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Hut1 · Oct 27, 2005, 05:09 PM

I'm very new to the apple world. I took my wifes new G4 to my office today to play around with it (yes, at work is not really cool, but it's our first apple

) and I can't seem to connect to the internet there. I get full bars, but a "Not Connected to the Internet" error. If I go down to the coffee shop where there is open wireless (part of the company) it connects fine.

So basically I'm guessing that network in the offices has a blocker or something on it. I wouldn't try to get around that or anything but I would like to know why I get full bars but no connection. Feel free to get as in depth as you like. Thanks.

mindwaves · 02:15 PM

I have the same problem, but I have an iMac (1.9 GHz model) so it is not like I can go to some coffee shop with it. Also, my PM MDD same OS (Tiger 10.3.4) has no problems with it. It connects to the internet fine. My iMac sees the "linksys" router with full bars but the Network prefs saying it has no IP.

What is also weird is that my network is password protected, but when I go and select the linksys router from the Aiport menu, it auto-connects just fine without a password, so what I am doing right now is manually selecting linksys from the Internet Connect and putting WEP/hex in there and my password and it connects also (regardless of the password....). Any ideas? Thanks.

I would also like to add that someone else is in control of the router. Could it be possible that they only allow one connection (from my Power Mac before)? Because I believe that I disconnected my PM and tried to get my iMac online to no avail unless they are doing it by MAC address or something....

mindwaves · Nov 8, 2005, 02:50 AM

Lame. I found out why. There was NO password to the router which was why I could not connect to it properly.

harrisjamieh · Nov 8, 2005, 04:42 PM

I used to be confused as to why i couldnt get on the internet with my ibook at my school using airport. I talked to the network admin, and they had to set up and give me a fixed IP address, along with someother router info and DNS stuff. Dont no if this is your problem...

ghporter · Nov 8, 2005, 06:16 PM

A "no password" condition says that there's NO security too... This could be bad for you mindwaves. If I understand you correctly, ANYONE with network access to that router could log into it and do whatever they wanted and there would be nothing to stop them. Bad, very bad. The router itself should have SOME admin password AND have external access turned off-unless it's got a hellacious good admin password that gets changed regularly.

mindwaves · Nov 8, 2005, 06:34 PM

I know...that is why it was weird, because I had connected to it before with a WEP hex password, but evidentially the admin had decided to temporarily? disable the password security of which I have no control over.

nonhuman · Nov 8, 2005, 06:36 PM

I'd make sure both your computer and your basestation are upgraded to the most recent Airport software. Mismatched software can definitely cause problems like that.

genevish · Nov 10, 2005, 03:07 PM

Regarding the original question, having "bars" means your wireless card is detecting a wireless signal. The number of bars represents the strength of that signal. This does not mean that you are connected to the Internet, or any other network for that matter. It's like seeing a door, but there could be a brick wall behind it.

I'd try using MacStumbler to see more info (specifically if it's password protected.) The wireless at the coffee shop probably is not protected while the office probably is.