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Post by laverne on Apr 2, 2017 20:12:34 GMT -5
I was working on a friend's Lenovo laptop with Windows 8 and have lost the ability to connect to the Internet.
She has a Netgear Router (not sure whether she owns it or if it belongs to her ISP Spectrum). Anyway, she had been getting messages that her internet connection security is at risk and something about not being encrypted. (But her computer was connected to the Internet and there was a SSID which had been set up in the past by someone.)
So, I thought she probably just needs to have a password set up as she has no password on the router now. I got into the settings for the Netgear router at 192.168.1.1 and used the default userid and password. I can't remember exactly what I changed on the Basic Settings screen but I believe I chose the security to be WPA2-P?? (AES) and then typed in a password. Then clicked Apply.
At this point, I got a message that I have no internet connection. I clicked the icon in the notification area for the internet connection and tried putting in the new password there, and got a message that the connection could not be made. Further attempts just kept telling me that the connection cannot be made.
So, I don't know where to go from here. I was thinking maybe I cannot set a password while being "wirelessly" connected to the Internet. Perhaps I should have connected the router and laptop via an Ethernet cable? Any suggestions will be appreciated. How do I back up and establish a connection to start with? I'm really at my wit's end with this problem.
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drcard
Software Review Panel
Posts: 581 
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Post by drcard on Apr 3, 2017 17:19:43 GMT -5
Hi laverne,
Routers have a button that let them be reset to factory settings which also includes the password reset to factory settings. That password for the router should be on the router.
Check with her ISP as some only allow certain types of encryption and other choices loses connection to the ISP.
Best way to solve this is call her ISP support and have them walk you through the settings for the router and any encryption settings.
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Post by laverne on Apr 3, 2017 18:31:12 GMT -5
 Dana, I don't think I explained the problem very well. The router had no security (see attachment) and no password set up. Prior to my messing up her Internet connection, I was able to access her Internet connection with my Windows 7 computer by sitting in my car in my friend's driveway and booting up my laptop. For now, let me ask you quickly, since I will see her tomorrow... if I connect her Windows 8 laptop with her router using an Ethernet cable, will I be able to access her settings at the site 192.168.1.1. ? And if so, could I then change those settings back to what they were originally, i.e., no security and no password? (She did call her ISP who sent her off to telephone Netgear people who wanted her to buy a $229.00 warranty before they would do anything!) |
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drcard
Software Review Panel
Posts: 581
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Post by drcard on Apr 3, 2017 21:27:34 GMT -5
Hi laverne, OK, I understand now. Those settings are Wi-Fi settings for devices to talk to the router, but in order for it to work both the router and the device that hooks up to the router has to match security type, encryption type and password. Thus, if she had the laptop's setting for no password and you introduced a password or if you changed one of the setting types, the connection can't be made. The trouble with Windows 8 is that it remembers those settings, which are difficult to change. The link below explains and tells how to delete the network settings so you can set them anew which can match the router and get connection. How to change a specific Wi-Fi setting in Windows 8If you connect to the router via cable and ethernet, yes you will be able to access the router web page and as long as you know the password to enter the router's setting you can make changes. I not sure if putting the settings back to what they were will fix it as you had mentioned she had already lost connection before you made the changes. Not having a password before made it too easy for someone to hack her router. If so, then the hacker made changes that lost her connection. She needs a very good password to access both the router settings and the Wi-Fi connection. I suggest that you access the router settings and 1) change the password to those settings (it may have been compromised), 2) make sure the Wi-Fi access to the router has a strong password and encryption, 3) delete her current network connection on her laptop (as explained in the first link), and 4) set up a new wi-fi network connection (Win 8 will read the routers security and encryption style to match and all you will have to do is supply the WiFi password to make a connection....the link below from netgear explains how to set the connection up. How to connect to a wireless network using Windows 8Let me know if you need further help. On other systems I have fixed, I had to reset the router to factory settings just to access the router settings (the hacker changed the password). |
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Post by laverne on Apr 4, 2017 15:48:07 GMT -5
Hi Dana, I can't believe how easy it was to resolve the Internet connection problem. After spending hours and hours reading on the Internet, copying and printing information, etc., I found YOUR information was the complete answer. What I did was this. I rebooted the modem and router by disconnecting the power cables and re-connecting them. (probably not necessary but it didn't hurt). Then I tried to connect on the Windows 8 computer using the Internet connection icon in the Notification area. I got the message that it was unable to connect. Then I ran the two commands which were included in the information you sent, namely, netsh wlan show profiles -- I found a familiar one which I had seen before. Then I ran this command: netsh wlan delete profile name="profile name" -- to delete that network on the Win8 computer. Next I clicked the connection icon in the Notification area -- and was given the choice of the profile name above. I clicked that and was asked for a password. I entered the password which I had put in the settings a couple of days ago. Voila! Immediately I was connected to the Internet and everything is working. There are two things that are still puzzling to me. I tried to change the logon password ("password") at the settings site. It looked like it worked and took me immediately to a sign-in screen. However, the new password did not work. The old password did work in opening the site. Strange. The second thing is -- the settings screen looks different than before I changed the security and password, I think. As I recall, it had two sections (2.4 Ghz and 5 Ghz similar to the picture attached). But now it does not show the Ghz at all and does not show two separate settings. Is this something to worry about? I am wondering if I might have changed the security to WPA2 in only one of the two places. I can't remember if I did that. Dana, thank you so very much. This whole procedure today took about 30 minutes and I had set aside 3 hours! It surely is wonderful to have your expert advice and backup in case I do something really disastrous. Laverne  |
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drcard
Software Review Panel
Posts: 581
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Post by drcard on Apr 4, 2017 18:40:51 GMT -5
Hi laverne, Glad the connection is up and running. To make setting up a network connection easier and reconnect each time easier, Windows 8 and up takes control of all the setup settings, remembers those settings, and prevents users from changing those setting from within Windows. The only way to change those setting is with direct control via the command prompt (which will over ride any Windows setting). Adjusting all the settings via a command prompt is usually beyond most users, so the easiest way for most users is using the command to delete all settings and have Windows set those settings anew (like the first time you set that connection up). This is the key to solving nearly all network connection problems in Windows 8 and up, so I would copy those commands and keep them for future needs. I still am concerned that her original problem was lost connection. The only way to lose that connection is a change in the settings. Without the user making any changes, then that leaves a router malfunction or a hacker changed the settings. Router hacking is very common and I have fixed numerous connection problems with hacking being the #1 reason. The more populated the area, the higher the risk at hacking. Many users change the default password on a router because it hard to remember, but an easier password is easier to hack. The #1 No-No that many (& I mean a lot) users do is change the password for access to their home phone number. Hacker walks or drives by your house/appt and detects the Wi-Fi connection, looks up the phone number in a reverse phone book, and then tries that phone number as the password. Some hackers brag that this works 50% of the time. Now that hacker can use your connection and your ISP to send his spam. This is why the access password must be strong. The laptops these hacker have doesn't have the computing power to break strong passwords, but can break simple passwords. Strong password is greater than 10 character, consists of upper and lower; and uses letters, numbers, and other characters found on a keyboard. I haven't set up a netgear router, but all routers are similar. The password change you made did not take if the old password still work. The link below can be of help as netgear says that the new password must be entered twice. How do I change the admin password on my NETGEAR router?Notice on the transmission speed it uses letters like a, b, n, etc. If the new network connection Windows 8 set up uses a protocol that is offered at only one of the speeds and the router is set to this Windows 8 laptop only; then it will not offer the other speed protocol. Nothing to worry about unless she desires to set up another device using one of the other protocols (and that would have to be an older, non-upgraded device...not likely). It is very important to have the router use encryption on all it's Wi-Fi connections. The router is much, much harder to hack when encryption is used. Your very welcome and I'm always willing to help. |
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Post by laverne on Apr 5, 2017 8:49:52 GMT -5
Hi Dana,
I think I misled you about losing the Internet connection originally. I was at my friend's home working on her Lenovo laptop with Windows 8 which was connected wirelessly. The connection was not lost until I made changes to the router's security [choosing WPA2-PSK (AES)] and to the router password. I did both of these changes at the same time while in the router settings site. That's when the message came up that there was no longer a connection to the Internet. And I couldn't get a connection no matter what I did. I left it that way and retreated to my home, looked for solutions on the Internet and wrote to the NNT Forum.
As far as the password to sign onto the router settings web site, I will again attempt that the next time I have an opportunity. I left that for the time being because I was elated that her router was now secure with a password and encryption AND that there was an Internet connection! At least one cannot access the router from outside again without using the router password.
Again, Dana, you have my most sincere gratitude for your help.
Laverne
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