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Chromebook Help Reqd Please

DianeDiane Posts: 1,389
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in PC & Mac Hardware and Software #1
Had my series 3 chromebook XE303c12 for 2 years and never had a problem until last night

First it didnt find my bt hub wifi connection as quickly as usual, took a while and kept searching but found in the end and connected .

Then it wont load up any web pages, just kept saying resolving host and nothing

I tried deleting browsing history, cookies etc
I tried deleting the cache turning it on and off
i tried resetting settings to default settings

Haven't tried a powerwash yet as was reluctant to start from scratch.

Then this morning I had all the same problems and as battery was half empty I plugged in my charger and it came to life and was working normally.

Battery full so unplugged charger and no webpages will load, plus in charger and its working as normal

Can anyone help me please?

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    DianeDiane Posts: 1,389
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    #2
    Anyone with a chromebook who can help me?

    So works perfectly when plugged in with my battery charger, as soon as I unplug it the web pages don't load up, presume the battery inside could be knackered?
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    psionicpsionic Posts: 20,188
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    #3
    It's worth trying a powerwash if things are behaving strangely. The good thing about Chromebooks is that all your stuff is stored online so it will bring it all back when you sign in after the reset.
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    IvanIVIvanIV Posts: 30,310
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    #4
    Bring it next to your Wi-Fi router and try there. Maybe your neighbour has a new wireless network and you get collisions. Extension cord would act as an additional antenna . Or the Wi-Fi card is in power saving mode when on battery and the signal does not reach the router. Try pinging the router, the IP will be something like 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1, try which one works when on power and then try on battery.
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    StigStig Posts: 12,446
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    #5
    IvanIV wrote: »
    Bring it next to your Wi-Fi router and try there. Maybe your neighbour has a new wireless network and you get collisions. Extension cord would act as an additional antenna . Or the Wi-Fi card is in power saving mode when on battery and the signal does not reach the router. Try pinging the router, the IP will be something like 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1, try which one works when on power and then try on battery.

    This. I would say it's a problem with the wireless signal strength, not the Chromebook.

    The OP could try rebooting the BT router, as I think they choose the least congested channel at startup.
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    DianeDiane Posts: 1,389
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    #6
    Stig wrote: »
    This. I would say it's a problem with the wireless signal strength, not the Chromebook.

    The OP could try rebooting the BT router, as I think they choose the least congested channel at startup.

    It finds my bt hub ok just takes 2 mins longer than usual so dont think its a problem with the wifi and makes no difference if I sit next to the hub or in the other room, when its not plugged in it wont load the web pages, as soon as I plus it in it works pefectly. Done a battery health check and thats fine too.

    I'll try a powerwash as someone suggested, my pics/docs are all on google drive and Ive copied my bookmarks, so I shouldn't use anything should I?

    Thanks for replies
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    c4rvc4rv Posts: 29,625
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    #7
    You can start with a powerwash but that just deletes personal data.

    A factory reset is a rather more lengthy process but it will reload the operating system,
    http://www.howtogeek.com/190645/how-to-factory-reset-a-chromebook-even-if-it-wont-boot/
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    alanwarwicalanwarwic Posts: 28,396
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    #8
    "It finds my bt hub ok just takes 2 mins longer than usual "

    That usually means your BT hub has a problem, usually resolved by powering it off and then on.
    And as said, also move the chromebook towards the router to test. It might be a neighbour has a new overpowering high power one using the same wifi channel, (invariably channel 6 ?).
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    StigStig Posts: 12,446
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    #9
    alanwarwic wrote: »
    "It finds my bt hub ok just takes 2 mins longer than usual "

    That usually means your BT hub has a problem, usually resolved by powering it off and then on.
    And as said, also move the chromebook towards the router to test. It might be a neighbour has a new overpowering high power one using the same wifi channel, (invariably channel 6 ?).

    As above, rebooting the router is a no-brainer as you have nothing to lose.

    If it was a PC, I'd say that the power management was the problem. However, I have never used a Chromebook so I have no idea if you are able to tweak the power management settings for the wireless adaptor.
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    alanwarwicalanwarwic Posts: 28,396
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    #10
    Yes, I sort of wondered if an 'On Battery Power' profile was set to low wifi power.

    Not having a Chromebook I do not know.
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    DianeDiane Posts: 1,389
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    #11
    Stig wrote: »
    As above, rebooting the router is a no-brainer as you have nothing to lose.

    If it was a PC, I'd say that the power management was the problem. However, I have never used a Chromebook so I have no idea if you are able to tweak the power management settings for the wireless adaptor.

    I will reboot the hub tomorrow but don't think its the problem as my galaxy s4 picks up my bt hub fine from the next room.

    In the advanced settings on the chromebook you have a choice of

    powerwash which I gather resets it to how it was new

    or

    reset settings - Restore settings to their original defaults.

    Anyone know the difference please?

    Thanks for people's help
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    AnjomoAnjomo Posts: 284
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    #12
    Reset settings will probably not help. It just changes things like your home page and cookie settings back to the default and you will have to re input them. I wouldn't bother with it.
    It maybe be worth disconnecting the chromebook from your hub and tell it to forget the network. Reboot the hub and reconnect the chromebook.

    Powerwash it if that does not work.
    First check you are syncing everything. If you are, all your bookmarks, settings, saved passwords and extensions will reappear almost instantly when you sign in after the powerwash.

    You will lose any documents etc. stored on the chromebook, so upload those to Google drive before you start.
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    DianeDiane Posts: 1,389
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    #13
    Anjomo wrote: »
    It maybe be worth disconnecting the chromebook from your hub and tell it to forget the network. Reboot the hub and reconnect the chromebook.

    I did that and guess what it works perfectly now without being plugged in, thank you so much for your help and thank you to everyone else who tried to help me.

    Feel a bit silly that it was something so simple , these technical issues are harder and more stressfull when you get older and its reassuring to know that people on here are always happy to help

    Bless you all
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    AnjomoAnjomo Posts: 284
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    #14
    Happy endings are always good.:)
    Thanks for letting us know.
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    DianeDiane Posts: 1,389
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    #15
    Anjomo,

    I spoke to soon, switched it on tonight and found my neighbours talk talk network first and took ages to find my bt hub then pages wouldn't load again.

    Disconnected my wifi on chromebook turned it off, turned my bt hub off and on again and my chromebook is fine again so is it a hub problem even though my desktop and galaxy s4 work perfectly.

    Dont really want to reset my hub everytime I want to use the chromebook.

    Also how do i get rid of my neighbours network, if I go into settings and look at the listed networks ive used the past year there is a cross next to them and I can delete them but my neighbours talktalk netwrok isnt on my list though when i turn the chromebook on it finds theirs first

    Diane
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    LION8TIGERLION8TIGER Posts: 8,484
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    #16
    Diane wrote: »
    Also how do i get rid of my neighbours network, if I go into settings and look at the listed networks ive used the past year there is a cross next to them and I can delete them but my neighbours talktalk netwrok isnt on my list though when i turn the chromebook on it finds theirs first

    Diane

    You have not connected to your neighbour's router so there will be no cross. Your neighbours signal is stronger than your router's signal so that is why it appears first on the list.
    Try moving your router to a different location, like away from the neighbouring wall.
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    AnjomoAnjomo Posts: 284
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    #17
    It sounds to me like a issue mentioned earlier in the thread. Your WiFi is being overpowered by your neighbours.
    The solution is to change channels. I'm not sure which hub you have, but the procedure is similar on all of them. Keep changing until you find a reliable one. You will probably hit a good one first time.
    Instructions here http://bt.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/32236/~/how-do-i-change-the-wireless-channel-on-my-bt-home-hub-3%3F
    It is quick and easy to do.
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    DianeDiane Posts: 1,389
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    #18
    Anjomo wrote: »
    It sounds to me like a issue mentioned earlier in the thread. Your WiFi is being overpowered by your neighbours.
    The solution is to change channels. I'm not sure which hub you have, but the procedure is similar on all of them. Keep changing until you find a reliable one. You will probably hit a good one first time.
    Instructions here http://bt.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/32236/~/how-do-i-change-the-wireless-channel-on-my-bt-home-hub-3%3F
    It is quick and easy to do.

    I'll try that today, thanks. Odd because my BT hub is in a bedroom with my desktop pc which is the other side of the house to my neighbour who's talk talk wifi Im picking up ( we're detached and only have a house one side and a field the other) Could understand it if it was in the the bedroom which is nearest to the neighbours house but its not.
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    IvanIVIvanIV Posts: 30,310
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    #19
    You could talk to your neighbor and both set the channels manually as it seems his router always finds a channel that conflicts with yours. By the way that other devices can connect to the router means nothing only that it's not completely kaputt. My money is on your chromebook using some power saving option on battery and Wi-Fi not using full strength signal to communicate with the router. I have zero experience with chromebooks so I do not know if this can be changed and where. But if this cannot get resolved you could always get yourself a really long power extension cord :D
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    StigStig Posts: 12,446
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    #20
    If you really want to see what's going on, download and install InSSIDer on a PC with wireless.

    http://www.techspot.com/downloads/5936-inssider.html

    I was disappointed to see that InSSIDer is no longer free from the official website. Downloading older versions from 3rd party websites is always fraught with danger of getting malware.
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    DianeDiane Posts: 1,389
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    #21
    Stig wrote: »
    If you really want to see what's going on, download and install InSSIDer on a PC with wireless.

    http://www.techspot.com/downloads/5936-inssider.html

    I was disappointed to see that InSSIDer is no longer free from the official website. Downloading older versions from 3rd party websites is always fraught with danger of getting malware.

    I cant download that on my wireless chromebook, chrome isn't on their download list.

    Took my chromebook to costa today and then a pub for lunch and it worked perfectly so at least I know that its not the chromebook at fault

    So changing channels on my bt hub is my next move.

    Strange that if i turn the hub off and then on again, my chromebook works ok until Ive finished with it and turn it off. Then when I want to use it again my problems start again.

    What I dont get is why my galaxy s4 is picking up the hub fine, that doesnt find my neighbours wifi first? confused.com
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    StigStig Posts: 12,446
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    #22
    Diane wrote: »
    I cant download that on my wireless chromebook, chrome isn't on their download list.

    That's why I said to download it on a PC. Don't you have a laptop PC in the house?
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    DianeDiane Posts: 1,389
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    #23
    Stig wrote: »
    That's why I said to download it on a PC. Don't you have a laptop PC in the house?

    I've only got my wireless chromebook and a wired desktop
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