# Local Area Connection: Unable to Contact DHCP Server.



## omegasnk (Jul 31, 2007)

Hey all,

I'm sorry to waste everyone's time, I searched the internet and couldn't find a solution to my problem.

I recently received my older brother's XPS Gen 5 Desktop with Windows XP SP2 and using the packaged software reformatted the hard drive. I then downloaded all the Dell Drivers to make the computer recognize the Broadcom Ethernet Adapter.

With it came no wireless adapter so I've been using a a local area connection to connect the desktop to the internet. This worked before I reformatted, but now I have the "Limited or No Connectivity" local area connection problem. When I tried releasing and renewing the desktop, it said "An error occurred while renewing interface Local Area Connection 2: unable to contact your DHCP server. Request has timed out." I'm stuck here. Can anyone help me out?

Here are the two ipconfig /all reports:
Desktop: Dell XPS Gen 5 Windows XP SP2
ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : base
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 2:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom NetXtreme 57xx Gigabit Cont
roller
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-12-3F-6C-3A-58
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration IP Address. . . : 169.254.191.126
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :

Laptop : Dell Latitude D600 Windows XP SP2
ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : MOBILE
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : Yes
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : Yes
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : hsd1.ma.comcast.net.

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : hsd1.ma.comcast.net.
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 2200BG Network
Connection
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-0E-35-34-BF-EE
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.106
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 68.87.71.226
68.87.73.242
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Tuesday, July 31, 2007 1:59:56 AM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Wednesday, August 01, 2007 1:59:56 A
M

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 2:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom 570x Gigabit Integrated Con
troller
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-0F-1F-B3-CF-9A
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration IP Address. . . : 169.254.55.16
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :


Thank you all for your help in advance.

*edited: accidentally submitted early.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Hmm... You appear to have a good connection through the wireless adapter that you told us you didn't have. 

Please supply the following info, *exact models* of the equipment please.

The name of your ISP and country of residence.
Make/model of the broadband modem. If dial-up, please specify.
Make/model of the router (if any).
Connection type, wired, wireless.
Make/model of network card or wireless adapter.
Make/model of your computer (motherboard if home-built).
Version and patch level of Windows on all affected machines, i.e. XP-Home SP2.


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## Bob Cerelli (Nov 3, 2002)

Since you already said you were using a wireless connection, actually it looks like your wireless has a good connection but the wired "Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 2:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom 570x Gigabit Integrated Con
troller
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-0F-1F-B3-CF-9A
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration IP Address. . . : 169.254.55.16
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0"

does not, which relates to your error message.

So if you are only using the Wireless, then that would be expected regardless of the country you are from. The router wouldn't matter either if you are not connected to it with a wired connection. That network card simply couldn't get an IP address assigned since it is not connected to your router.

If it bothers you that much you can temporarily disable the network card. But I would just leave it since you can get to the Internet since it might cause other problems later if you decide to use the wired connection and forget you disabled it.


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

Neither your desktop nor laptop can get a dynamic IP configuration when connected via ethernet, right? At least that's what your two ipconfigs seemed to say.

First I suggest unplugging/shutting down everything, then plug in modem first, router second, and then boot computers.

Try all the different LAN ports on the router; and make sure you are using good cables.


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## Bob Cerelli (Nov 3, 2002)

The wireless is on the laptop not the Desktop with the probelm.

It looks like the Laptop : Dell Latitude D600 Windows XP SP2 - is getting an valid IP address assigned through the wireless network card. It is not getting one assigned on that computer's wired adapter since it is not connected. That is to be expected.

Since the Desktop "before I reformatted", and the modem and router works now for your laptop with the wireless, could it be that you need to install drivers for the Broadcom NetXtreme 57xx Gigabit Cont in the Dell XPS Gen 5 desktop?


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