Local Area Connection doesn't have a valid IP

[lisaone]

one day about 2 weeks ago, my net stopped working just randomly. I get the error 'Local Area Connection doesn't have a valid IP' when i try to use the router, and some 'unidentified network' shows up, i cannot connect to it.

I reset everything and unplugged everything but couldnt get it to work until i unplugged from the router and plugged my computer directly to the modem. A good fix to get the net going in a pinch but it has become a real problem with me, my husband and my kids all using one computer when we're used to having our own. You cant even imagine the drama.

I've tried everything i can to fix it, usually google gets me through anything i cant fix on my own and i did come across a few other people having my problem, they all seemed to fix it by disable a bonjour process. I had the same service running but their trick to disable it didnt fix my problem, it is still exactly the same.

Another suggestion was to get rid of windows 7 driver for the network card and use the vendors own driver, tried that, made no diff either. also tried rolling back to several different times but for some reason the process failed.

i dont know what caused it, i cant remember if anything new was updated that day.. i dont think so, but im not certain, i have even gotten rid of all internet security and tried disabling windows firewall too.

I dont know what else to do but we cant go on with one working computer for much longer!!

 

[Crispy]

Use this it should help: Fix Internet Connection with Release Renew | Windows 7 Maintenance | Windows Tools, Help & Guides

 

[lisaone]

release/renew didnt work for me, after typing the renew part it hung for a lil bit then came back with "An error occurred while renewing interface Local Area Connection : unable to contact your DHCP server. Request has timed out"

I dont know what it means but im sure its more bad news.

edit: while googling the above error, i read it can mean firewall interference or damaged win7 installation. I have firewall off at the moment and i dont know how my win7 can possibly be damaged when its been running so well for several months.

 

[manhunter2826]

Which brand of router? Does the problem occur even with a fixed Ethernet connection?

 

[lisaone]

the router is Dlink 624, but i tired another router and the problem was the same, but my computer connects to the net just fine when i connect directly to the modem.

 

[manhunter2826]

^Ah, so the problem only affects wireless?

 

[Bill2]

lisaone,

looks like your router (the DHCP server) is having trouble assigning ip addresses to the computers on your network. Instead of using DHCP, just change to a static ip address on the computer you are having trouble on. You'll need to specify these settings in the TCP/IP properties of your computer. If you are not familiar with this, check out the article below.

static ip LAN - converting from DHCP

This problem first struck me in Vista, I then switched to static ips and have remained so.

 

[lisaone]

^Ah, so the problem only affects wireless?

no, when my computer is hard wired to the router (like it normally was) it doesnt work.

bill, ill try that after dinner. ty for the replies.

 

[zzz2496]

lisaone, one of the ways to troubleshoot this is to use a static IP address for your computer. If you did reset the Dlink, you can use 192.168.0.10 as your IP address and try login to Dlink's web interface (open http://192.168.0.1 in your favorite web browser). If it opens, check the "Internet" part, see it got any IP address.

zzz2496

 

[chev65]

Try this procedure in the link on the machine with the problem.

Windows 7 Unidentified Network, Limited Access, No Internet Connection Problem Resolved

 

[lisaone]

so far none of it has worked. im really getting desperate, i was considering a full format until i read that someone with my same problem reinstalled their OS and it didnt fix it.

granted they didnt do a full format, but im scared to go through all that effort for nothing, it would really be a last resort.... but im kinda there arent i.

 

[Bill2]

You can try 2 things.

1) Delete the current network, reset your router to default settings, then create a new network, absolutely new from scratch.

2) Try out a different router.

 

[lisaone]

2) Try out a different router.

done that.

How do i delete my current network? Its not even showing up when i plug back in to the router, im only getting unidentified network (which is not mine) which doesnt work and seems to be part of the problem

 

[lisaone]

well i got it working for like 5 mins today, im not even sure how really, i disabled the network card (something ive done numerous times this week) while trying something new i read on the net, i re-enabled it via network centre rather than in device manager like i usually do and for some reason it worked.

i know that disabling and re-enabling has worked for some ppl as a fix but it never did for me.

So i was connected, looked up a few website, connected to wow even. but then i got disconnected, i watched the little network icon connecting, then disconnecting, then connecting, never staying connected for more than 2 mins.

SO i give up and unplug from the router and back into the modem directly, the net works again as usual (ive been doing this on and off all week as i try to fix whatever is wrong) but then suddenly my computer shutdown out of no where.

i stared at it, kinda shocked, then it turned on again.. for a few secs, then off.. did this about 4 times before i turned off the power to it. i turned it on a few mins later and it was all ok.

now im frustrated beyond all measure. i dont know what to do! i dont know what is wrong anymore. is it possible both routers are faulty.. maybe the NIC? maybe my computer?? i dont know, im also tempted to buy a new Network card just coz i think it will help.

/desperate

 

[muxmer]

Hi guys!

I have had the same problem for a few days now, and have searched numerous forums and gone through hell and high water to fix it. nothing helped until I found the ultimate solution that will help everyone:

CALL YOUR ISP, TELL THEM WHAT HAPPENED AND THEY CAN CONFIGURE A NEW IP ADDRESS FOR YOUR CONNECTION. IT ONLY TAKES ABOUT HALF AN HOUR.

During this time you must keep your router/modem turned off, and after the ISP has fixed the problem (in my case it took half an hour) you must restart your machine with the router/modem on and connected. From then on it should be like nothing ever happened.

Just for the fun of it, here's a list of things I have tried without results:

release/renew ipconfig
restarting modem/router and computer about a zillion times
changing LAN card
creating a static IP
resetting winsock in command prompt
reinstalling Win7
reinstalling XP (I had a dual boot and I did both, losing all installations)
manually entering IP address
disabling/enabling local area connection
plugging and unplugging LAN cable
uninstalling and reinstalling LAN card driver
resetting modem/router using the reset button

And after all this, all it took was just a phone call.
This is because your ISP is THE ONLY authority when it comes to configuring your IP address. In this case, it can only be done from the outside. This is also the reason why Microsoft didn't announce any patches or fixes for this problem, because it is not their problem and responsibility.

Only one question remains, WHY is this happening? Noone has been able to answer this, and I have read tons of forum posts about it. Maybe even the guys that made Windows 7 don't know it.

I am going to copy this post on several other forums because I have seen the trouble that people are having with this problem.

If you find out why this is happening, please post it here.

 

[gibb23]

lisaone have you tried muxmer's idea? just wanting to know if it worked because i have the same problem. i can connect thru the wireless but not ethernet.