DHCP Being a pain on ONE pc in my wireless network.

I have a wireless network for all my homes computers. The network is on my main desktop which runs winxp, a linksys router, and my cable modem. All the computers are assigned DHCP ip numbers. On all but one computer things are working. The computer I am having a problem with cannot get the DHCP ip number on load up, it gets it's own ip address beginning with a 169.xxx.xx instead of the 192.xxx.10x which is what the DCHP gives out. Now, with this number my computer cannot surf the internet or anything. The only way I get access to the internet and get my DCHP number to come up is if I unplug the usb plug of the wireless adapter I have and plug it back in, then all is well. I have no clue what is going on and I have reformatted this computer and the problem is still there. The only difference I know of with this computer that doesn't work is that it is the only computer that networks with the main computer for it's printer and to share files. Please can anyone think of something? Thanks!

*pamela*

 

A 169 ip is a windows private automactily assigned address. It means windows can't find a dhcp server. Instead of unplugging the usb adapter to to repair the connection if using xp and tell me if that then finds the dhcp server. Also log in to the router interface (which should be 192.168.1.1 user name admin password admin) and make sure that the amount of users for dhcp is set to more then the number of computers you have on the network.

 

additionally , make sure that the DHCP service is started.

 

thank you for your quick reply. My home network only has 3 computers, and I have the limit set to 20. Plus DHCP is started in windowsxp services. This one computer is the ONLY computer that has this problem ever

 

One quick thing I noticed, I get a DHCP number for about 3 seconds at first, although it takes about 20 seconds from load up to appear... THEN 3 seconds later the number changes to the private ip 169.xxx.xxx.

 

Where are you getting the DHCP, from the router or your main PC?

 

The DHCP # is setup through my router's 192.168.1.1 page that is attached to my main computer. I have the options all ready for it to automatically give each computer a DHCP number. Everything HAD worked in the past but for the last few months it hasn't been working for the one computer I have problems with.

 

Check the event log and see if there are any errors related to dhcp in there (assuming your using XP/2000).
I would try swapping out the network adapter in the suspect pc, to see if it makes a difference. You could have a faulty NIC.

Scott
http://www.AAApcMechanic.com

 

Well, I checked the routers setup webpage and there is only an option for logs of incoming and outgoing, and everything was blank I will try to switch wireless usb adapters. I am not using a NIC card on the computer that is having a problem, none of my other computers have a NIC card except for the main computer with the router. If that is not the problem, I have no clue what is wrong.

 

Alright, the problem is fixed! I went searching networking message boards until I found someone who had the same problem. Someone posted telling them to download Winsockxpfix.exe ... I used it and it worked! I get the 192.168.1xx address on boot up that I should be getting instead of the 169.xxx.xxx private address I appreciate the time everyone took to help me out.