# 169 ip address



## nomad (Sep 30, 1999)

I am hooking up a NIC card on a new computer in my office (peer-to-peer) and I keep getting a 169 IP address. I have tried 3 diferent drivers and I have tried 3 different cat5 cables. I am using win98SE. I have 3 other computers hooked in to my 4 poert linksys router and they all get a 192 IP address just fine. Does any one know what this means when you get a 169 IP address and if so how to fix it. 

thanx


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## bowmar (May 30, 2003)

Found a thread similar on the following link that came up with this solution...
http://www.experts-exchange.com/Networking/Broadband/Q_20532441.html

solution: with the DSL setup, you need to look for the IP address related to the PPP or PPPoE connection 
to use for setting up anything that needs a ping-able IP Address. (NOT the Ethernet card IP Address which may very well have the MS assigned 169 number.) Your DSL Customer Service will likely not know what you are talking about or will give you the wrong info. However, if you look at Start...Programs....Verizon (or whatever DSL ISP you have) there may be an option right there that will give you what you are looking for. (might say something like 'Visual IP' or Broadband Advisor or something similar that will give you information on your DSL connection and will tell you your current ping-able IP address, whether that's a changing dynamic one or a static one.)

If using Start....Run...winipcfg (Win 95, 98) or Start...Command prompt...ipconfig/all (XP), the IP address you want is related to the PPP or PPPoE address.

If you are trying to connect to or from a Win XP computer, please keep in mind that it is very possible that your DSL setup automatically enabled the XP firewall, and you will need to find the information (from, for example, the PC Anywhere website) to open a channel (a 'service') through that firewall in order to be able to connect even if you DO have the right IP address.

IF you decide to follow one of the previous suggestions to add a router to your setup, that's fine. But you'll still need to know the current ping-able IP address to use if you wish to connect something like PC Anywhere or another remote access program. In that case, you will need to access the router itself after setting it up and get the current IP address from the WAN line. If you use the router, your ethernet card's IP address will change from the 169.xxx.xxx.xx number to a 192.168.1.100 or similar number. STILL not the one you need to have in order to use Netmeeting, PC anywhere, etc. You need the IP address coming from the DSL service, which is the WAN IP address found in the router (IF you have added a router between the DSL modem and your computer).

And THAT's the solution I found after about a MONTH of trying to resolve the same problem!


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## nomad (Sep 30, 1999)

But thats just it, I am plugged into a linksys rounter and the DHCP is set up. My other computers in my office are working fine but they are all win2k computers. Mine is a Win98se.


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## SabreWolf3 (Nov 6, 2000)

Hi Drafter,

If you haven't figured it out already, the 169.x.x.x address is coming from a Windows service called APIPA (Automatic Private IP-addressing). APIPA is a service to dynamically assign IP addresses to network clients when they can't reach the DHCP server. 

A few things could be happening to prevent you from obtaining an address from the DHCP machine. Are you excluding clients based on MAC address, or using any other filtering to prevent certain clients from attaching to your router? Also, it is possible in DHCP to only allow a certain number or range of addresses to be given out. Is your DHCP server configured like this? 

Keep us informed, we'll get you up and running soon!
--Richard


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## Bob Cerelli (Nov 3, 2002)

Have you confirmed that the network card functions in another computer. They do go bad. 

You might want to use a known working network card, cable and port on the router.

You also might want to statically enter in all the necessary IP information (just to make sure it isn't a client problem with DHCP).


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## coulterp (Oct 20, 2003)

The 169 address is obtained when the NIC cannot contact a DHCP server (and Windows allocates the 169 address as a result on the non-contact).

Usually the problem is a faulty connection: ie. faulty cable, faulty plugs on either end of cable, faulty port in NC, faulty port in router, other fault in NIC. ANd you are certainly trying to eliminate those possible causes in the right way by working through the combinations.

Are you 100% sure the NIC is good (i.e. have you tried it in another PC and got a connection).

What about the 4th port in the router, are you sure it's good? Can one of the other PCs connect thru it.


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## Bob Cerelli (Nov 3, 2002)

Isn't that what was just asked? Or didn't I say it clearly.


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## Fortch (Mar 10, 2004)

Bob, I've noticed this happens on large forums. Either people are just eager to be helpful, or they don't think anyone else can provide an answer quite like them. I like to think its the former, but , truth be told, the latter is the case more often than not. And, even when typing, some like to talk just to hear their head rattle


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## Bob Cerelli (Nov 3, 2002)

Maybe it's just looking at the first post with the problem and not taking the time to look at all the responses and suggestions. 

This often results in people posting what others have already said (for whatever reason) or making requests that have already been determined not to work. 

Maybe it's just wanting to be last on the list ;-)


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## coulterp (Oct 20, 2003)

Bob: at the time I started my response yours hadn't appeared, I got interrupted (well someone has to feed the kids) and I submitted without previewing. There's usually a valid reason for most things. 

But there I go wanting to be last in the list again!


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