Wireless Network Question

[orbital]

I started having this strange thing happening when connecting to some certain websites over wireless network. My laptop which is reading the wireless home network from the router can not connect to some certain websites. google.com does not work for example. When I type www.google.com the browser reads "connecting to 66.132.x.x "at the bottom and the connection times out.
Some other sites are problematic as well. gmg loads up very very slow, the banner shows up immediately but the rest of the page takes about 1 minute to load. Other websites, such as msn.com or yahoo.com are fine.
HEre is what I tried so far:
- Wired the laptop to the router:  Worked fine
- Connected wirelessly to another nertwork: Worked fine
- Called linksys customer service  : They were somehow convinced that my laptop's wireless card was not powered. I managed to have them believe otherwise, but they could not be of help and said it was a problem with my ISP, which cannot be as the desktop connects fine. Then he said it was the "A" signal mixing up with "G" signal, so we disabled the "A" signal, but to no avail.

The problem clearly has to be the router right? Or is it the netowrk setup itself? I went through all the wireless network settings with the linksys cs rep and everything was fine.
Or is it a DNS issue, but why only some certain websites 

[Catison]

Try changing to openDNS and see if that fixes the problem.

[orbital]

Thanks a lot, I will try that as soon as i get home.

(BTW, linksys rep had me put some specific DNS address in that same box, but it did not work. )

[head-case]

I started having this strange thing happening when connecting to some certain websites over wireless network. My laptop which is reading the wireless home network from the router can not connect to some certain websites. google.com does not work for example. When I type www.google.com the browser reads "connecting to 66.132.x.x "at the bottom and the connection times out.
Some other sites are problematic as well. gmg loads up very very slow, the banner shows up immediately but the rest of the page takes about 1 minute to load. Other websites, such as msn.com or yahoo.com are fine.
HEre is what I tried so far:
- Wired the laptop to the router:  Worked fine
- Connected wirelessly to another nertwork: Worked fine
- Called linksys customer service  : They were somehow convinced that my laptop's wireless card was not powered. I managed to have them believe otherwise, but they could not be of help and said it was a problem with my ISP, which cannot be as the desktop connects fine. Then he said it was the "A" signal mixing up with "G" signal, so we disabled the "A" signal, but to no avail.

The problem clearly has to be the router right? Or is it the netowrk setup itself? I went through all the wireless network settings with the linksys cs rep and everything was fine.
Or is it a DNS issue, but why only some certain websites 

Is there more than one wireless signal in your area and is the network in quested encrypted?  I had a problem with a wireless adapter which had software that got very confused when I tried to connected to an encrypted network when there was an unencripted network available.  It asked the unencrypted network for an IP number then tried to use that IP number to connect with the encrypted network.   I had to get a new wireless card.

[orbital]

Is there more than one wireless signal in your area and is the network in quested encrypted?  I had a problem with a wireless adapter which had software that got very confused when I tried to connected to an encrypted network when there was an unencripted network available.  It asked the unencrypted network for an IP number then tried to use that IP number to connect with the encrypted network.   I had to get a new wireless card.

There are at least 30 that pop up at any given time  But my home network is set up as the preferred network, and when that's in range the computer does not even look for others. IT is encrypted yes, I think WEP (I set the router up as it was recommended by linksys).
The thing is it was working fine up until Saturday.

My bet is there is a problem with the router itself. If it was a DNS issue, then I would probably be able to ping 66.232.x.x but not google.com. For now I can't ping either of them.
If everything else fails, I'll see if I can get a replacement router since it is only 3 months old.

[head-case]

There are at least 30 that pop up at any given time  But my home network is set up as the preferred network, and when that's in range the computer does not even look for others. IT is encrypted yes, I think WEP (I set the router up as it was recommended by linksys).
The thing is it was working fine up until Saturday.

My bet is there is a problem with the router itself. If it was a DNS issue, then I would probably be able to ping 66.232.x.x but not google.com. For now I can't ping either of them.
If everything else fails, I'll see if I can get a replacement router since it is only 3 months old.

Working fine until Saturday is consistent with a bad router or with someone else putting up a wireless access point that is somehow interfering with yours.  I'd be curious if there is any change if you remove the encryption.

[orbital]

just a quick update.

Catison's OpenDNS allowed me to get into google. But there are still numerious connection issues with the router. gmg takes a minute per page whereas some other sites are fast.

The download speed tests on wireless connection gave me a reading of about 1.5megabits/second. It is supposed to be higher than that (the desktop connection is about 7 megabits. I am not expecting to get that speed but 6/7 reduction in an 800 sqft apartment is strange).

Linksys agreed to exhange the router. LEt's see how it works out. Thanks to everyone who tried to help.

[Kullervo]

Have you tried unplugging it and plugging it in again? That usually solves most of my router problems.

[DavidW]

Have you tried unplugging it and plugging it in again? That usually solves most of my router problems.

Now you sound like customer support.   Still it's very true.

[SonicMan46]

Now you sound like customer support.   Still it's very true.

David - LOL  - when my IBM laptop in the den (wireless) stops connecting w/ my Linksys router in the other room - I do the same!  Unplug power from both the Road Runner cable modem & the Linksys router, wait a minute or so, then plug in the modem (wait until the lights stop flashing), then plug in power to the router - often works fine!  Amazing - 

[orbital]

Now you sound like customer support.   Still it's very true.

They generally start from "Is your computer plugged in?"

Corey, yes I did. I know it often works fine when you restart the router, but not this time.

Unfortunately I can't restart the modem whenever I want, because I have to keep a static IP to reach our office servers 

[DavidW]

They generally start from "Is your computer plugged in?"

And don't you just feel the temptation to say "you plug it in the cat's butt, right?"