My New Laptop Is Not Connecting to D-Link

D-Link routers come with step-by-step instructions on how to complete the initial setup process. However, some users still experience problems with connecting their laptop to the router. This is especially true for Wi-Fi connections.

Laptop Settings

1. 1
   Verify that the Wi-Fi radio receiver is on. Some laptops have a switch and others have a button that controls the Wi-Fi receiver.
   
2. 2
   Verify that the D-Link router is within the suggested range of the laptop. Different router models have different maximum ranges; see the user's manual for product specific information.
   
3. 3
   Click on the "Start" menu icon and select "Connect To."
   
4. 4
   Choose the D-Link router's network name from the list of available networks and press "Connect." Proceed to the next step if the laptop still will not connect to the router.
   
5. 5
   Right-click on the D-Link network in the "Connect to a network" window opened in the previous step and choose "Diagnose."
   
6. 6
   Select one of the suggested remedies and wait for the process to complete. Check the "Connect to a network" window to see if the connection was successful.
   
7. 7
   Verify that the network passkey was entered correctly. Click "Open Network and Sharing Center" in the "Connect to a network" window.
   
8. 8
   Click "Manage wireless networks" and right-click on the D-Link network name.
   
9. 9
   Select "Properties" and click the "Security" tab.
   
10. 10
    Enter the network passkey and click "OK." The passkey must be entered exactly as it appears in the router's security configuration. The key is case-sensitive, and the laptop will not connect properly if the key is entered improperly. Check to see if the laptop connects in the "Connect to a network" window.
    
11. 11
    Click the "Adapter Properties" button in the "Manage Wireless Networks" window if the previous steps did not resolve the problem.
    
12. 12
    Select "Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)" from the list and click the "Properties" button.
    
13. 13
    Verify that the IP address and DNS server address are set to be obtained automatically and press "OK." Check to see if the laptop connects in the "Connect to a network" window.
    

Router Settings

14. 1
    Insert a safety pin or similar object into the recessed reset hole located on the back of the router and push the button for five to 10 seconds to reset the router to its original factory settings.
    
15. 2
    Connect the D-Link router to the laptop via the included Ethernet cable.
    
16. 3
    Open a Web browser and type "192.168.0.1" into the address bar and press "Enter."
    
17. 4
    Type "Admin" as the username and leave the password blank to log in to the router control panel. Some models may require a password. Check the manual if this username and password combination does not work.
    
18. 5
    Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the setup wizard. Be sure to enable the Wi-Fi transmitter and choose "Dynamic" as the method of assigning IP addresses.
    
19. 6
    Connect to the D-Link router via the "Connect To" option in the "Start" menu of the laptop.