Actiontec MI424WR, Dell Laptop w/ Vista - Local Connection only
brad442
Newbie
Situation: Dell Laptop running Windows Vista w/ Intel 802.11n wireless card can connect to Actiontec MI424WR modem/router and gets to the Gateway.  It is unable to get to the internet and says connection is "Local Only".  My other 2 desktop PCs running Windows XP Pro (1 is connected by a LAN hardline, the other wirelessly w/ a 802.11g wireless card) work fine.  Were are there CLEAR instructions for connecting wirelessly w/ Windows Vista? TIA
0 Likes
Re: Actiontec MI424WR, Dell Laptop w/ Vista - Local Connection only
kevinb
Contributor - Level 2

Is it pulling an IP address from the router?

There is an issue with Vista that causes the connection to be shown as "Local Only" .. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/947041

And to actually answer your question ..

http://www22.verizon.com/ResidentialHelp/FiOSInternet/Networking/Setup/VzMI424/120489.htm

How do I connect an additional computer to my Verizon MI424WR wireless network?

Message Edited by kevinb on 06-17-2009 12:56 PM
0 Likes
Re: Actiontec MI424WR, Dell Laptop w/ Vista - Local Connection only
Tektronic
Enthusiast - Level 3

here is a step by step if then solution

 first start by doing hard reset. *note this will erase any settings u have made to router

go to cmd prompt

start > run > cmd or vista windows key + r then type cmd
if 169 then bad wep key/hardware issue try rebooting computer

if 192 then ping www.yahoo.com

if reply then check for firewall issues, or other malicious software

if 0.0 ip then drivers are incorrect with laptop

try reinstalling drivers if still unable to resolve

after all that call Provider not verizon

0 Likes
Re: Actiontec MI424WR, Dell Laptop w/ Vista - Local Connection only
Barking_Pumpkin1
Enthusiast - Level 3

Brad,

I've got a 1520 and a 1525 Dell laptop computers.  I use one wireless and the other is hardwired into the same router.  For the hardwired laptop, I disabled my wireless card as I was having alot of connection issues.  Wirelessly, I initial would get alot of local connections only, however, I noted that I could actually still surf the internet.  Over time my wireless local connections issues have just gone away.  Don't know what it was or is but usually ignore it.  If I do get the local connection only and can't surf, I'll usually just shut it down and try again later (I'm not attached to my computers via an umbilical cord).

Doesn't really help you with the problem but it's nice to know you're not the only one experiencing the problem.

P.S. I'm using Verizon Security Suite on both computers. 

0 Likes
Re: Actiontec MI424WR, Dell Laptop w/ Vista - Local Connection only
Tektronic
Enthusiast - Level 3
hey brad if ur getting intermitent connection problems wirelessly try changing the routers wireless channel or hard reset before hand. 95 percent of the time this fixes it or its possibly a problem with the router.
0 Likes
Re: Actiontec MI424WR, Dell Laptop w/ Vista - Local Connection only
Jeff-in-Jersey

Getting a similar problem here in NJ.

My setup:

Verizon FIOS with the actiontec modem/router.

PC#1:  acer desktop running Win Vista Home Premium (fully patched and updated)

PC#2:  dell laptop running WinXP sp2

The Vista machine will *not* make a wireless connection the router (keeps getting "Local only" and "Unidentified Network") but the XP machine connects perfectly every time.   (Both machines connect fine with ethernet cables).  The wireless signal strength is not the problem; I get 4 or 5 bars throughout the house.

I've tried rebooting everything.  I've tried resetting the router to factory defaults.  I've tried disabling any encryption on the router.  On the Vista machine I've tried disabling the dhcp BROADCAST flag (as instructed here:  http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/928233) and disabling IPv6 and the IP Helper service.  No joy.

It's not an intermittent problem; the XP machine always connects and the Vista machine has never connected properly after a few days of fumbling around.

Any advice?  Do I need to get another wireless router?  I see a bunch of posts in various places by people with similar problems connecting Vista machines to this router.

0 Likes
Re: Actiontec MI424WR, Dell Laptop w/ Vista - Local Connection only
Tektronic
Enthusiast - Level 3

@Jeff-in-Jersey wrote:

Getting a similar problem here in NJ.

My setup:

Verizon FIOS with the actiontec modem/router.

PC#1:  acer desktop running Win Vista Home Premium (fully patched and updated)

PC#2:  dell laptop running WinXP sp2

The Vista machine will *not* make a wireless connection the router (keeps getting "Local only" and "Unidentified Network") but the XP machine connects perfectly every time.   (Both machines connect fine with ethernet cables).  The wireless signal strength is not the problem; I get 4 or 5 bars throughout the house.

I've tried rebooting everything.  I've tried resetting the router to factory defaults.  I've tried disabling any encryption on the router.  On the Vista machine I've tried disabling the dhcp BROADCAST flag (as instructed here:  http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/928233) and disabling IPv6 and the IP Helper service.  No joy.

It's not an intermittent problem; the XP machine always connects and the Vista machine has never connected properly after a few days of fumbling around.

Any advice?  Do I need to get another wireless router?  I see a bunch of posts in various places by people with similar problems connecting Vista machines to this router.


hey buddy looks like the only thing that hasnt been done is changing the channel of the router to something other than the default *any*   if that doesnt work call in and restate everything you have done
0 Likes
Re: Actiontec MI424WR, Dell Laptop w/ Vista - Local Connection only
exqwestie
Newbie
In Vista the IPV4 is the equivalent to the TCP/IP in XP. Normally the DHCP and DNS need to be set to automatic.
0 Likes
Re: Actiontec MI424WR, Dell Laptop w/ Vista - Local Connection only
whatsup
Newbie
I have the same problem.  My XP laptop can connect to the router wirelessly as always.  My Vista desktop gets only a local connection to an "unidentified network" wirelessly - no Internet.  When I hooked up the Vista desktop with a cable I could not get on as it was searching for a username and password from the ISP to permit the connection.  Verizon tech support could not fix the problem -- said no username or password was required -- with the wireless and wired lack of connectivity.  Is this just a Vista problem?  Did a recent Windows update change something that caused this issue?  Thanks.
0 Likes
Re: Actiontec MI424WR, Dell Laptop w/ Vista - Local Connection only
prisaz
Legend
With Vista have you tried the connection wizard under the Network and Sharing Center? It is on the side bar to the left. "Connect to a network". This may speed your connection setup when hardwired.
0 Likes