Seriously though....my laptop will connect to my wifi router but then says it is not connected to the internet, despite the other devices connected to the same router being internet savvy...it seems to be happening on any new device I try to add to the router - connects to the device but says internetz not available. If I connect via ethernet it works just fine.

Helpez moi, Obi Wan....you're my only hope.

Something to do with the IP address assignment process of your laptop (dynamic and static address setting, and all that). Do reboot the router and modem by turning everything off and back on again, and see if he can rediscover/reassign an address for the laptop?

(I'm not very knowledgeable about these things, so that's about it for me -- but when you have a connection, and only one device can't see the internet, it's usually related to the IP address).

pffft !

This explanation is too high-tech. I need a flow-chart with arrows and bold print.

Is it Vista? They have had issues with that.

Do you know how to login to your router? What model is it?

I have a laptop that does this occasionally. Recycling the router usually fixes it.

I always put in the DNS settings on my pcs manually. Feel it helps.

It is Vista, as it happens, but the other computer that the same thing is now happening with is Windows 7.

Sorry I haven't replied to any of these before now, guys! I almost forgot I'd asked the question, and haven't had a chance to try even the simplest solutions. I'll give them a go in a couple of days and see how I get on (got to take Gwyn to the Dr Who Experience in Cardiff tomorrow, and lots of other holiday-related things going on). I appreciate the assistance though!