Windows XP needs to reboot to access internet over WiFi

I'm running Windows XP service pack 2 on an HP Compaq nc8230. Quite often, when I change WiFi access points, I have to reboot before I can access the internet (web pages such as google). I've tried various access points and the story is the same. I am connected to the access point and manage to acquire an IP address, but can't apparently access any web pages. I even tried the following on my SpeedTouch gateway: The gateway was first disconnected from the internet; this is controlled by logging onto the gateway via a browser on a machine to which it is physically connected via ethernet cable. When I connect the gateway to the internet, and after some time, the laptop accessing the gateway by WiFi still can't surf. Again, even if I switch access points on the laptop, same story. It is only after rebooting that the laptop has internet access. Needless to say, it is a PITA to have to shutdown applications to reboot.

Is this a Windows XP feature?

<begin sarcasm>
(Along the lines of the "feature" through which you are given several minutes warning that the system reboots after downloading an upgrade without asking you. Or the feature that grays out the switches to turn off automatic upgrading, even for the administrator.)
<end sarcasm>

Use the Farts, Luke wrote:
> I'm running Windows XP service pack 2 on an HP Compaq nc8230. Quite
> often, when I change WiFi access points, I have to reboot before I
> can access the internet (web pages such as google). I've tried
> various access points and the story is the same. I am connected to
> the access point and manage to acquire an IP address, but can't
> apparently access any web pages. I even tried the following on my
> SpeedTouch gateway: The gateway was first disconnected from the
> internet; this is controlled by logging onto the gateway via a
> browser on a machine to which it is physically connected via ethernet
> cable. When I connect the gateway to the internet, and after some
> time, the laptop accessing the gateway by WiFi still can't surf.
> Again, even if I switch access points on the laptop, same story. It
> is only after rebooting that the laptop has internet access.
> Needless to say, it is a PITA to have to shutdown applications to
> reboot.
>
> Is this a Windows XP feature?
>
> <begin sarcasm>
> (Along the lines of the "feature" through which you are given several
> minutes warning that the system reboots after downloading an upgrade
> without asking you. Or the feature that grays out the switches to
> turn off automatic upgrading, even for the administrator.) <end
> sarcasm>

Must only be a "feature" of your specific version of xp and what you have
messed with.. None of mine, or ones I see at work do it... Lucky you!

Peter Pan wrote:
> Use the Farts, Luke wrote:
>> I'm running Windows XP service pack 2 on an HP Compaq nc8230. Quite
>> often, when I change WiFi access points, I have to reboot before I
>> can access the internet (web pages such as google). I've tried
>> various access points and the story is the same. I am connected to
>> the access point and manage to acquire an IP address, but can't
>> apparently access any web pages. I even tried the following on my
>> SpeedTouch gateway: The gateway was first disconnected from the
>> internet; this is controlled by logging onto the gateway via a
>> browser on a machine to which it is physically connected via ethernet
>> cable. When I connect the gateway to the internet, and after some
>> time, the laptop accessing the gateway by WiFi still can't surf.
>> Again, even if I switch access points on the laptop, same story. It
>> is only after rebooting that the laptop has internet access.
>> Needless to say, it is a PITA to have to shutdown applications to
>> reboot.
>>
>> Is this a Windows XP feature?
>>
>> <begin sarcasm>
>> (Along the lines of the "feature" through which you are given several
>> minutes warning that the system reboots after downloading an upgrade
>> without asking you. Or the feature that grays out the switches to
>> turn off automatic upgrading, even for the administrator.) <end
>> sarcasm>
>
> Must only be a "feature" of your specific version of xp and what you have
> messed with.. None of mine, or ones I see at work do it... Lucky you!

Er...which features are you referring to?

On 07/09/2006 "Use the Farts, Luke" <The_gas_is_strong@this_one.com> wrote:
>Peter Pan wrote:
>> Use the Farts, Luke wrote:
>>> I'm running Windows XP service pack 2 on an HP Compaq nc8230. Quite
>>> often, when I change WiFi access points, I have to reboot before I
>>> can access the internet (web pages such as google). I've tried
>>> various access points and the story is the same. I am connected to
>>> the access point and manage to acquire an IP address, but can't
>>> apparently access any web pages. I even tried the following on my
>>> SpeedTouch gateway: The gateway was first disconnected from the
>>> internet; this is controlled by logging onto the gateway via a
>>> browser on a machine to which it is physically connected via ethernet
>>> cable. When I connect the gateway to the internet, and after some
>>> time, the laptop accessing the gateway by WiFi still can't surf.
>>> Again, even if I switch access points on the laptop, same story. It
>>> is only after rebooting that the laptop has internet access.
>>> Needless to say, it is a PITA to have to shutdown applications to
>>> reboot.
>>>
>>> Is this a Windows XP feature?
>>>
>>> <begin sarcasm>
>>> (Along the lines of the "feature" through which you are given several
>>> minutes warning that the system reboots after downloading an upgrade
>>> without asking you. Or the feature that grays out the switches to
>>> turn off automatic upgrading, even for the administrator.) <end
>>> sarcasm>
>>
>> Must only be a "feature" of your specific version of xp and what you have
>> messed with.. None of mine, or ones I see at work do it... Lucky you!
>
>Er...which features are you referring to?

The "feature" is used in the sense that your WiFi card / drivers have some
kind of "bug" / configuration problem. Most WiFi access points can be "hot"
changed by Disconnecting and connecting to another by "View Available Wireless
Networks..." when Windows Zero Wireless service is active and XP is
"managing" the Wireless network access. There are additional software that
can be installed / configured to do the very same thing. Check with HP.

--
---

Y.

>"Use the Farts, Luke" <The_gas_is_strong@this_one.com> wrote:

>I'm running Windows XP service pack 2 on an HP Compaq nc8230. Quite often, when I change WiFi access points, I have to reboot before I can access the internet (web pages such as google). I've tried various access points and the story is the same. I am connected to the access point and manage to acquire an IP address, but can't apparently access any web pages. I even tried the following on my SpeedTouch gateway: The gateway was first disconnected from the internet; this is controlled by logging onto the gateway via a browser on a machine to which it is physically connected via ethernet cable. When I connect the gateway to the internet, and after some time, the laptop accessing the gateway by WiFi still can't surf. Again, even if I switch access points on the laptop, same story. It is only after rebooting that the laptop has internet access. Needless to say, it is a PITA to have to shutdown applications to reboot.
>
>Is this a Windows XP feature?

Jeff The Good solved this problem for me some time ago. He made two
suggestions. The second one solved the problem for me:

1, Run:
IPCONFIG /FLUSHDNS
to clear the cache.

2. Disable the DNS cache.
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;318803
The worst part is that it will also cache failed DNS lookups for 15
minutes and valid (but out of date) DNS lookups for a full day.

--
Dave

Have you tried using a different browser? Like firefox? If that also fails
then it'd probably be the DNS cache as mentioned here in other posts.

Bill Kearney wrote:
> Have you tried using a different browser? Like firefox? If that also fails
> then it'd probably be the DNS cache as mentioned here in other posts.

Actually, I am using Firefox. I shall try "ipconfig /flushdns" when I next get my hands on the laptop. Thanks.

Yves Leclerc wrote:
> On 07/09/2006 "Use the Farts, Luke" <The_gas_is_strong@this_one.com> wrote:
>> Peter Pan wrote:
>>> Use the Farts, Luke wrote:
>>>> I'm running Windows XP service pack 2 on an HP Compaq nc8230. Quite
>>>> often, when I change WiFi access points, I have to reboot before I
>>>> can access the internet (web pages such as google). I've tried
>>>> various access points and the story is the same. I am connected to
>>>> the access point and manage to acquire an IP address, but can't
>>>> apparently access any web pages. I even tried the following on my
>>>> SpeedTouch gateway: The gateway was first disconnected from the
>>>> internet; this is controlled by logging onto the gateway via a
>>>> browser on a machine to which it is physically connected via ethernet
>>>> cable. When I connect the gateway to the internet, and after some
>>>> time, the laptop accessing the gateway by WiFi still can't surf.
>>>> Again, even if I switch access points on the laptop, same story. It
>>>> is only after rebooting that the laptop has internet access.
>>>> Needless to say, it is a PITA to have to shutdown applications to
>>>> reboot.
>>>>
>>>> Is this a Windows XP feature?
>>>>
>>>> <begin sarcasm>
>>>> (Along the lines of the "feature" through which you are given several
>>>> minutes warning that the system reboots after downloading an upgrade
>>>> without asking you. Or the feature that grays out the switches to
>>>> turn off automatic upgrading, even for the administrator.) <end
>>>> sarcasm>
>>> Must only be a "feature" of your specific version of xp and what you have
>>> messed with.. None of mine, or ones I see at work do it... Lucky you!
>> Er...which features are you referring to?
>
> The "feature" is used in the sense that your WiFi card / drivers have some
> kind of "bug" / configuration problem.

Well, it's not a card that I explicitly purchased, and the antenna is built into the display. Might be the drivers. I was hoping to corroborate the nonideal connectivity behaviour with someone using the same model (or have it refuted as a model-wide feature).

> Most WiFi access points can be "hot"
> changed by Disconnecting and connecting to another by "View Available Wireless
> Networks..." when Windows Zero Wireless service is active and XP is
> "managing" the Wireless network access. There are additional software that
> can be installed / configured to do the very same thing. Check with HP.

I am in fact using the built-in WindowsXP management of candidate access points.
Asking HP will be my next step, but I generally trust the user base on usenet first.