# Cannot get online - even tho' Settings says "Connected" and signal is"Excellent"



## keriah (Aug 4, 2010)

I cannot get online on my Fire, either to visit any web site or to download newly purchased books. The Fire's WiFi settings indicate that I am online, with a status of "Connected" and a signal strength of "Excellent". I have tried turning WiFi off and on again; I have re-entered my modem/router password - to no avail. Also, I have powered down and restarted. Still not online. 

This has been this way for the past two weeks, since we returned to this location. I was online here just fine last May. The Kindle remembered all my settings when we arrived two weeks ago but won't go online.

I can get online here just fine on my computers, iPhones, and iPad -- just not on the Kindle.

Any ideas??


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Keriah,

when you say  you've powered down and restarted, are you talking about the Fire or your modem/router?  Some people have reported that unplugging the router and plugging it in again (or doing a modem reset if there's a button) lets the Fire connect, even in situations where other devices have been able to access the router.

Betsy


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

The router also might have a WPS button. . .which, when you press it, sends a signal to all devices with the 'key'.  This can help things connect when they're being persnickety.  

It also might help to (on the Fire) 'forget' the network and then teach it again, toggle wireless off and on, and/or turn the device off and then restart it.  It sounds from your post like you may have done some of those things, but maybe not all.

Good luck!


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## keriah (Aug 4, 2010)

Betsy the Quilter said:


> when you say you've powered down and restarted, are you talking about the Fire or your modem/router? Some people have reported that unplugging the router and plugging it in again (or doing a modem reset if there's a button) lets the Fire connect, even in situations where other devices have been able to access the router.


Betsy, It was the Fire that I was talking about. Since your reply I have powered down both the modem and the router (with the Fire having Wifi in "OFF" mode). When the modem and router came back up, I then turned WiFi on, on the Fire. (As of yesterday it was no longer showing "Connected" as I originally was experiencing, FWIW.) I selected my WiFi and re-entered the password. I watched it as it attempted to connect. It then ended with "Error in connection -- Unable to connect to "xxxx". Please try again."

I have gone through this loop about a dozen times since yesterday -- 3 times since the modem/router restart. Still nothing. (The signal is still reporting as "Excellent".)

I wasn't expecting this to do much since (a) the router had been off since last May and (b) the modem was new. When we arrived two weeks ago the modem and router were set into operation, at which time all other devices remembered the settings from last May and connected just fine. The Fire never connected, in spite of all the variations I could think of trying.

Short of a "Reset" (which says it will lose all downloaded content, which I interpret meaning that I will lose the books I'm currently reading - with no promise that I can get them back if the Reset does not get me online) - is there something else I can try??


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## keriah (Aug 4, 2010)

Ann in Arlington said:


> The router also might have a WPS button. . .which, when you press it, sends a signal to all devices with the 'key'. This can help things connect when they're being persnickety.


My router (a Linksys) does not appear to have any "buttons" ... as I reported (above) I did try powering it down and up, to no avail.



Ann in Arlington said:


> It also might help to (on the Fire) 'forget' the network and then teach it again, toggle wireless off and on, and/or turn the device off and then restart it. It sounds from your post like you may have done some of those things, but maybe not all.


Yup, all those things have been tried ... several times.


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## CrystalStarr (Jan 17, 2011)

Could it be that the router is set to only allow a set number of addresses?  Perhaps this needs to be changed within the wireless settings of the router?  There should be a maximum number of DHCP clients.  I'd check on that.  If that number is lower than the number of devices (wired and wireless together) you are trying to connect it could explain why the Kindle won't connect.


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## keriah (Aug 4, 2010)

CrystalStarr said:


> Could it be that the router is set to only allow a set number of addresses? Perhaps this needs to be changed within the wireless settings of the router? There should be a maximum number of DHCP clients. I'd check on that. If that number is lower than the number of devices (wired and wireless together) you are trying to connect it could explain why the Kindle won't connect.


That was a good suggestion (tho' since this mix was working last May, with nothing changing other than departing and returning with the devices, it wasn't something I'd considered). I just checked and the limit is set to 50 devices, which is certainly more than enough.

One thing that could have changed is an update to the Kindle OS since May -- I've been applying all updates.

While I was looking through the router settings (most of which are Greek to me) I do see that the Firewall Protection setting to "Block Anonymous Internet Requests" is checked. I don't know if this, or any of the other many, many options, could be something that the Kindle does not like but that the other devices can deal with.

FWIW, after my last post I took the Fire down to the lobby to see if it could connect to ANY WiFi. It was able to log in as a "guest" in the lobby of the building so I did a Reset of the Fire. After many rounds of jiggling to get my Kindle re-registered and all my downloads restored, I am back to where I was at the beginning of this thread: It once again shows as "Connected" with an "Excellent" signal on my WiFi but it cannot get online.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Unless one of our members with more knowledge can provide any more info, I can only suggest you contact Kindle CS (Amazon US customers inside the US: 1-866-321-8851, outside the US: 1-206-266-0927. Other customers, see here.)

Betsy


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## keriah (Aug 4, 2010)

Betsy the Quilter said:


> Unless one of our members with more knowledge can provide any more info, I can only suggest you contact Kindle CS (Amazon US customers inside the US: 1-866-321-8851, outside the US: 1-206-266-0927. Other customers, see here.)


Thanks for the phone number, Betsy. I was on the phone with a VERY helpful support person yesterday ... for well over an hour. He tried many things, including helping me get my router's firmware updated and switching my security over to the more secure WPA2 form. Unfortunately, none of this got my Fire back online. It still says "Connected" but the little "fan" at the right top has a small "x" beside it and he told me that means it isn't really connected. So, we parted with both of us scratching our heads. He said a newer router might work better but shared my concern that this would not explain why the old router (with its old settings and old firmware) worked just fine last May.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

So, you can connect to another WiFi, just not your own, right?  So, it does sound like another router might work....

Betsy


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## keriah (Aug 4, 2010)

Betsy the Quilter said:


> So, you can connect to another WiFi, just not your own, right? So, it does sound like another router might work....


Betsy, I was able to connect the Kindle to the hotel ("guest") WiFi down in the lobby. For the router in our apt. that router works for: 3 computers, 2 phones, an iPad, and the Apple TV, so I hesitate to jump to needing to buy a router just for the Kindle (esp. since this router worked with the Kindle last May). Each of my other devices reconnected yesterday after I changed from WEP to WPA2 without a hickup.

I was just on the phone with another Amazon rep (I do really appreciate Amazon's attention to trying to help here!!) and she suggested that I get a static IP address from our ISP. However, our condo assn. is about to change its cable/internet service building-wide so I may just limp along with WiFi in the public library until that happens ... or play around with other router settings.

Thanks for all your replies -- it can get lonely here in the trenches!!!


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

I hear you!

Keep us posted on things you try and if you get it working!

And for some fun, drop by our Happy Birthday KindleBoards party thread in Let's Talk Kindle; you'll have a chance to win an Amazon Gift Card!

Betsy


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