Wired & Wireless Troubleshooting Limited or No Connectivity - Fix the “Windows Limited or No Connectivity” Error Message

Wired & Wireless Troubleshooting Limited or No Connectivity - Fix the “Windows Limited or No Connectivity” Error Message
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“This connection has limited or no connectivity. You might not be able to access the Internet or some network resources.”

When you get this message, it basically indicates that your PC is having trouble trying to access your network device so as to connect to the Internet or network resources. This Windows tutorial shows you how to fix the “Windows Limited or No Connectivity” error.

Diagnose the “Windows Limited or No Connectivity” Error Message

While a common cause for this error is a bug in the Windows XP Service Pack 2, there are a few other reasons why you may receive this error message. Here’s how to diagnose and troubleshoot them:

- Check your Internet router for possible malfunction. Reconfigure or powercycle the router, and re-test your connection.

- Double-check your network cabling connections to ensure you have the proper cables and that they are working properly.

- Verify whether or not your firewall may be interfering with your connection. Disable your firewall and try connecting again. If you are able to connect with the firewall disabled, you will need to re-install it to fix the problem.

- Check and test the configuration of your network card. Reduce your connection speed to 10 Mbps and try connecting again to see if this fixes the problem. Here’s how:

1. Right click on “My Computer” and select “Manage.” Click on " Device Manager.”

2. Locate your network card in the right-hand pane, and double-click to open it.

3. Click on the “Advanced” tab and then click on “Speed and Duplex.”

4. Click on Start » Control Panel » System » Hardware.

5. Change the settings from “Auto” to “10Mb Full. Click OK.

Troubleshoot the Windows XP SP2 Bug

If you have just installed Windows XP Service Pack 2, this may be the cause for the lost connectivity. In this event, you may also receive a message that reads: “Acquiring IP Address”. Windows XP Service Pack 2 tends to cause a loss of network connectivity on computers that access the Internet via a DSL or cable modem. You can easily fix this with the Microsoft patch KB884020, which is an update for Windows XP Service Pack 2 (XP SP2). Here’s how:

- Click here to download the KB884020 patch, and then install and run it.

- Use the recommended registry fix for the bug, as outlined below:

1. Open your notepad and type in:[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\IPSec]“AssumeUDPEncapsulationContextOnSendRule”=dword:00000002

2. Save the file to your desktop as with the name fixreg.reg

3. Double-click the file, and it will be installed to your directory.

4. Reboot your computer, and the bug will be fixed.

If the connection works but the error message still appears, you can manually disable it:

1. Click your “Start” button and then “Control Panel”. Double click on the “Network Connections” icon.

2. Right-click the “Local Area Network” icon and then click “Properties.”

3. Click on the “General” tab. Uncheck the option that’s labeled “Notify me when this connection has limited or no connectivity.” Click “OK.”

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Microsoft Knowledge Base - Article 892896