^^ Not necessarily true, as it can be how his computer is interacting with his router\network which doesn't present on other networks. When I went through the same thing, before resolution, the laptop would behave as the OP's but I could connect at other places and other devices could connect at home, which ruled out the router\network solely. Even more weird, I could use the home network when using a VM on the affected host, but not the host itself.