Laptop can't connect at home

[boem25]

Hi. I'm trying to help out a friend with a Compaq Laptop and a Conexant HSFiV92 MiniPCI modem.

She can't connect to internet at her apartment Building A) with her laptop (AOL). I installed another ISP, still no luck. Various 'can't connect to network' messages. Worked for hours with AOL. Nothing wrong.

I can connect with her laptop at my apartment (Building B) no problem.
Connects every time.

Took it to her neighbor ( building A) across the hall. Neighbor also has AOL and a desktop and connects fine. Can't connect with the laptop.

Changed phone cords, plugs, etc.

So, ...can't be the laptop because it's just fine at my place
Can't be the building because the neighbor's desktop works
Can't be the apartment because the laptop doesn't work at the neighbor's apartment either, yet the neighbor's computer does.

Is a laptop modem more sensitive than a desktop? Could it be a combination of building/apartment wiring and different modem brands? Remember that it works at my place next building and I think all the buildings are wired the same, but I don't know. Are laptops or laptop modems more sensitive?

Can anyone venture a guess? Thanks. Miriam

[RejectionMan]

does it work at her place with a differnet pc?

could be line noise.....maybe put a few commas before the number to be dialed to make it wait for a dial tone.

[boem25]

Thanks for the suggestion. I tried the ,,, and it made no difference.

I took my old antiquated laptop over to her place an it worked fine. It's got to be her modem, even though her laptop works at my place. I can't think of anything else. She is going to buy a new modem and try it out.

One question for anybody. If she got cable, would this eliminate the problem?
She wouldn't n eed the dial-up modem, and the phone lines wouldn't matter.
Is this right?

Comcast says you need a NIC card OR a USB converter. H er laptop doesnt have a NIC card, but it does have USB ports. Can the cable plug into one of them with some kind of adapter or would she need to install a card? Thanks

[Ahcoraj]

Have you tried uninstalling and re installing the modem's driver? It may help.. Cable will certianly work and be faster. A USB or PC Card NIC would be preferrable for a cable modem but there are some that are USB, although I've had little luckwith them.... What model laptop are we talking here? what OS?.....

[boem25]

Hi. It's a Compaq Presario 900 series (918RSH Notebook, to be exact).

I haven't tried reinstalling the modem driver only because the laptop works fine at my place and the diagnostics say it's working, but I think I should.

The laptop is 2 years old. Windows XP. 1.5 ghz, 500 ram. Ten times slower than my desktop although I've done every tweak I can think of. Yesterday, came up with 'Serious Windows Error - shutting down', but when I came back up, it said 'Windows Error Fixed', so the thing is acting a little flaky.

I am recommending she get an Ethernet card and go Cable, although I don't think it should be necessary, but I'm stumped . I should probably reinstall windows and go back to basics, but I hate going that route.
thanks for your help

[boem25]

lHi. If I uninstall the modem driver, it says that it will find the 'new ' hardware automatically when you reboot (it's an internal modem). Is that true? I'm a little worried about uninstalling the modem becuase I dont' think she has the cd that came with the laptop with the drivers on it.

[Ahcoraj]

Before you uninstall, go get the most current driver from the compaq site. I'd use a usb flash drive for things like this, that way you can use it instaed of the stock driver. In fact there may be an update for that model that doesnt require you to uninstall, just d'load and launch, but yes it will find it automatically..... Also, just for the heck of it, try loading and running spysweeper and or lspfix. It doesnt make sense that spyware would make a difference in phone lines I know, but were a bit outside normal occurence here...... Let me know how you make out......g