Internet Access Using Windows Xp

[Sycamore3House]

I am trying to access the Internet using my old laptop that runs (just about) Windows Xp. The icon on the lower right hand side is saying connected to wifi and signal excellent. But when I try to open a page it displays a message 'work offline' or 'Try Again'.
Don't use this machine that often so have forgotten what to do. Any help would be appreciated. I only want to upload a CV to a couple of websites.
Cheers

[SeaJayPea]

Right click on the icon you mentioned, then select View Available Networks, or some such. That should give you a list of what's available, select your router and click Connect.

If that doesn't work, come back and tell us what you see.

[Dizmo]

//The icon on the lower right hand side is saying connected to wifi and signal excellent.//

I'm going to make the assumption that it is connected to your router.

Is the router definitely connected to the internet? Check by either looking to see if the DSL light is on (but not flashing) and the internet light is on. The other way would be to test the internet connection on another device (phone, other PC, tablet, Ipod etc).

[Dizmo]

It might also be worth going to 'Run' (located in the start menu at the bottom) and typing 'cmd' (without the ' 's obviously) and pressing the enter key. Once the cmd.exe command prompt window appears; type in 'ipconfig' and press the enter key.

Where it says 'Default Gateway', make sure there are numbers in there other than 0.0.0.0. The chances are it will be 192.168.1.254.

[Sycamore3House]

Router is on as I am using my iPad to type this and therefore working. Could it be anything to do,with Internet Explorer being out of date??

[Dizmo]

While you have the command prompt window open, type pinging 173.194.115.15

Type 'ping 173.194.115.15' and hit the enter key. If you get reply back (such as "Reply from 173.194.115.15: bytes=32 time=32ms TTL=50" then you do have a connection to the internet.

[Dizmo]

If you don't get a reply back from pinging 173.194.115.15, then it isn't your browser that is the issue.

[Sycamore3House]

I typed that number into the address bar pressed enter and now I am on line. Thank you very much.

[Dizmo]

I'm a little confused. Which number?

[Dizmo]

If you put 173.194.115.15 into the address bar, it would take you to google.co.uk.

If typing www.google.co.uk into the address bar doesn't work then it looks like a DNS issue. It could be your ISP.

If you put 192.168.1.254 into your address bar then it would either do nothing or would connect you to your router interface.

Either way, if you're online then good but I can't understand why if it wasn't '173.194.115.15'