In reply to a post by BatBoy:

It's far simpler to get an ethernet cable and plug it in rather than try and figure out what the exact problem is with the wireless.

I finally got in touch with my friend, he did try to connect to the internet via Safe Mode With Networking, but to no avail. He is now going to purchase an ethernet cable and try that as you suggest. We will just have to wait for his response I'm afraid. Thanks for your patience.

In reply to a post by scopio:

..... He is now going to purchase an ethernet cable and try that as you suggest. We will just have to wait for his response I'm afraid. ...

If it fails then it's probably a firewall setting on the laptop.

In reply to a post by Deadbeat:

If he doesn't get a 192.168.x.x IP then either the encryption passphrase is incorrect... eg zero instaed of "O" or his wireless card cannot use the encryption that the router is set to... eg WPA2 or the router is MAC locked or similar.

Being that he has had his laptop for several years (Vista HP) and although Windows Updates are up to date but the hardware has never been updated his wireless card may need updating or/and as you say "his wireless card cannot use the encryption that the router is set to... eg WPA2 or the router is MAC locked or similar." Because he has just told me that he did get internet connection at an other location last week via an insecure router somewhere else two weeks ago!

In reply to a post by Deadbeat:

If he doesn't get a 192.168.x.x IP then either the encryption passphrase is incorrect... eg zero instaed of "O" or his wireless card cannot use the encryption that the router is set to... eg WPA2 or the router is MAC locked or similar.

But either of these circumstances would prevent the wireless from connecting which it has done.

I would use the wizard in network and sharing to diagnose the problem - probably that Windows or a Anti Virus / Firewall is blocking it. Setting of the network type in network and sharing is crucial - should be a "home" network.

If a useable IP cannot be obtained, The laptop will give itself an "APIPA" address of 169.254.x.x. It can look as if it's fully connected to the router but won't be. The output from an IPConfig command will verify this.
Whether the network is set to Home or Private should be irrelevant if it's merely internet access that's wanted.

I will give my friend time to get the ethernet cable and connect it, then I will ask him to ipconfig and forward me via phone the results for Physical Address, DHCP Enabled, IPv4 Address, Default Gateway, DHCP Server if that is any help.

All you need is the local IP that is dished out...... Or not.
If it's in the 169.254.x.x range, then it's not getting an IP via DHCP and he has a problem.

Edited by Deadbeat (Wed 08-Aug-12 14:35:34)

In reply to a post by Deadbeat:

All you need is the local IP that is dished out...... Or not.
If it's in the 169.254.x.x range, then it's not getting an IP via DHCP and he has a problem.

Will do as soon as he has bought the ethernet cable, connected it and I'll give him instructions how to go into Command Prompt and ipconfig /all to get the local IP.
Thanks.

In reply to a post by Deadbeat:

All you need is the local IP that is dished out...... Or not.
If it's in the 169.254.x.x range, then it's not getting an IP via DHCP and he has a problem.

Sorry for taking this long to get back.
My friend is now back from holiday and at his own house and was able to connect to the internet as he usually does at home, via wireless, confirming that the local ip address is correct.
Tomorrow we are going to try and connect via wireless to my home router to see if he can get an internet connection.
His question today has been, "could his laptop, somehow be locked to connect only through his home wireless connection?" I suppose the answer to this we will find out tomorrow.

In reply to a post by scopio:

Tomorrow we are going to try and connect via wireless to my home router to see if he can get an internet connection.

What#s the point? The offending router is still on holiday!

"could his laptop, somehow be locked to connect only through his home wireless connection?"

He already showed it connected to holiday wireless connection; it just did not connect thereafter to Net.