Internet connection problem (1 Viewer)

Can any computer whizzes out there help me? My laptop won't connect to the Internet. It says it can recognises the modem, but can't connect to the Internet beyond it. But...
1. My iPad, which I'm typing this on, is connecting to the Internet without a problem.
2. When I ping my router's ip address from the laptop, all the packets are lost.

I've tried connecting to the modem via a LAN cable, tried different browsers and tried turning the machine and the modem on and off but all without success. I'm trying to contact my ISP at the minute, but just wondered if anyone on here had any ideas, as I suspect the problem lies with the machine, not the Internet connection.

Cheers

Thanks for the suggestion. Windows recognises the modem though, so it makes the connection - but it claims not to recognise the Internet beyond the modem. It's a complete guess (based only on something similar happening to an old computer) but I'm worried the registry may have corrupted. I wouldn't have a clue how to solve that...

Woohoo! System restore seems to have solved the problem. Latest Windows update must have corrupted something.

But it wants me to install the latest Windows updates again now...

Thanks chaps. Windows 7 machine. Did it again yesterday, downloading and installing the updates without my say so. Caused the same problem so I know it's definitely the updates. As Dutchman suggested, they have been turned off now, so it'll only do it if I say so! (I hope)
It wants to do 49 updates, 11 classed as important and 38 optional. All 5 of the "important" updates that are directed at Windows 7 relate to security updates, including one malicious software removal tool. I guess one of those updates wants to protect my machine from dangerous Internet threats by disconnecting it from the Internet entirely!