"No internet" on laptop

Uncle Pierre

Hope somebody can help with this.

We have internet set up in the house through a Fritz!Box device and a mesh system that's simply called 'Mesh'.

When using my laptop, I prefer to use the 'Mesh' one, as that's what the printer here connects to as well, and both computer & printer must be on same network if they're to work together.

However, regularly happens that when I try to connect my laptop to 'Mesh', it says 'Connected - No Internet'. This is despite my phone, tablet and the printer all being able to connect to 'Mesh' no problem, within inches of where the laptop is. It's happening again right now, and laptop is on the Fritz!Box network instead as I type this. But I've a stack of stuff that I need to print!

It's obviously something to do with laptop since all those other devices work properly on 'Mesh'. Does anybody have any ideas?

TIA.

Uncle Pierre

Just to add to the above:

Laptop connects okay to 'Mesh' probably 80 to 90% of the time when I first turn it on, and normally when it doesn't, a restart works. But I'd tried restarting three times before typing that post above, and it didn't work for any of them.

However, have now just done another restart, and it's connected properly to 'Mesh' no problem. This seems absolutely bizarre to me, and would greatly appreciate any advice, help, or even explanation that it's just something I'll have to live with! Thanks again.

grayzer75

I had similar issues on my work Surface Pro when working from home, it would connect and say no internet.

I got onto our IT support and they discovered it was linked to a FortiClient VPN update - the tech response to me was

"it seems like the issue is a bit more widespread, we're starting to see it crop up with other users and are trying to get the correct steps sorted out to resolve. Seems to be linked with the version of the FortiClient VPN that's modifying a DNS setting, ultimately making the internet appear to not work"

They fixed it in the end by reversing an update and changing some settings, it hasn't happened since.

Uncle Pierre

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123499517#Comment_123499517

Thanks. But just to say this is my own personal laptop I have the issue with. My work laptop is similar to phone, tablet & printer in that it never has a problem connecting to the mesh network.

And since this is my personal laptop I'm talking about, I obviously don't have the option of going to an IT Department about it! I don't use a VPN either, so it can't be linked to one of those.

CelticRambler

Can't offer you a solution or an explanation, but I have one laptop that behaves in the same way. Tablet, printer, ancient Win7 laptop all connect reliably to my android hot-spot and chatter away to the WWW without any problems; Win10 laptop sees it, connects (and is flagged "connected" on the phone) and then advises "no internet".

It must be a Win10 network card bug, because that machine will still say it's connected to the hotspot even when the hotspot has been turned off and left the room, and it'll even "see" the missing hotspot for several minutes afterwards despite multiple "search available networks" refreshes.

When it eventually acknowledges that the hotspot no longer exists, I can re-activate it, at which point the Win10 laptop cops on to itself, connects to the hotspot and then connects to the internet. The other devices will, of course, all have disconnected and reconnected in the meantime without any intervention.

And that's why I'm still using a 15-year-old Win7 machine for serious business.

celtic_oz

start an command prompt as an administrator

run ipconfig

take note

run ipconfig /release

run ipconfig /renew

see if ip changed with

ipconfig

and test

Uncle Pierre

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123499967#Comment_123499967

Thanks.

TBH, not really sure what I'm looking at when I do that, but the IP address didn't change - don't know either what that tells us?

And FWIW, I just tried that now, but in the meantime had turned laptop off and on again maybe four or five times since posting yesterday morning - every single time, it connected to the Mesh network okay. It really is just an intermittent thing, but it's frustrating when it happens.

celtic_oz

transient issues .. always delightful

https://g.co/gemini/share/16baf1c3bb1a

Spear

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123502141#Comment_123502141

What was the IP address? Is it getting one by DHCP correctly at all? If it is and it's not changing then it could just mean the DHCP lease is being maintained, which is normal.

Uncle Pierre

Thanks to both above for your input, but I was afraid this would happen. I'm bamboozled now by the science of it.

Anyway, have been having a good run of it lately, with the issue barely arising at all. Maybe I'll just continue to live with it.