can't connect to internet

[Syt]

This is driving me nuts.

I disconnected my laptop from the internet (cable modem with ethernet wire to 'puter) yesterday.

Now I can't reconnect to the interwebs.

I've reset the modem, unplugged and replugged the cable time and again, but all I can achieve is a local connection. I also tried "ipconfig /renew" and deactivating/activating the network card.

I hooked up my Xbox360, connects fine.

I'm a bit stumped and frustrated.

[sbr]

Are you using the same cord/cable/port to connect your Xbox and your laptop?

If not can you, in order to try and isolate the problem?

[Syt]

Using the same. Unplug network cable and put into xbox: works. Take it out and put into pc: doesn't. In fact my xbox just updated alright through the connection. Mac adresses are the same (overrode hardware settings).

[Syt]

Some further info. When I connect the xbox, then shut it down and connect to the laptop, it says I'm connected to the internet, but I'm only receiving bytes, not sendibg any. Standard vista diagnosis + repair options don't help.

When I reset the modem afterwards I'm stuck with local connection and no data being sent or received.

IPv4-Connectivity says "internet", IPv6 says "limited" (or restricted or whatever english vista would say).

[Grey Fox]

What's the ip that it's giving you?

[Syt]

169.254.156.255
DHCP is activated

[Iormlund]

Have you tried static IPs? Disabled the firewall? Used the same ports as always in the router? Danced naked under the moonlight and sacrificed a kitten before restarting the box?

[Cerr]

Go into device manager and uninstall the driver for the network card.

[Caliga]

It sounds like you do not have a router and connect directly to the cable modem... is that correct?  Assuming so, connect to your modem (you said you have a local connection correct?), write down all of the current settings, and hard reset it to factory defaults. 

[Syt]

Have you tried static IPs?

Tried a few random 192.168.x.x ones. How would I determine what static IP to use?

Oh, I could check what IP the XBox gets assigned and try that one ...

Disabled the firewall?

Yes.

Used the same ports as always in the router?

Using a modem, not a router.

[Syt]

Go into device manager and uninstall the driver for the network card.

Already tried that. Failed.

[Syt]

It sounds like you do not have a router and connect directly to the cable modem... is that correct?  Assuming so, connect to your modem (you said you have a local connection correct?), write down all of the current settings, and hard reset it to factory defaults.

I tried resetting the modem several times. To illustrate: my cable modem is a black box (literally). It has a standby button, a power plug, a connection to cable box (which works, as plugging in my XBox into the modem demonstrated), a power plug and the ethernet cable.

It also has a couple LEDs which are doing - according to the manual - what they should be doing (i.e. no error flashings or something).

As said above, I will try to use the fixed IP that my XBox gets assigned.

Also, I recently installed AntiVir (instead of Norton). I tried uninstalling that (and removing all registry entries) to see if it bothers the connection: no dice.

Also, I checked system restoration, and on the day I disconnected the laptop for a couple moments there was a Vista update. I will try to roll back that one if using a static IP doesn't work to see if that helps any.

[Cerr]

It sounds like you do not have a router and connect directly to the cable modem... is that correct?  Assuming so, connect to your modem (you said you have a local connection correct?), write down all of the current settings, and hard reset it to factory defaults.

I tried resetting the modem several times. To illustrate: my cable modem is a black box (literally). It has a standby button, a power plug, a connection to cable box (which works, as plugging in my XBox into the modem demonstrated), a power plug and the ethernet cable.

It also has a couple LEDs which are doing - according to the manual - what they should be doing (i.e. no error flashings or something).

As said above, I will try to use the fixed IP that my XBox gets assigned.

Also, I recently installed AntiVir (instead of Norton). I tried uninstalling that (and removing all registry entries) to see if it bothers the connection: no dice.

Also, I checked system restoration, and on the day I disconnected the laptop for a couple moments there was a Vista update. I will try to roll back that one if using a static IP doesn't work to see if that helps any.

You had norton on it before? That can mess up internet settings. If you have't already, google norton removal tool. Use that and it'll remove all traces of norton on your computer. That might help.

[Grey Fox]

That's kind of a bad IP to have. Anyway to force the modem to give you a new one?

[Caliga]

I have a DSL modem (and have had a cable modem in the past) hooked up to a wireless router, and I let the wireless router assign static IP addresses to my networked devices.  I know that in my case, if I use certain static IP ranges (I forget which octets are problematic), the modem gets confused and won't assign bandwidth properly.  It was a pain in the ass setting up that modem + router config initially, but it's smooth as glass now.