Gadgets -- No INternet Cobbection

[OSIRIS]

Hi all

I have a 2 month old Acer notebook with 32-bit Win7 Home Premium
(upgraded from Vista). A friend has a one month old Acer notebook
with 64-bit Win7 Home Premium. We both have Linksys wireless routers
(mine's a couple of years older than his). We both have a weather
gadget and a CBC-Radio gadget on the desktop. Mine work -- his don't

In his case the gadgets won't connect to the internet, even though he
can do email and web browse with either wireless or wired connections.
His used to work and then stopped working a week or so ago.

Does anyone have an idea why this is happening and what we can do to
fix it?

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

Hi all

I have a 2 month old Acer notebook with 32-bit Win7 Home Premium
(upgraded from Vista). A friend has a one month old Acer notebook
with 64-bit Win7 Home Premium. We both have Linksys wireless routers
(mine's a couple of years older than his). We both have a weather
gadget and a CBC-Radio gadget on the desktop. Mine work -- his don't

In his case the gadgets won't connect to the internet, even though he
can do email and web browse with either wireless or wired connections.
His used to work and then stopped working a week or so ago.

Does anyone have an idea why this is happening and what we can do to
fix it?

Is his firewall set to block applications unless explicitly allowed?

 

[OSIRIS]

Is his firewall set to block applications unless explicitly allowed?

Thank you.

If you're referring to his software firewall, we both are using
Kaspersky Internet Security (KIS) with the settings identical. In
both cases the Windows firewall is off. I also tried completely
uninstalling KIS and the problem persisted, so I reinstalled it.

If you're referrring to his router, he wouldn't have an inkling how to
change it and I haven't changed it since the time that it was working
(i.e. before it just stopped).

A real puzzler, indeed.

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

On Thu, 21 Jan 2010 17:24:50 -0800, Gene E. Bloch

Thank you.

If you're referring to his software firewall, we both are using
Kaspersky Internet Security (KIS) with the settings identical. In
both cases the Windows firewall is off. I also tried completely
uninstalling KIS and the problem persisted, so I reinstalled it.

If you're referrring to his router, he wouldn't have an inkling how to
change it and I haven't changed it since the time that it was working
(i.e. before it just stopped).

A real puzzler, indeed.

OK, it was worth asking (well, *I* think so!).

As for the router, I haven't heard of a router denying or granting
permission on an application specific basis. Nor do I think a router
knows which program is accessing it. Anyone who knows otherwise, please
correct me, since I could certainly be wrong.

 

[Char Jackson]

OK, it was worth asking (well, *I* think so!).

As for the router, I haven't heard of a router denying or granting
permission on an application specific basis. Nor do I think a router
knows which program is accessing it. Anyone who knows otherwise, please
correct me, since I could certainly be wrong.

Many NAT routers give you configuration options labeled as allowing or
denying specific applications, but what I think they are really doing
is allowing or denying based on destination TCP or UDP port number,
destination IP/URL, or URLs with specific keywords.

How that relates to the OP's issue is beyond me, unless the router is
unprotected and an enterprising neighbor decided it would be funny to
do some unauthorized configuration.

As a troubleshooting step, it wouldn't be hard to temporarily bypass
the router and see if everything suddenly works. Another
troubleshooting step might be to try another Win7 computer at the
problematic location, thus narrowing it down to the PC versus the
router.

 

[OSIRIS]

OK, it was worth asking (well, *I* think so!).

Absolutely, and thanks for trying.

As for the router, I haven't heard of a router denying or granting
permission on an application specific basis. Nor do I think a router
knows which program is accessing it. Anyone who knows otherwise, please
correct me, since I could certainly be wrong.

I was thinking that maybe desktop gadgets need some sort of port
forwarding or something. I have not specifically set anything like
that up on either router and mine work and his don't.

I realize that there obviously _IS_ some difference between the two
setups; I just can't think of where to look next.

Anyway, he's bringing his notebook over to my place to try connecting
through my router. If it still doesn't work, we've eliminated the
router as the cause. Having both side by side will make comparisons
easier. I'll post again with reults.

 

[OSIRIS]

Many NAT routers give you configuration options labeled as allowing or
denying specific applications, but what I think they are really doing
is allowing or denying based on destination TCP or UDP port number,
destination IP/URL, or URLs with specific keywords.

How that relates to the OP's issue is beyond me, unless the router is
unprotected and an enterprising neighbor decided it would be funny to
do some unauthorized configuration.

Thanks for the input. Both routers are using WPA2 so it's unlikely
we've got an intruder. The neighborhood he lives in is mostly retired
folks (average age probably well into the 60s, further reducing the
likelihood of an "enterprising neighbor" ;-)

As a troubleshooting step, it wouldn't be hard to temporarily bypass
the router and see if everything suddenly works. Another
troubleshooting step might be to try another Win7 computer at the
problematic location, thus narrowing it down to the PC versus the
router.

As I just now posted, he's coming to my place to connect through _MY_
router to see if it makes a difference.

 

[Seth]

Absolutely, and thanks for trying.


I was thinking that maybe desktop gadgets need some sort of port
forwarding or something. I have not specifically set anything like
that up on either router and mine work and his don't.

Port forwarding ( at the router level, on residential routers) is only for
inbound connections.

 

[OSIRIS]

Port forwarding ( at the router level, on residential routers) is only for
inbound connections.

Very good point. The gadgets app would initiate the connection, so
it's not the router. Like I said, he's bringing it over so I can
complare his to mine side-by-side.

 

[OSIRIS]

I realize that there obviously _IS_ some difference between the two
setups; I just can't think of where to look next.

Anyway, he's bringing his notebook over to my place to try connecting
through my router. If it still doesn't work, we've eliminated the
router as the cause. Having both side by side will make comparisons
easier. I'll post again with reults.

Well, he came over and hooked up through _MY_ router and the gadgets
still didn't work. That kinda proves it has nothing to do with the
router.

I also checked the Kaspersky on both machines and the settings are
identical, so it doesn't sound like that's the problem.

I also check a number of Windows settings on both and could not see
any difference. I also disabled the gadget service on his and
rebooted, then reactivated it and rebooted. No difference.

I've run out of ideas, can I have one or two of yours?

 

[Dave-UK]

Well, he came over and hooked up through _MY_ router and the gadgets
still didn't work. That kinda proves it has nothing to do with the
router.

I also checked the Kaspersky on both machines and the settings are
identical, so it doesn't sound like that's the problem.

I also check a number of Windows settings on both and could not see
any difference. I also disabled the gadget service on his and
rebooted, then reactivated it and rebooted. No difference.

I've run out of ideas, can I have one or two of yours?

You say you have checked various Windows settings but as gadgets use java scripts
it might be worth comparing the settings in IE, especially any security settings.
Tools > Internet Options > Security > Custom level.

 

[OSIRIS]

You say you have checked various Windows settings but as gadgets use java scripts
it might be worth comparing the settings in IE, especially any security settings.
Tools > Internet Options > Security > Custom level.

Thanks for that. I'll have him bring it back when he comes over next
weekend. We both use Firefox, so I'm puzzled how IE could get
changed, but it's certainly worth a try. I'll just set IE back to
default settings and try again.

 

[OSIRIS]

Continuing the thread:

Situation:
Two notebooks, both Windows 7 (One 32-bit & the other 64-bit). Both
have same version of Kaspersky Internet Security with the settings
identical. Both are using Linksys wireless routers. Both have
Desktop Gadgets that require access to the Internet (CBC Radio and
Weather). On one they wor but on the other they don't. They were
working on both machines at one point but it stopped on one about two
weeks ago (no changes to routers, Kaspersky, or Windows security that
we can find.)

Does anyone know why this might happen? Does anyone know of a cure?

 

[Dave-UK]

Continuing the thread:

Situation:
Two notebooks, both Windows 7 (One 32-bit & the other 64-bit). Both
have same version of Kaspersky Internet Security with the settings
identical. Both are using Linksys wireless routers. Both have
Desktop Gadgets that require access to the Internet (CBC Radio and
Weather). On one they wor but on the other they don't. They were
working on both machines at one point but it stopped on one about two
weeks ago (no changes to routers, Kaspersky, or Windows security that
we can find.)

Does anyone know why this might happen? Does anyone know of a cure?

I think the problem with the 64 bit machine is Kaspersky.
As it happened recently could you do a system restore?
Although you have tested with Kaspersky removed, it could still
have left altered registry entries after uninstalling.
I know that the machine worked once with Kaspersky installed
but I'm guessing that a Kaspersky update may have broken something
on the 64 bit machine but not on the 32 bit machine.

Have you seen Serx/bersek king's posts:
http://social.answers.microsoft.com.../thread/e3746e89-a17a-4bc1-b99b-1803d34ef8a7/
http://forum.kaspersky.com/index.php?showtopic=156352

and a long thread here:
http://forums.techguy.org/windows-vista/546747-solved-vista-sidebar-gadgets-wont.html

 

[OSIRIS]

I think the problem with the 64 bit machine is Kaspersky.
As it happened recently could you do a system restore?
Although you have tested with Kaspersky removed, it could still
have left altered registry entries after uninstalling.
I know that the machine worked once with Kaspersky installed
but I'm guessing that a Kaspersky update may have broken something
on the 64 bit machine but not on the 32 bit machine.

Have you seen Serx/bersek king's posts:
http://social.answers.microsoft.com.../thread/e3746e89-a17a-4bc1-b99b-1803d34ef8a7/
http://forum.kaspersky.com/index.php?showtopic=156352

and a long thread here:
http://forums.techguy.org/windows-vista/546747-solved-vista-sidebar-gadgets-wont.html

Thanks. Very interesting reading. Can't figure out why I didn't come
accress those when I Googled the problem. I'll have my friend bring
his notebook when he comes over this weekend and try some of these
cures. Wish me luck.

 

[Dave-UK]

Thanks. Very interesting reading. Can't figure out why I didn't come
accress those when I Googled the problem. I'll have my friend bring
his notebook when he comes over this weekend and try some of these
cures. Wish me luck.

I reckon a system restore to a few weeks back would be the first thing to try.

 

[OSIRIS]

"OSIRIS" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...

You say you have checked various Windows settings but as gadgets use java scripts
it might be worth comparing the settings in IE, especially any security settings.
Tools > Internet Options > Security > Custom level.

BINGO!!! Thanks "Dave-UK". I reset his I.E. to defaults in the
security section and also in the advanced tag and the gadgets started
working immediately. Yahoooooo!

BTW, "Dave-UK", what part of the UK are you from? I'm currently in
western Canada, but I started off in Yorkshire West Riding back in
'43.

 

[OSIRIS]

I reckon a system restore to a few weeks back would be the first thing to try.

Didn't have to. Your previous idea about I.E. worked. I reset his
I.E. to defaults in the security section and also in the advanced tag
and the gadgets started working immediately. Yahoooooo!

BTW, "Dave-UK", what part of the UK are you from? I'm currently in
western Canada, but I started off in Yorkshire West Riding back in
'43.

 

[Dave-UK]

BINGO!!! Thanks "Dave-UK". I reset his I.E. to defaults in the
security section and also in the advanced tag and the gadgets started
working immediately. Yahoooooo!

BTW, "Dave-UK", what part of the UK are you from? I'm currently in
western Canada, but I started off in Yorkshire West Riding back in
'43.

Well done! I wonder what changed his settings in the first place.
I'm in sunny Southend-on-Sea, Essex, home to the longest pier in the world!

 

[Trev]

Well done! I wonder what changed his settings in the first place.
I'm in sunny Southend-on-Sea, Essex, home to the longest pier in the
world!

Ya but I'm In the old West Riding Now a days the urban part has become West
Yorkshire and the southern urban area Sheffield Rotherham Doncaster is South
Yorkshire. Most the rest Is North York's