Local Access Only, Unidentified Network

[cindyface]

I bought a Vista back in 2007 and the internet has been working great until recently. I got a rogue on my laptop and ever since I only get local access. I've been googling this thing for around 3 ~ 4 days now and I've tried just about everything I've come across and nothing seems to be working. It says I'm connected to the router with excellent signal strength but then it says the router isn't connected to the internet and I'm sure that's not the issue because the computer I'm typing this on is connected to the router fine and it's a Vista as well so I'm sure it's not a router-Vista compatibility issue.

I've tried ..
- disabling IPv6
- updating drivers (there were no updates)
- multiple scans
- disabling firewall
- uninstalling norton (with the removal tool download)
- deleting my router profile and trying to connect again
- connect via ethernet cord (doesn't work)

When I do IPCONFIG /ALL, I get ..

C:\Windows\system32>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : Cindy-PC
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcast
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : LAN-Express AS IEEE 802.11g PCI-E Adapter

Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-19-7D-F3-BF-89
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration IPv4 Address. . : 169.254.210.45(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Marvell Yukon 88E8036 PCI-E Fast Ethernet
Controller
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-13-A9-C7-11-CA
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

C:\Windows\system32>

I've tried manually putting in the IP stuff, but I didn't know the gateway and DNS details so I couldn't really do it.

** I DONT have the reformat disks. When I bought the laptop they didn't provide me with one and when we asked for one they said they'd send us one but never did. Now they're closed (nationally) and I'm not sure as to where I could get one.

** I read something about rogue servers and me being the computer newbie that I am, spotted the word rogue and made the connection with the ROGUE I had that very day. o.o

I can ping 127.0.0.1 successfully. I can't ping yahoo.com. I can ping my IP.
Just something extra information.

Thanks!

The IP address of 169.254.210.45 indicates that your computer isn't
able to obtain an IP address from your router.

I assume that you've removed the rogue software. That might have
damaged the TCP/IP settings. To fix them, open a command prompt
window, type this command, and reboot:

netsh winsock reset

If Steve's suggestation did not do it try this.
In the Device management Uninstall the Network Card's Drivers.
Look in the computer's manual on how to disable the Network Card.
Boot one time with the Network card Off (all the way up to full Windows
loading and idling).
Boot down reactivate the Network card and boot again.

[cindyface]

I tried the winsock reset thing and it didn't work.

I'm at the device manager and I have 3 things under network adapters (I'm assuming it's under the network adapters ..) there are 3 devices and I'm not sure which to uninstall. LAN ExpressAS IEEE 802.11 PCI-E Adapter, Marvell Ykon 88E8036 PC-I Fast Ethernet Controller, Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface.

Which do I uninstall?

I'm not sure if I'm doing this correctly.

So I went to my device manager and right clicked went to the properties. Under the drivers tab I uninstalled both drivers then disabled both. I restarted and when I go the device manager they're both installed already. o.o I have this little 'Driver Software Installation' thing going on in my task bar and it just automatically installs both of them again.

My father set a BIOS password on this laptop and he doesn't remember it so I can't get into the whole disabling the network part. I contacted the Sony people and I don't have a proof of purchase so they won't provide me with the Onetime password. Circuit City is out of business and calling them probably won't help me out.

Are there any other things else I can try?

1. LAN ExpressAS IEEE 802.11 PCI-E, which is the Wireless Card.
2. Marvell Yukon 88E8036 PC-I Fast Ethernet Controller, which the wire
card.
The Tunnel is a by product of the installation it is not a real card.
If both the wire and the wireless are not working correctly uninstall and
disable both in the initial setup (in many laptops it is pressing F2 while
the initial boot is done).
Then follow the process as I mentioned before.

Hi
After you Uninstall the Drivers while you boot you have to invoke the setup
of the BIOS and disable the cards (read the computer manual).
When you do this there is No more Network cards as hardware and the OS
adjust itself.
Then you enable the Network card again it reinstall the network system and
refresh the wrong./ corrupted files.

[awesomeness648]

I had the same problem with a Compaq Presario. it used to connect to the internet through my wireless router(BT Total) but something changed and all i got was "Unidentified Network" in the network manager and holding the mouse over the network icons in the systray in the bottom right hand of the screen i got "Local Access" only. I tried various tips from forums and eventually downloaded new drivers for the Broadcom wireless card and it now seems to work even after waking the computer up from sleep mode!! Try downloading the most up to date drivers for your wireless card, the LAN ExpressAS IEEE 802.11 PCI-E Adapter and re-boot. Hopefully this was helpfull!

Are you using a cable modem or dsl?

Hi there. New member here. I might be having a different problem but
the thread title fits, so here goes:

I'm the tech person for my mom. She has to use Windows for her job, so
she runs Vista. She's not really a big computer person though, so I give
her a hand every now and then. I'm more of a Mac user really and only
know the basics of Windows. She's getting a message when she connects to
our Wi-Fi that says "Unidentified Network. Local Access Only." The
network has worked fine for several months since we got it, and it's
just now acting up. It seems to work fine on my MacBook, so what's the
problem? She can't even connect to google.

Hi all. New member here. I help my mom with her computer because she has
to use Windows for her job, but I'm more of a mac user. We've had the
same Wi-Fi network for several months and up until now it's been working
fine. But yesterday, her computer started saying "Unidentified Network"
and it won't work on ours. She can't connect to the internet. It works
fine on my MacBiook, so I'm wondering what the problem is.

Oh, sorry about this. I hadn't seen that my other post went through up
above. It didn't show up at first. Mods, you can delete this one and
leave the other.

My friend is having a similar problem.
She is a Comcast customer with a brand new Dell computer Windows Vista
64 bit operating system.
She has a Toshiba cable modem that used to be connected to her Toshiba
laptop with XP as her operating system and the same Comcast as her
internet provider.
She is in the same house.
The computer worked fine for about 2 weeks then all of a sudden there
are times when she turns it on and gets the dreaded Local Access Only,
Unidentified Network problem. It is very frustrating we have tried
talking to Comcast and they said that it was a computer problem that
their diagnostics at their office shows that the line is fine and from
my report about the lights on the modem that it sounds like the modem is
fine. We tried a new ethernet cord and unplug/plug back in the modem
suggestion. Dell had us reinstall the operating system and the problem
is still happening. Dell even came to the house and installed a new
motherboard so the ethernet card is fine. The problem is still
happening. I went to the Toshiba site and it says that the cable modem
should be ok.

Any suggestions and help would be appreciated.

[RevClyburn]

I'm having the same issue and have tried numerous things to rectify it, all to no avail. I found this info, thought it might be helpful to someone that has the infamous Local Only connection issue. It very well might this, can’t hurt to try right. I'll try it once I get home, at work right now.

The infomation came from this article:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/937168


After you configure Internet Connection Sharing in Windows Vista, you may find that, although the network connection works correctly at first, the network connection stops working after one-to-two hours. For example, you may be unable to connect to the Internet, to other computers on the local area network (LAN), or to network resources on the LAN.


To verify whether Windows Vista is using Internet Connection Sharing, follow these steps:
1. Click Start

type Services.msc in the Start Search box, and then click Services.msc in the Programs list.

If you are prompted for an administrator password or for confirmation, type your password, or click Continue.

2.Find the Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) service in the Name column, and then examine the status for the service in the Status Column. Windows Vista is using Internet Connection Sharing if the Status column for the service shows Started.

This very well may be the reason why some of us are stuck on local only access. If there's no need to share the internet connection why share it?
I'll try it when I get home and late you know ok.

RevClyburn

Thank you very much for your idea. I went over to my friend who was
having the problem and we finally got Comcast to come out and look at
the line and the modem. They determined that it was the cable modem and
replaced the modem. So far it seems to be working. But if it stops
working then I will try your idea.

Hi, I am new to the forum, so please bear with me.
We had an experience with Vista, today, with and HP dv2000 laptop, that
may be of use to someone.

Facts were:

1)There was no internet, and no access to any part of the network:
neither other PCs nor the router.
2)Moving mouse over network icon showed: "Unidentified Network" &
"access:local only", i.e. there was a connection to a network.
3)"Network and Sharing Center" (arrived at by right clicking the
network icon) showed "Unidentified... (Public network)".
4)Clicking "View full map", in Network and Sharing Center, resulted in
the message: "the adapter is not connected".
5)There had previously been a problem with the router, that had been
resolved for the other PCs (2 desktops) by simply resetting it. But not
so for the laptop.

After much trying, we solved it by:

NOTE: before doing any of the following, it would be good to check in
the "Security" tab of "Wireless Network properties" (see "4", below), to
make sure that the parameters set there match those of the router.

1)Going to Network and Sharing Center and choosing "Manage wireless
networks" in the left pane.
2)Selecting the name of our network (dd-wrt) in the list of networks
that appeared, and clicking "Network and Sharing Center", above the
network list. This gave us the same window mentioned in "1", above, but
this time the network shown was "dd-wrt", and not "Unidentified...", as
before.
3)We then clicked "Customize", to the far right of the network name,
and obtained a window that showed the "Network name", and a "Location
type" that was set to "Public". We set it to "Private", and clicked the
"Next" button on the lower right, and followed the ensuing process.
4)We clicked "View status", just below "Customize", again in "Network
and Sharing Center", and then "Wireless Properties" in the following
window, and noticed that the two settings:
"Connect automatically when this network is in range", and
"Connect to a more preferred network, if available",
were checked.
We removed the check from "Connect to a more preferred network, if
available".
5)We rebooted, and the network and internet worked fine.

After doing this, we fiddled again with the settings in "Network and
Sharing Center", and the problem came back again. We don´t know exactly
why, must have messed something up.
This time, we solved it by simply repeating step "4", above, after
looking around in Network and Sharing Center for a probable cause. This
time we did not even reboot.

My take is that:
1)When "Connect to a more preferred network, if available" was checked,
it most probably took us there: to another network that was not ours,
hence "Unidentified Network" showed up.
2)The setting of the network "Location type" as "Public", probably
interferred, even more. with access to Internet and other PCs.

Hope someone finds this useful. Best of luck.

Had the same problem come up again, while following the procedure
describe in my previous post (just above).
The network name, in "Network and Sharing Center" changed to
"Unidentified...(Public Network)" as soon as I clicked "Customize",
without even asking for a confirmation, as Vista keeps doing all the
time.
Then, there was no way I could get "Network and Sharing Center" to
accept the correct network name again (Number "2" in procedure of
previous post). It kept going back to "Unidentified...".

Finally solved it by clicking the "Diagnose" button on the "Wireless
Network Connection Status" window. The diagnostic mentioned a problem
with the router or the modem, and suggested resetting the modem. But I
did nothing to either of them.
Simply chose the "Reset the network adapter..." option in the same
"Network Diagnostics" window, clicked "OK", and that did it. But I was
kind of shooting in the dark.
Won`t touch these settings again unless I really have to - the
reactions they exhibit do not seem to be repetitive. One time they do
one thing, another time they do another.

This behavior of Network and Sharing Center seems to be kind of weird.
Best of luck, again.

The problem keeps occurring. None of the previous fixes I reported
seem to work any more.
Read somewhere else that there seem to be a variety o reasons that
cause the problem, because there are a variety of fixes for it.

The last I have seen:
a) Run Norton Removal Tool, if you have had Norton Anti-virus installed
and removed.
This did not work for me, but it worked for several other people.
b) Go to cmd prompt (I had to do it by ight clicking "command proimpt",
after "Start", and choosing "Run as administrator", because otherwise it
would not let me do it). Then type c:\>ipconfig/release. And, once the
IP address is released, c:\ipconfig/renew, to renew the address.
This worked for my last problem.

Would this one help?
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/934430

Since you have been able to surf the web with the same computer before, it may be similar to a problem I encountered with my computer. It may have been due to malware/viruses.

Try doing an "ipconfig /all". If you have an IP.

Then ping any url (e.g. google.com). If you get a response, your gateway and DNS are working, which means we have a similar problem See this post: http://omokute.blogspot.com/2009/12/...ocal-only.html

Try creating a new user, and connecting to the network with that user. It worked for me. I haven't solved the problem yet, but I got it to work again.