Wireless internet not working at my house when I use my laptop
 

I am using a laptop for wireless internet (Dell D610). I have no problem using wireless internet at my school and in other places, but at my house, I can’t browse the internet. The router at my house has a strong signal (4 or 5 bars) and when I try to connect to it, it says that I am connected, but when I open up the internet browser, I can’t get online. The router is in a room right next to mine and it is on the same floor. It is a Linksys WRT54G2 router.

When I go to the network connections folder, for the wireless network connection icon, it says “not connected, firewalled.” I can still browse the internet, though (at places other than my house).

What is the problem here? What can I do to make the internet work?

Can anyone connect at your home's wireless network at all?

Because I think it's got something to with either your router's configuration or your laptop's connection settings.

I'm the only one that uses wireless. If the problem is my laptop's connection settings, what could be the problem? Why would I be able to access the school's wireless internet and not the one in my house?

Another thing that I want to mention- I can't connect to other routers in the neighborhood either (the ones that aren't secured). It just doesn't connect (but for the router in my house, it connects). But my roommate told me that a bunch of people have connected to this one guy's router.

Well, it's possible that you've got your school's proxy server settings entered into your connection settings, for example.

But I am a bit confused by your problem. First you said:

> The router at my house has a strong signal (4 or 5 bars) and when I try to connect to it, it says that I am connected

Which means you are connected to the router.

Then you mention that:

> for the wireless network connection icon, it says “not connected, firewalled.

Which tells me that you are not connected to the router.

How's about we bypass the wireless router, and try to plug your laptop directly to the modem, via ethernet cable?

I'll try using the ethernet cable as a last resort.

I just tried it with my pc, and it connects, but then it says "acquiring network address" and it stays there permanently and never actually connects to the internet.

Another thing- I don't know if this is important, but the computer that is connected to the router is running windows 98. It is also using DSL.

Zerg is suggesting you use an ethernet cable as a diagnostic tool, not as a solution.

Hardwire your laptop into the modem and report what happens.
Though first I would suggest you physically connect your laptop to your router while its connected to your modem with an ethernet cable and tell us what happens first, then move on to connecting the laptop to the modem.

If I connect my laptop to the modem, I have to unplug the router, right? When I plug it back in, will I have to reset it or change settings?

Yes.

And no. Aside from power cycling your router, you shouldn't need to do anything else.

What's power cycling and how do you do it?

I plugged my laptop directly into the router using an ethernet cable and the internet instantly worked and it was very fast.

Does that help isolate the problem?