# Solved: DHCP not assigning IP



## dietcola (Oct 16, 2008)

I'm trying to connect a Dell Dimension 8250 to my local network, and it will not assign an IP address to either the wireless or the LAN. Both my wireless and my LAN networks are DHCP, and all other computers connected to both networks right now are assigning IPs and connecting to the internet just fine. I reinstalled the drivers in the Device Manager, but they were already up-to-date and that made no difference. I tried disabling the wireless and just connecting with the LAN, but it still wouldn't assign an IP. No matter what I do, I get "Limited or no connectivity." Anyone have any other ideas for me to try?

Thank you so much in advance!


----------



## ShadowProwler420 (Jun 21, 2007)

Open up the Services console (either via Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Services or open a Run line/box and type in *services.msc*) and select "DHCP Client" and restart it (either via the right click context menu or the link to the left).


----------



## dietcola (Oct 16, 2008)

Great idea, but no dice. I followed your directions and am still having the same problem. Thank you, and let me know if you you have any other suggestions!


----------



## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

What's the Startup Type for the Dhcp client service, and is it still running?

Please try to connect both ethernet and wireless and show ...

*Start, Run, CMD, OK* to open a command prompt:
(For Vista type *CMD* in the Search box after *Start*)

Type the following command:

*IPCONFIG /ALL*

[Note that there is no space between the slash and ALL.]

Right click in the command window and choose *Select All*, then hit *Enter*.
Paste the results in a message here.

If necessary use a text file and removable media to copy the results to a computer with internet access.


----------



## dietcola (Oct 16, 2008)

Thanks for your help. Here's the info:

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\Paul>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

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

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) PRO/100 M Network Connectio
n
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-07-E9-EF-9F-AD
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration IP Address. . . : 169.254.42.255
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection 2:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : D-Link WDA-2320 Desktop Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-19-5B-79-E5-EB
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration IP Address. . . : 169.254.96.149
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :

C:\Documents and Settings\Paul>

Please let me know what else you need.


----------



## ShadowProwler420 (Jun 21, 2007)

Try flushing the DNS then renew your IP.

To do so, type *ipconfig /flushdns* at the command line.

Then *ipconfig /release* followed by *ipconfig /renew*.


----------



## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

First try the repairs at the end of this post. If they don't get you working after a reboot, consider the next two paragraphs.

Since you have checked the Dhcp client service and both connections are failing to find a Dhcp server it may be a non-Windows firewall that got misconfigured and is blocking everything. Sometimes this seems to happen during a firewall update or a Windows update.

Another test you can do is Safe Mode with Networking. If you can connect this way we know it is software (e.g., firewall) that is the problem.

(From a JohnWill post)

*TCP/IP stack repair options for use with Windows XP with SP2 or SP3.*

*Start, Run, CMD, OK* to open a command prompt.

Reset WINSOCK entries to installation defaults: *netsh winsock reset catalog*

Reset TCP/IP stack to installation defaults. *netsh int ip reset reset.log*

Reboot the machine.


----------



## dietcola (Oct 16, 2008)

Tried it; still no cigar. Thanks, and keep 'em coming! =)


----------



## jonvan (Oct 9, 2008)

You could manually set the IP and DNS to make sure it isn't an issue with the hardware. That would help be 100% certain it is a DHCP issue.

Is DHCP being served by a server or a router?

Is it possible you have too many clients using DHCP? Not sure the size of your network, but if you have a lot of users perhaps there isn't room for another client to get an IP. If this is the case and you could increase the amount of IPs available via DHCP.


----------



## dietcola (Oct 16, 2008)

Good thought. I know the issue has to be with the actual computer, not my network. (There's very little chance that both the wireless and the LAN networks in my environment would both start having issues at the same time anyway, but I also tried the computer in a completely different network, different building, etc., and it had the same problem.)

I think that responds to the latest post, but let me know if I'm missing something.


----------



## jonvan (Oct 9, 2008)

Definitely sounds like a computer issue if you've tried it in another environment and had the same results. I'd run out to your local vendor and pickup a new NIC for about $15.

I guess alternatively you could try a NIC from another computer before purchasing one.

Even that might be a stretch since both the wireless and wired networks are not working properly.

Try the manual address assignment and let us know if that helps.


----------



## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

> Tried it


ShadowProwler420 and I suggested 4 things to try in posts # 6 and 7. Just for the record, which of those is the antecedent of "it"?


----------



## dietcola (Oct 16, 2008)

Yeah, I think it's got to be a software or OS issue. I can't imagine the NIC and wireless card would both go out at the same time, so I'm doubting that hardware is the problem.

I manually entered an IP as you suggested for my LAN connection. (Wireless is disabled for now.) The LAN now says that it's connected, but no packets are being sent or received.

Thanks! What else?


----------



## dietcola (Oct 16, 2008)

Sorry, TerryNet--I just now saw your first post. My "tried it" referred to the suggestions in ShadowProwler's post preceding yours. I'll try your suggestions now.


----------



## jonvan (Oct 9, 2008)

When you have the connection manually entered try to ping a server.

Start->Run
Type cmd
Click OK
Type ping google.com
Or you can try to ping the router's IP, usually 192.168.1.1.
Push enter, let us know if there is a reply.


----------



## dietcola (Oct 16, 2008)

*jonvan*: I manually entered the IP and tried pinging both www.google.com and the IP of my server (I think). Neither worked, but I think that makes sense given that no packets are being sent or received. I didn't spend too much time figuring out the IP of my server for that reason, but I tried the default one you recommended and 192.168.0.1, since the IP I entered was 192.168.0.224.

*TerryNet*: After removing the manually entered IP, I reset the WINSOCK entries and the TCP/IP stack through the cmd prompt as you instructed, and that didn't make a difference. I thought you might have been onto something with the external firewall (I have McAfee on this machine), so I tried booting in Safe Mode with Networking, but it still wasn't able to renew the IP address. Windows Firewall has been turned off from the get-go, so that's not the issue.

I have Service Pack 3, by the way, if that makes any difference to any of this. Do you think a Windows repair is the next step?

Thank you, everyone, so far!


----------



## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

I'd first find out if McAfee is causing the problem. Here is how to get rid of it, and then invite it back if you desire.


----------



## dietcola (Oct 16, 2008)

That was it!! I thought booting in Safe Mode with Networking would have gone around McAfee, but ya learn something new everyday.

Thank you!!! All of your help is extremely appreciated!


----------



## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

You're welcome. Often (most times?) firewalls don't bother Safe Mode with Networking. But, as you discovered, there are exceptions. Thank goodness for the removal tools supplied by Symantic and McAfee for their products.

If you want to continue using McAfee you can probably reinstall and configure it and it will be fine.

You can mark this "Solved" using the button at the upper left of your 1st post.


----------



## Jason08 (Oct 13, 2008)

I haven't had any problems like that, but that does get me a little worried, as I do have McAfee as my software firewall.


----------



## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

So, Jason08, maybe you want to bookmark that link I gave in post # 17.  I think it does not happen often that a firewall/security suite gets messed up like that; but it's good to know what to do to test for it and fix it.


----------

