Connecting to internet via ethernet

wantnomoneyworries

Please be gentle with me as I'm not very technical. The problem is that my son who is in halls at university can not connect to internet. The problem has only occured in the last couple of days it was working fine up till then. He has phoned the technical people who have said it is a problem with his laptop and a friend has tried his laptop in my sons room and it worked. Also my son's laptop did not work in his friends flat.
He has done a system restore to the last time it was working, but this has not made any difference.
I just wondered if he could have pressed something to disconnect it and doesn't how to get it back or if it a real problem with his laptop?
He is coming home with laptop on Sunday so I won't get to see it till then, but if it is something simple he may be able to sort it (he is not very technical either)
Sorry to be so long winded and not even sure now if I have explained it very well!!
Thanks in advance for any help!

zenmaster

Are you saying that he is connected via ethernet (wire) at uni or that he connects wirelessly but now wants (needs) to connect via a cable?

If he was connected wirelessly then it's very easy to accidentally turn that off. Some laptops have a physical on/off switch but most do it via keypresses which are easily miskeyed. It's then just a question of reversing the process. Unfortunately I can't tell you which key, as my laptop has disappeared off to uni.

If he was on a wired connection which no longer works then that is another kettle of fish.

wantnomoneyworries

Thanks for quick reply.
At uni he can only access the internet via the cable: there is no wireless. At home we are wireless and the last time he was here it worked! He says when he switches on laptop it takes him to Google but obviously it doesn't work as he is not connected to internet. He used to have "a screen where he logged in" but he says that has gone.

scotty_591

As Zenmaster stated, if it is a wired ethernet connection that is not working then it could be any number of issues. It could be that the driver is corrupt or doesn't exist, it could even be that the network adapter is broken.

Without more details, such as operating system, driver version of the network adapter, make/model of the network adapter (not the wireless one) it is hard to diagnose.

I can try and diagnose it if I have these details but it is a problem that is hard to solve via the internet and is best suited to taking the laptop to a computer repair shop.

As for 'not being able to get onto the internet', does it register that the network cable is plugged in and provide 'Local' access with no internet or does it just not pick up the ethernet cable when it is plugged in?

wantnomoneyworries

Thanks again for your reply.
I'll be showing my complete ignorance now as I didn't understand much or your post scotty_591 which is probably why your advice to go to a computer repair shop is a good one!! His laptop is still under guarantee so we might have to go down that route! Just don't want to look stupid when I go if it is something simple!!

scotty_591

Sorry if I may have been a bit technical.

Along the bottom 'start' bar on a windows system there are a number of icons on the right hand lower side of the screen, one of these looks like 2 computer screens (one behind the other), hover the mouse over that when the network cable is plugged in and see what it says, it will either say;
Not connected - which means something is wrong with the port/cable
Access: Local Only - The ethernet cable has been detected but the computer can't connect to the internet
Access: Local and Internet - The computer sucsessfuly connected to the internet

This will help in diagnosing the problem if you can find it out.

If you still don't know what I am talking about then my advice would be to take it to a computer repair shop or ask your son if he knows anyone who has a good knowledge of computers.

If you take it to a computer repair shop, get them to just diagnose the problem (shouldn't cost too much), and if it is a hardware problem, then send it back under warranty.

Here is one last thing to try, You said you had wireless at home? I assume you have a router with Ethernet ports on? If you do, get your son to plug in to your router (should be able to use the same cable that he uses at uni) and if it doesn't connect you know it is a problem with the laptop and not the uni network.

wantnomoneyworries

Thanks again scotty_591.
Now you are talking!! I understood that. Will get my son do this (can't get in touch with him now Friday night + uni = Party - well that's every night really). He is home this weekend so will also try with our network. Thanks for advice. I feel confident to try the things you've suggested

scotty_591

I know the feeling, I am a University student, but got too much work to do to go out tonight

I should be on here at the weekend if I can help any more. I am subscribed to this post so just post on it and I will reply when I log in next.

wantnomoneyworries

Thanks that is really kind. So you have no money either I guess then? Are you studying IT? He is doing sport which I guess is why he is useless at anything technical!! He is in his first year so only been there a short while, so I am hoping that the partying will soon calm down as he is struggling for money now!!

scotty_591

Yep, you are right there, and yes I am in my 3rd year of studying a computing science degree. So I have quite a good understanding of technology and computing.

And I assure you the partying will calm down, 1st year I went out loads, 2nd year went out quite a bit due to increased work load and 3rd year I don't go out that much due to the amount of work I have.

So it should calm down eventually.

pogofish

Another thing to remember is that many uni networks connect to the internet via a proxy server.

If he has changed browser or connected elswhere/changed anything, then returned, he may have lost the setting. Also, some browsers are better than others when it comes to handling/switching between and autodetecting proxies. You get at the settings box via the Internet Options or Settings/Preferences tabs in browsers.

His IT pages ought to have setup guides for main operating systems and browsers, you should be able to download them from home and double check. Some unis also include utillities to set-up your browser/network settings with little hassle at all.