for a few minutes and then it gives up. I make sure the laptop is connected to the modem before starting up the laptop. I have gotten a connection a few times, but now I can't get one at all, no matter how many times I reset the modem. This is driving me crazy. What could be causing this? EDIT: My home network is set up for wireless, but I use a cable to connect the laptop directly to the modem because our company won't install wireless cards for our laptops. Oh...also, I have a router and a modem.
I think it's a firewall issue. My home computer can connect fine, and our home laptop connect fine with wireless.
Are you plugged in to an AC outlet? Dell's NIC is set, by default, to turn off if you're running on battery power. Also, you keep mentioning that you're plugged into the modem? Do you mean to say "router"? If so, an IP address problem isn't going to correct itself if you're power cycling the modem. You need to power cycle the router for that to have any effect. (But as previously mentioned, ipconfig release/renew is the better bet to be troubleshooting with.) You might check your router config. Is your VPN set for TCP/IP or UDP? If it is set for UDP, is your router configured to pass UDP? (You should be able to find this under your VPN preferences. If it is set to UDP, try using TCP/IP and see if that fixes it.)
It has Symantec anti-virus and Zone Labs Integrity Client. How do I tell what port the VPN uses? Since I am a greenhorn on these kinds of things, I don't know if you need to know this or not....but 4 steps are usually involved in order for me to get connected to work: 1. Log in to the encryption software 2. Log in using a network ID 3. When the computer comes up, it would just automatically pick up the internet connection 4. Then once it has an internet connection, I would log into VPN
My apologies for the confusion. I can't get an internet connection on the laptop period. Until I have that, I won't know if the VPN will connect. I typically have to be connected to the internet in general, then I click on an "ipass" icon and log in to the VPN connection.
OK, you left me hanging here!! It's like watching a soap that just went off the air!! I suck at networking and I'm learning here Ken?? Did you get it fixed ... and how?
Friend of mine came into town and while here, came by today to look at the problem. Turns out my gateway was malfunctioning. We went and picked up a new one, and problem solved. Thanks to everyone for straining your brains to try to help. I really wish I knew more about this stuff, but it's so nice knowing that you guys are around and so gracious about giving assistance. Thanks so much.
