No Connection Message

[tearinghair]

Why am I getting 'server's IP address could not be found' on all sites I try to log into on the Internet, just on.my laptop? Phone and tablet are fine. Could it be linked to the printer problem I asked about in Technology yesterday (not resolved). How can I fix it, please?

[Buenchico]

Start with the most obvious solution, which is to disconnect the power to your router, wait a minute or so, reconnect the power and wait until all the lights on it are back to normal. (I know that it's tempting to say "That can't possibly help, as a router problem would surely affect all of my devices, wouldn't it?" but it's amazing how often it works all the same!)

[tearinghair]

I tried that yesterday and again today. At first I had Internet connection on my laptop but then it reverted to 'Word not responding' and 'Answerbank IP address cannot be found,' and it still won't print ('getting default printer', but it doesn't). It will scan, though.

[calmck]

As you have internet on your other devices it could be your lap top that is the problem

[tearinghair]

The problem started when I put new ink cartridges in the printer. I took them out and reinstalled them, but it didn't help.

[poorclare]

Check that it is correct printers details, Mine seem to revert
to the previous printer, (new printer installed six weeks ago)
took me a few days to discover that.

Good luck

[tearinghair]

The printout gave me all the details of the printer but it refused to accept the password. I have no idea what the previous password was, the printer is almost a year old.

[tearinghair]

I unplugged the printer, and internet connection has returned, at least for the moment. I think I'll have to try uninstalling and reinstalling the printer. If that doesn't work, or I can't figure out how to do it, it is still in guarantee for the next couple of weeks, so I'll try to get it back to Currys. But as I don't drive any more, and the store is in an out of town shopping centre, I'm not sure how to do that. It won't go in my shopping trolley...

[Buenchico]

If your laptop continues to play up, you'll probably need to reset the TCP/IP stack. (It's easier than it sounds!). If so, it would help to know which version of Windows it's using.

[tearinghair]

Win 10

[tearinghair]

Please can you help also with another problem that arose while I was trying to fix this? Somehow I managed to delete the Search button next to the Windows logo. For a while, 'search' appeared in the menu list, but that too has now disappeared.

[Zacs-Master]

Just right click on the task bar and go to settings.

[tearinghair]

Thank you for that, Zacs-master. For some reason I never remember the possibility of right-clicking.
I've tried everything you have all suggested, without success. I think I have uninstalled the printer, but when I try to reinstall it's still refusing to accept the PIN, which is clear enough on the information sheet (the printer managed that OK!). But whenever i try to print a document, it's either 'Google Chrome isn't responding' or 'Word isn't responding' etc. I think I'm going to have to find a way to get it back to Currys.

[Buenchico]

Step 1: Try running the Troubleshooting function, for fixing connection issues, that's built into Windows:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/fix-wi-fi-connection-issues-in-windows-9424a1f7-6a3b-65a6-4d78-7f07eee84d2c#WindowsVersion=Windows_10

Step 2: If the above doesn't help, reset the TCP/IP stack by scrolling down to, and following the instructions under, 'Resetting the network stack' here:
https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000058982/wireless/intel-killer-wi-fi-products.html