# Mac Internet "Self-Assigned IP" Problem (Ones And For All)



## IanEColeman

Many of us know about the mysterious Self-Assigned IP problem that has been plaguing helpless Mac owners for so long. Anyone who comes across this problem, and searches for forums and guides to the problem, will find two things.

One: that its not an uncommon problem.

Two: No one really knows how to fix it. :down:

There are many forums where, after solutions that arent especially user friendly, many users will post that a given solution worked. However none of the solutions work for everyone, and so far all of them seem to be only temporary fixes.

HERE ARE THE COMMON SYMPTOMS: 

> Your internet doesnt work (message: You are not connected to the Internet.)

> You ARE connected to the router wirelessly, but the router isnt providing you internet.

> Other computers on the same router, are receiving the same wireless internet, but have no problem connecting to the internet.

> Under System Preferences > Network > Advanced > TCP/IP. Your IPv4 Address is 169.254.211.79 (or something similar).

> When you check your IP address on another computer hooked to the same router (use: http://www.ip-adress.com/), your IP address is nothing like the one being assigned. 

> Resetting your router solves the problem for a short time, or does nothing at all.

> The problem may have occurred even after youd been using your computer normally for months on the exact same router.

COMMON SUGGESTED SOLUTIONS: 

> Reset the Router (for me did not work = X) - Im not the only one using this network at any given time, its not a real option to inconvenience everyone else constantly. Sometimes however resetting the router is said to work - but it may need to be done every time you shutdown your computer and lose the IP (or something) - so its not a real solution in that case - anyway it never worked for me.

>Turn your AirPort On/Off (X)

>Network Diagnostics (X)

>Disconnect/ Reconnect to your Network (X)

> Check your cables (X)

> Under Safari > Reset Safari (X)

> Under Safari > Empty Cache (X)

> Manually set your IPv4 Address to the one matching your home IP from the router. (X)
- can be done under System Preferences > Network > Advanced > TCP/IP > Using DHCP (switch that using the toggle to Using DHCP with manual address and then input the IP address provided by ip-adress.com (or a similar website))

> Under System Preferences > Network > Advanced > Proxies. At the bottom uncheck the box for Use Passive FTP Mode (PASV) (X)

> Call Apple Support (I didnt try this one, but by all accounts they act like the problem is new to them, and tell you to wipe your hard drive) - I dont have time for this (involves backing up files and reconstructing your computer), I doubt many people do.

> Remove your batteries and hardware and restart and shutdown and restart again ( Never tried this - it seems pointless and risky, since Macs arent especially hardware accessible) 
FROM WHAT I CAN TELL:

>Its a good idea to make sure that your IPv6 is set to Automatically? (Maybe Im wrong)?

>Under System Preferences> Network> Advanced> DNS. You want the DNS Servers: and Search Domains: boxes to be empty? (Maybe Im wrong)?
　
 Synopsis: I really dont know what to do. College is starting in about a week, and I really dont want to have no internet/ be relegated to my terrible Dell Inspiron family catastrophe (as I am now). I feel cheated because my mac isnt cheap, and it fails at the most fair to expect task for a computer today: browsing the internet. Im finding people telling me that I need to buy a new router well why? Apparently its out of date and the mac wants faster response from the wireless router? Well than why does every other device in my house have no problem with it (iPod Touch, Dell Inspiron 1520, 10 year old garbage pc laptop, PS3)? Is the problem my router being a third party router? Or at the heart of it, is this apples fault, for marketing a product that is incompatible with other basic hardware, and is fundamentally a failure at being a computer? I love macs - I now find PCs incredibly difficult to work on - so poorly designed, slow, and difficult to type and use the touch pad on. I miss the two finger scroll and my window options being on the top left instead of the top right; but since my Mac cant use the perfectly good internet connection being provided to it, I have no choice but to use a blasphemous PC running Vista as an operating system! 

 I think its time we really put the pressure on to solve this problem (whether that means really figuring it out, or getting mac to answer for this unacceptable error in their products). All I want is my relatively brand new computer to work again. Here are my computers relevant specs ( if anyone wants more they can ask): 

 Mac OS X

Version 10.6.4
Processor 2.26 Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo
Memory 2 GB 1067 Mhz DDR3
Model Name: MacBook
Model Identifier: MacBook6,1

Ethernet:
Type: Ethernet Controller
Location: /System/Library/Extensions/IONetworkingFamily.kext/Contents/PlugIns/mvenet.kext
Version: 2.0.15

AirPort:
Card Type: AirPort Extreme (ox14E4, 0x93)
Supported Channels and Network channel are compatible. 
Network:
PHY Mode: 802.11
Security: None (since I already impute the WEP security password)

No one else being picked up has the same Signal/Noise: -46 dNm/ -96 dBm.
Firewall: Allow all incoming connections
Firewall connections and Stealth Mode: both no.
BLUE TOOTH DUN:
IPv4 Configuration Method: PPP

PPP:
The following are set to "yes":
Redial Enabled, Disconnect on Fast User Switch, Disconnect on Idle, Disconnect on Logout, Disconnect on Sleep, IPCP compression VJ.

LCP Echo Failure: 4
Disconnect on Idle Timer: 600
Ethernet:
Configure Method: DHCP
Proxies: *.local,169.254/16
ALL PROXIE OPTIONS = NO (Bypass proxy settings for these Host & Domains: BLANK) (Use passive = tried both on and off = no effect)
ETHERNET SET TO CONFIGURE AUTOMATICALLY
802.1X = ALL BLANK
WINS: NetBIOS Name: MACBOOK-0058D2
DNS tab = BLANK

<TCP/IP>
Configure IPv4: Using DHCP
IPv4 Adress: 169.254.211.79
Subnet Mask: 255.255.00 DHCP Client ID: BLANK

Configure IPv6: Automatically
Router: BLANK
IPV6 Address: BLANK
Prefix Length: BLANK
　
　
ROUTER and MODEM:
Linksys - Cisco wireless G band Router
Comtrend CT-301-ADSL Modem 
Light indicates: Power(Y) Alert(N) Activity(N) Lan Link(Y) ADSC Link(Y)


This is all that I think should matter. Can anyone help? Lets think about this. What is causing the problem? Is it hardware or software? Where is the problems? Are they in the computers or the routers? We know they arent in the routers since the routers work fine with other computers. The problem must be related to getting the computers AirPort to recognize the IP address being provided by the Router... right? 

Ps. I know most of the info is irrelevant, but Im not that good with computers and I just want to provide as much info as possible. :up:


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## Headrush

I guess no one else here is having that issue.

Problem is there are so many things it could be. You CAN'T assume it's not the router just because other computers are working. Unfortunately all routers, computers, and devices aren't always on the same page when it comes to implementation and specs of networking standards. I have seen many times where some computer work flawless with a specific router yet others disconnect constantly.

My suggestion would be to manually set your IP address to an address in your subnet for your LAN. Also in the DNS section add the IP addresses to the DNS servers provided by OpenDNS. (www.opendns.com)
Make sure you put the IP (LAN side) of your router in the router field.

Doing this you can eliminate DHCP and by using ping and traceroute see where the issues are likely occurring.


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## andru08

It looks like your DHCP server isn't handing out a valid IP to you.

Make sure you are connecting with the correct network interface. I am assuming you want to connect wirelessly.

Go to Apple Menu>System Preferences>Network. 

When you're there make sure Airport is listed first and that it has a green light to the left of it and it says Connected.

The status should be Connected. Below the connected word you will be given the information pertinent to the wireless router you have connected to: For instance:
Airport is connected to blah and has the IP address 192.168.1.x or something similar.

The network name should also be displayed.

If not, then you haven't connected to you wireless router.

And when you aren't connected to a DHCP server, the Mac will self-assign an IP.

Questions:

1. What is the name of your wireless network?
2. What IP address range is it handing out?
3. Did you make sure that MAC address filtering isn't turned on, on the wireless router? If it is, and your MacBook Pro's MAC address isn't on the allowed list then the router will not hand an IP address to your MacBook Pro.


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## jkc313

I'm no expert. When I moved to larger home in 2007 moved a router with me and my Comcast cable modem. Had problems initially and my IT friend got me to buy a Belkin router. Same thing, every 2-3 days router would trip and no internet. I'm not sure what caused this nor am I sure it's an IP address problem but after purchasing a Macbook and having to run downstairs every 2 days to reboot the router and computer I went ahead and spent the money on Airport Extreme and for over 18 months have had no problems. I must have tried 5 routers and wish I'd just bought the Apple product to begin with. Although I know little as to IT, I've had home computers for 20 years and one thing I've noticed is regardless what company's computer you buy (Dell, Apple,Compac,IBM,HP etc) your computer works better if you buy that company's additional products. I only buy Apple products now, except RAM which I get from Crucial, and my 3 Macs work great and the 16 year old's Dell laptop has no problems with Apple products


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## andru08

Yes, I would also recommend Apple Airport Extremes to use as wireless routers. They are some of the best and most reliable routers money can buy. Very rarely would you need to reset one. You can just turn it on configure it and forget about it. It just works, and very well too.


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