WiFi problem?

Cursayer · 01 Sep 2010

nickiler said:

Check your network card for Alternate Configuration settings. This is in your network cards Properties -> IPv4 -> Alternate Configuration tab

This could explain why your automatically changing IP's settings. You can also be having problems with the DHCP service of your router. It is responsible for assigning you your IP address. Once you have an IP address it is recorded in DNS along with the hostname of your computer.The nslookup command will relate your name and IP.

If you just set the IP as static you should be OK.

ip -
192.168.0.108

mask -
255.255.255.0

gateway -
192.168.0.1

dns -
I always recommend setting the ISP's dns here if possible but you can use the default gateway - 192.168.0.1

Long term you may need a router firmware upgrade or rule out the network card and the router.

Nick

Thanks, you fixed it.

nickiler · 01 Sep 2010

Glad to help.

Nick

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk

**cluberti** · 01 Sep 2010

Well, you've not fixed it, you've masked the problem if you just specify the IP address. If that's OK with the OP, then fine, but you've not "fixed" anything - you've just removed the symptom. The real question is - why is the client machine getting a gateway, DHCP server, and DNS address of 192.168.0.2 first, and then 192.168.0.1 afterwards? Are these both the same hardware giving out bad addresses, or are there two devices on the network giving out DHCP (but only one is actually attached to the internet connection)?

Cursayer, would you be able to do the following to confirm this:

Download and install wireshark (take all default options)
Release (do not renew) your IP address
Disconnect the network cable from the network card
Reboot
Log in, and start wireshark capturing against your network card
Reconnect the network cable, so wireshark captures the first DHCP offer.
Verify you have a 192.168.x.x IP address, and also a gateway and DNS server configuration of 192.168.0.2 (as seen in the first screenshot)
Run the ipconfig /release command
Save the Wireshark network capture as "before.cap", and start a new capture
Run the ipconfig /renew command
Verify you have a 192.168.x.x IP address, and also a gateway and DNS server configuration of 192.168.0.1 (as seen in the second screenshot)
Save the Wireshark network capture as "after.cap", and close Wireshark

Zip up the two .cap files, and post them.

nickiler · 01 Sep 2010

If this occurs with another system then his router it to fault. Otherwise he has a driver problem with his current nic card or some sort of nic misconfiguration.

Also to find out if their is another system acting as a DHCP server just turn off the DHCP service in your router. If you get an assigned ip then you do have another DHCP. This is unlikely in a home as most people have one router on their LAN.

Type nslookup google.com on your command prompt.

This will expose the responding DNS server handling DNS.

Nick

Cursayer · 07 Sep 2010

I exchanged my laptop because there was a cheaper one, and now the IP address I am getting is "169.254.x.x", how do I fix this?

TooCrooked · 08 Sep 2010

cluberti should get a kick out of this.

FYI, when you get that address, known as APIPA, it means that your computer didn't get a response from the DHCP server when it sent out a DHCP request broadcast. getting that address typically means that either the DHCP server heard your request and for whatever reason purposefully refused to give your laptop an address or that your laptop simply didn't have a properly configured path in which to send the broadcast to the DHCP server (the server never got the request so it couldn't respond).

i would speculate that if there's an issue with your WIFI security and you have invalid/wrong information in your security configuration on the laptop that it couldn't get an IP address because it couldn't actually attach to the WIFI network. that's speculation though, because it's also possible that you'd never even get as far as requesting an address without having the proper network key configuration anyway. i'm sure someone can clue me in..

nickiler · 08 Sep 2010

What happens if you plug directly into the modem using Ethernet? If you get an IP address then your DHCP is working fine. You need to look at your Wireless settings.

Even if you need to reset the router and reconfigure it you would still get DHCP. Most routers come with DCHP enabled by default. This makes them plug and play for the most part. Don't reset the router if this is DSL without having the correct PPPoE settings before hand.

If that does not work I would demand my ISP (Shaw Cable) send a replacement unit ASAP.