Connecting to router

[jimyboyle]

We have 3 laptops. Work one, a Toshiba with XP, my own, an Acer with XP and my wife's, an HP with Vista. The router is a Netgear.
Both XP laptops boot up and a few seconds later connect to the router automatically.
The Vista one might connect automatically but most of the time does not and I have to click the 'connect to the internet' icon and go through the process of connecting to my network. Even then it might connect on the first attempt or take several attempts to connect and sometimes I give up and try rebooting. Usually makes no difference and connecting again becomes random.
Does the random nature mean I have a system problem?

Jim

[ChrisK]

The Vista one might connect automatically but most of the time does not

I think I would go hardware for a while first, since it's so easy to do. Stuff like using a different port on the router and a different ethernet cable (which can be done at the same time if the cables are the right length.) And take a look at the lights on the NIC on the back of the computer. If it's not hardware, then I'd start in on software and look at the TCP/IP settings. It might be useful, as a troubleshooting experiment, to set everything to static (including the router, of course), assign IP address' 192.168.000.xxx and see if it works that way. Also, Windows Vista has two different TCP/IP clients; I'm not quite up to speed on that (or on Windows Vista), but Googling that might come up with something useful.

[zeroth]

We have 3 laptops. Work one, a Toshiba with XP, my own, an Acer with XP and my wife's, an HP with Vista. The router is a Netgear.
Both XP laptops boot up and a few seconds later connect to the router automatically.
The Vista one might connect automatically but most of the time does not and I have to click the 'connect to the internet' icon and go through the process of connecting to my network. Even then it might connect on the first attempt or take several attempts to connect and sometimes I give up and try rebooting. Usually makes no difference and connecting again becomes random.
Does the random nature mean I have a system problem?

Jim

Two things come to mind...first, can you check to see if you have shared the internet connection. Sometimes that can lead to intermittent connections with Vista. Second, do you have McAfee or Norton's installed on your machine? Each one of these has been reported to cause connection problem (has to do with permissions). Just suggestions...intermittent problems are the hardest to pin down.

[comlor]

Two things come to mind...first, can you check to see if you have shared the internet connection. Sometimes that can lead to intermittent connections with Vista. Second, do you have McAfee or Norton's installed on your machine? Each one of these has been reported to cause connection problem (has to do with permissions). Just suggestions...intermittent problems are the hardest to pin down.

Couldn't hurt to check for driver updates. Good old vista and drivers

How old is the hp as well and if you could give me the model number. Some hp's have problems with the wireless card and i can check the asp site for service alerts

[jimyboyle]

Thanks for the suggestions. At work just now and the HP is at home but I believe it to be a TX1350 about a year old. It does have up to date Norton whereas the other 2 are AVG free. All are connecting wireless.

Jim

[comlor]

Thanks for the suggestions. At work just now and the HP is at home but I believe it to be a TX1350 about a year old. It does have up to date Norton whereas the other 2 are AVG free. All are connecting wireless.

Jim

Double check that model number for me. Nothing came up with what you gave me. Try updating the drivers from HP's website when you get home

[jimyboyle]

Sorry for that, it is a HP pavilion TX1340ea tablet laptop

Jim

[comlor]

Sorry for that, it is a HP pavilion TX1340ea tablet laptop

Jim

No service alerts for this model. Have you tried the updating the wireless driver?