Windows 7 and loss of Internet connection

Anonymous
2009-10-30T23:58:23+00:00

In our home office we have a desktop system running Windows 7 as well as an iMac.  Both are connected to Apple's Time Capsule, which serves as a router as well as a backup hard drive for the iMac. (our Internet connection is cable-Internet, by the way.)

Ever since upgrading from Windows Vista to Windows 7, the Windows 7 desktop is encountering frequent Internet connection errors.  It generally loses the Internet connection several times per day.

Today is the worst manifestation we have seen thus far (since upgrading to Windows 7 last week).  We generally only have an Internet connection for about 2-3 minutes, then it is lost and must be repaired.

We go into Control Panel > Network and Sharing Center > Troubleshoot Problems > Internet Connections

We allow Windows 7 to automatically diagnose and repair the problem.

Each and every time it goes through the steps of diagnosing and repairing, it ends up "resetting the local area connection adapter."

At the end of the process -- after everything has been repaired -- we get the following report:

"Default gateway is not available - fixed."

What steps do we need to take to permanently solve this problem?

By the way, the iMac is NOT experiencing any Internet connection problems whatsoever.

Thanks in advance!

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Internet and connectivity

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Anonymous
2009-11-09T19:53:05+00:00

I don't know what you are using to assign addresses, so I am assuming it is a router of some sort. You will need to go to the manufacturers site, look at the manual and find out how to limit the DHCP address scope. I changed mine to limit the assigning of DHCP addresses to 192.168.1.200 through 192.168.1.250. Your router may use the 10. subnet, so your addresses may be different, depends on the router manufacturer, or if you use a DHCP server, the scope set with the DHCP server. That gives me 50 IP addresses for any guests that may want to use wired or wireless connections, and should be more than enough. This allows me to assign 192.168.1.1 through 192.168.1.199 to a device and not have to worry about the DHCP server trying to use one that is assigned permanently to a device (Printer, switch, PC, Server, Virtual Server, etc).

Once you have that setup in your router, you will now need to assign a static ip to your PC. This is all done from the network adapter.

From the start menu:

Control Panel

Network and Internet

Network and Sharing Center

On the right hand pane of Network and Sharing Center

Change adapter settings

Double Click your network adapter

Select the "Details" radio button

Write down the following lines:

Connection Specific DNS (May or may not exist, depends on provider)

IPv4 Subnet

IPv4 Default Gateway

IPv4 DNS Servers

Once you have written those down, you can close that box.

You should be back at the "Local Area Connection Status" box.

Choose the "Properties" radio button.

Select the "Internet Protocol version 4 (TCP/IPv4)", which will be in a blue box when selected. 

Now select the "Properties" radio button

The "Internet Protocol version 4 (TCP/IPv4) Properties" box should have popped up. If so:

Select the following:

"Use the following IP address"

In the IP address box, enter an IP address. Example: 192.168.1.20

Press the tab, the subnet should fill in automatically, if not, enter the value from "IPv4 Subnet" you wrote down from the above step. Examp,e: 255.255.255.0

In the dafult gateway, enter the value from the steps above. Example: 192.168.1.254

Now to move on to the next 2 boxes, DNS Servers. You may have only 1 DNS server entry from the DNS entry you wrote down from above.

Enter the DNS servers you notes above.

If there was "Connection Specific DNS" entry or entries, do the following (If not skip the "Connection Specific DNS" sections:

Select the "Advanced" radio button.

The "Additional TCP/IP Settings" windows should open

Select the "DNS" tab

If there is more than 1 "Connection Specific DNS" entry, do the following:

Select the "Append DNS suffixes (in order):"

Select "Add..."

In the "Domain suffix", enter the first Connection Specific DNS entry.

Select the "Add" radio button.

Add all the DNS Specific suffixes you wrote down. You can only enter one at a time.

When finished sleect the "OK" radio button

If you only have 1 entry in "Connection Specific DNS":

In the box labeled "DNS suffix for this connection", type in the entry you noted above for the "Connection Specific DNS".

When finished sleect the "OK" radio button

Check the "validate settings upon exit" box.

Select the "OK" radio button.

Select the "Close" radio button

You should see the 'Windows Network Diagnostics" open, and check for any problems. Hopefully all is well and it states "Troubleshooting could not identify the problem", and choose "Close the Troubleshooter".

Close any additional boxes or pop-ups that are open, and check and make sure allis connecting. If not, go back and verify any steps. the most common are the IP addresses and gateways.

Good luck. Post back if it resolves the issue.

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  1. Anonymous
    2010-01-26T23:36:01+00:00

    Hey.

    I'd like to thank you on his behalf!  That's a pretty clear answer!  I'm hoping you can help me with a small issue I'm having.  I've just bought a new laptop and I'm trying to connect my PS3 with my PC.

    Seems my PS3 has registered the PC as I can see the folders, and can access some, however when ever I try to play the music, I hear no sound.  Also, I can't seem to access the PS3 media drive from my PC... I'm using the Sony VIAO system...  It seemed so easy...  Neither PS3 or PC give me any errors...

    Any thoughts would be apprecaited.

    Thanks in Advance.

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  2. Anonymous
    2010-01-26T23:39:26+00:00

    Just a thought... you tried, turning off for five minutes and starting again... failing that.... drop kick out of window, doesn't help, but will make you feel better...

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  3. Anonymous
    2010-01-28T03:45:24+00:00

    Tried all the soutions from a number of forums with No hope of getting connection from a NEW install (Not Upgrade)

    All I get when running trouble shooter is "Local area connection" doesn't have a valid IP address and after considerable attemps to remidy this it now tells me "A network cable is not properly plugged in or broken"

    Loaded a clean install of XP and all works OK

    Reloaded windows 7 (Clean Install) and still no internet access

    Can get access to all my computers by using manual IP adress but the "i" in the network icon is still there and that will not get Internet Access

    Have all my XP disks in front of me, one short of the required number, and MS can get stuffed, all are getting XP even if they are the same S/N

    Barry

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  4. Anonymous
    2010-01-28T23:39:46+00:00

    This is how bad it gets

    As a last resort contacted MS who quoted a cost of $80 to assist in help with no guarantee of solution and admitted they do NOT have a problem!!!! it is all with the other manufacturers, motherboards etc and their drivers?

    Nothing is wrong with Windows 7 in their opinion it is all my problem

    No wonder they make huge proffits

    Disgusted, I was ready to load XP BUT

    Before I finally loaded XP I tried one last check

    Turned Cable Modem OFF for 10 seconds

    After Modem cycled and returned, BINGO Internet Access

    Tried on all 3 computers with WIN 7 and success, must be a modem problem recording a spurios address for the computer???? But somehow related to the way WIN 7 handles the ethernet!

    Hope it works for you

    Barry

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