Windows 7 Internet Connection FAILS. Brand new computer!

[Sif]

So I'm trying to be the good girlfriend here and get this solved. My boyfriend bought a Gateway DX4320-17 desktop about a month ago. He had an HP before it with Vista on it and it's only a year old.

BOTH of the computers can not stay online at all. He gave up on the HP, got the Gateway because HP was trying to tell him he needed a new motherboard and all kinds of useless stuff. Now, I have a laptop with Windows XP on it. Dell XPS, 6 years old, a gig of ram and I stay online just fine. I can run World of Warcraft and play on the internet with no disconnects usually.

He can't stay connected. He disconnected 12 times last night playing World of Warcraft. He lags HORRIBLY. He had Ventrilo running AND World of Warcraft last night. I've been searching the internet this morning on his computer and have been disconnected 3 times. His computer is the ONLY one on the connection that is having all these issues. Is it just him? Does he radiate some kind of super power that makes it impossible for him to stay online on any computer?! We thought it may have been the router but if that was the case wouldn't I be having issues as well? His parents just bought an iPad as well, would the iPad be causing a problem? I know on my computer it pops up that an unidentified device has connected to the network causing an IP error whenever they are on the iPad.

Please, any help will work. I have no idea what I'm doing in Windows 7. I've tried rebooting the router but that does nothing. Flushing the DNS. Troubleshooting, searching the forums...and I just can't find anything related to this specific question. Like I said, everyone else on the connection stays on just fine. It's ONLY his computer(s). The HP isn't even turned on 90% of the time but when he used it, same problems there. Could never stay online. This Gateway is STILL brand new and the specs on it put my laptop to shame. So what's going on?

 

[Sif]

BTW: Comcast cable internet. The wireless router is ANCIENT. It's 8 years old. Yes we're talking about buying a new one today. I just wanted to find out what the problem is BEFORE I blow money I don't have.

 

[Trouble]

I noticed when checking the specs for that Gateway desktop, that it has both wired and wireless options for connecting. Have you been able to try both to see if the issue persists on both types of connections?
If it's a wired connection then you may have to set the speed and duplex manually to 100 half, because some gigabit network adapters, especially with older routers seem to fail with auto negotiation set.
If it's a wireless connection then there maybe any of a number of issues in play, proximity to the radio, potential interference from various other devices or appliances, physical issues like walls or other enclosures causing antenna issues as well as encryption problems as well as the over the air modulation being used A B G or N. I suspect that your instincts regarding the 8 year old ANCIENT router may be correct and a replacement router may certainly be a step in the right direction.

 

[Arber Obri]

hi sif sorry to hear whats happing, am i big time gamer and if anything i had lags or getting d/c

He lags HORRIBLY. He had Ventrilo running AND World of Warcraft last night

try and get your bf to log on wow with out ventrilo as ventrilo lag's a lot, when i use to go on vent and try play a game vent would lagg like crazy giving me 1400 Ping Mad i know then that was cause the game to crash for me, but also try getting a new router,

i would say the Router is the Key to your problem

All the best

 

[Elmer]

Hi sif,

Just my 2p's worth as I saw Gateway mentioned.

3 or 4 years back we bought the daughter a Gateway laptop and had pretty similar issues as your bf.

I then "hard wired" it to the modem to set up internet access. After that I disconnected the ethernet cable and went wireless. Next loss of connection was approx 6 months later, but we had had a power cut. So that seemed to cure the connection problems here.

B.T.W Our modem is that old the date of manufacture is in Roman numerals!!

IGNORE ME. You're not talking about a laptop!!