# Solved: IP Address not Assigned by DHCP server. Eh? No Internet Connection...



## Pity_the_PCfool

Hello

I hope you guys can help me, sorry this is very long and clueless. I am not techy at all.

I have 2 PC's connected via ethernet cable to a router provided by my ISP (Orange Livebox). One PC has Windows XP (hubby's) and one has Windows 7 (mine).

Until about 2 weeks ago both PC's were working fine and no internet connection problems. We lost our connection one Friday night along with thousands of other people in our area. It was fixed on Saturday but ever since then my PC has been dropping it's internet connection but my husband's PC is working normally.

My internet connection drops and will only come back on if I unplug the router and leave it off for a minute then plug it back in. Connection then works for a few hours (usually up to 7 or 8 hours) before dropping again.

I get this error in the Event Viewer when it happens:

"Your computer was not assigned an address from the network (by the DHCP server) for the network card with network address xxlong number herexx. the following error occurred: 0x79. Your computer will continue to try and obtain an address on it's own from the network address (DHCP) server."

Have contacted the ISP "support" who sent a new Livebox and ethernet cables. I thought this had worked but lost the connection again the next day. Phoned them again and they say they will test the line and get back to me (they also said this last time). They are useless and I would change ISP but my husband is the account holder and his PC is fine, so....

When I installed the new router it came with a CD which worked on my PC, but wouldn't play on XP so hubby's PC is working OK but has no software for the new router. I have tried to access the configuration pages from his PC but it won't work (pages open very slowly and config parts are missing).

So far I have tried without success:

changing ethernet cables for known working ones
opening up PC case and checking network adapter isn't loose
ipconfig /release and renew, which gives an error message when I try to renew
the winsock fix that starts with netsh something (sorry can't remember it all and am not on my own PC obv.)
checking for newer driver for network adapter (windows says I already have it)

Device Manager shows no problems with anything.

Sorry this is so long, but I have been trying various things for nearly 2 weeks now. My useless ISP support have asked me not to re-start my router until they finish "checking the line" so I am using hubby's PC when i get the chance. He will not stand for me turning the router off and on at night as he plays poker and doesn't want his PC disconnected.

I have tried turning off the firewall too, but now have Windows telling me that my anti-virus app is managing the firewall even though I've asked it to turn off. I don't actually know if it's on or off at the moment. This is a 6 month old Dell machine and has McAffee which I don't really understand how to use.

I have been fiddling with the network settings in desperation and have no doubt caused more problems for myself, but can't seem to find anyone at my ISP support who can help. I'm frustrated beyond belief by this!

There are other error messages too, mostly DHCP and DNS stuff.

Here is the ipconfig /all from both PC's:

This is my (the non-working connection) results:

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7600]

Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Windows\system32>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : Home-PC
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
System Quarantine State . . . . . : Not Restricted (this line just appeared today! WTF?)

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom NetLink (TM) Gigabit Ethernet
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : A4-BA-DB-E2-B6-74
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::e55a:28e7:1971:a033%11(Preferred)
Autoconfiguration IPv4 Address. . : 169.254.160.51(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 245676763
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-13-7F-AC-50-A4-BA-DB-E2-B6-74

DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : fec0:0:0:ffff::1%1
fec0:0:0:ffff::2%1
fec0:0:0:ffff::3%1
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Tunnel adapter isatap.{4576D4B7-948E-4479-A524-4435DB832931}:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 11:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

C:\Windows\system32>

END OF

Here is the one that is working (hubby's XP):

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

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

Windows IP Configuration

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

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Hawking Technologies HWPG1 Wireless-
G PCI Card
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-0E-3B-08-59-82

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : NVIDIA nForce Networking Controller
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-16-17-6E-0F-DB
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.78
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : 19 November 2010 09:39:21
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : 20 November 2010 09:39:21

C:\Documents and Settings\General>

END OF

The settings that are showing on hubby's used to be the same as mine except his address was 192.168.1.78 and mine was 192.168.1.79. I have tried to manually enter these settings but nothing changed (not sure if I did it right though) and also this new router seems to have different settings to the old one, but as I can't access the configuration pages for it, I could be wrong.

I am confused.

Any thoughts?

Apologies for length and ramblingness.


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## Phantom010

Press the Windows key + R to open a Run box.

Type *services.msc*

Click OK.

Locate the *DHCP Client* service.

Double-click it.

Make sure it's *Started* and the *Startup Type* is set to *Automatic*.

If the service is already Started, try Stopping and Restarting it.


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## Pity_the_PCfool

Thanks for your reply 

It was already started and set to Automatic, but I stopped and started it again and all I got was a couple of information entries in the Event Viewer saying it had stopped and started. No change to my connection.


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## Phantom010

*Try rebooting the computer.*

If no luck,

Try the following (again if you have already tried it):

Click Start > Programs > Accessories > right-click on *Command Prompt*, select "Run as Administrator" to open a command prompt.

In the Command Prompt, type in the bold text, one command after the other, pressing Enter between each of them:

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

Reset IPv4 TCP/IP stack to installation defaults: *netsh int ipv4 reset reset.log*

Reset IPv6 TCP/IP stack to installation defaults: *netsh int ipv6 reset reset.log*

*Reboot the computer.*


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## Pity_the_PCfool

Darn, just when I find someone willing to help i have to get off this computer 

I won't be able to use this one for a few hours now due to poker, but I'll do what you suggest and come back as soon as I can. (or maybe get on my own one if it works).

Thanks again.


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## Phantom010

You're welcome!


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## Pity_the_PCfool

Back again.

I did all those netsh commands and got OK's until I got to the ipv6 one, it said "There's no user specified settings to be reset". That was in the cmd window itself, not the Event Viewer.

I re-booted after but no change to my connection.

If my ISP doesn't get back to me by tomorrow evening I'm going to re-start the router again to get some internet access. It's too inconvenient to keep trying to use this machine when my husband is using it. It's 11pm here now and I've got an early start tomorrow so we're off to bed shortly.

If I had internet access, would it make troubleshooting harder?


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## Phantom010

> ipconfig /release and renew, which gives an error message when I try to renew


What's the error message?

Is your router set with *DHCP*?


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## Pity_the_PCfool

Phantom010 said:


> What's the error message?


This is the whole thing:

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7600]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
C:\Windows\system32>ipconfig /release
Windows IP Configuration
Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::e55a:28e7:1971:a033%11
Autoconfiguration IPv4 Address. . : 169.254.160.51
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :

Tunnel adapter isatap.{4576D4B7-948E-4479-A524-4435DB832931}:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 11:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

C:\Windows\system32>ipconfig /renew

Windows IP Configuration

*An error occurred while renewing interface Local Area Connection : unable to contact your DHCP server. Request has timed out.
*
C:\Windows\system32>

Thanks


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## Phantom010

Is your router configured to use DHCP?


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## Pity_the_PCfool

Phantom010 said:


> Is your router configured to use a DHCP server?


Doh, I don't know. I can't access the router configuration pages unless I have an internet connection. Is there any other way to check?

Although this PC is working, I can't access the configuration pages on it - they just don't load properly. I can check tomorrow on my own computer if I unplug the router and plug it back in.


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## Phantom010

*How to Access Router Settings With No Internet Connection*
​


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## Pity_the_PCfool

Can't access the pages on my PC. Firefox says server not found, IE says Cannot Display Page.

On hubby's PC I finally got access, but it was so slow I thought it was about to crash. Under Network configuration it says DHCP Enabled.

The settings for ADSL and Network are different addresses, is that right?


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## Pity_the_PCfool

I cut and pasted these settings from the router pages:

Network

Enable DHCP Server: Enabled

LAN IP address: 192.168.1.1
Broadcast LAN IP address: 192.168.1.255
Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0
DHCP start address: 192.168.1.9
DHCP server end address 192.168.1.200

ADSL

WAN IP address: 95.145.56.185
Gateway: 217.47.207.250
Primary DNS server: 193.36.79.101
Secondary DNS server 193.36.79.100

I also noticed under "Dynamic DNS" it says "Server Status: Off". Is that right?


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## Phantom010

Have you tried uninstalling and reinstalling your network adapter driver?


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## Pity_the_PCfool

Phantom010 said:


> Have you tried uninstalling and reinstalling your network adapter driver?


No I haven't. Will do that next, thank you.

Off to bed now, hoping to come back tomorrow. Please don't think I'm being ungrateful! I appreciate your help very much. Goodnight


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## Phantom010

Good night!

If that doesn't help, you can try swapping network adapters to rule out failure.


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## Pity_the_PCfool

Me again 

I uninstalled the driver and reinstalled and nothing happened. That was last night. Have been out all day today and tried to connect again tonight. Did the usual unplug the router, wait a minute and plug it back in again and nothing. No connection - that's the first time that's happened.

I ran the windows network troubleshooter and it said something like check network adapter cable (it usually says reset your router). So I pushed the ethernet cable into it's port on the router and it seemed like it was loose. Then my internet connection came on.

I know what you're thinking, but these cables have been in and out and checked and pushed in dozens of times in the last 2 weeks so that wasn't the problem before - tonight is the first time that's happened. Anyhoo, I'm typing this at my own PC for now. I'm reluctant to mark this as solved because I've always been able to re-connect by turning the router off and on again, so this may be just the usual temporary connection I get when I do that.

Here is the latest ipconfig /all, does it look normal to you?

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7600]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Windows\system32>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : Home-PC
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
System Quarantine State . . . . . : Not Restricted

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom NetLink (TM) Gigabit Ethernet
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : A4-BA-DB-E2-B6-74
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::b9ad:5a94:7dd9:b965%14(Preferred)
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.79(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : 21 November 2010 00:19:44
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : 22 November 2010 00:19:44
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 396671707
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-13-7F-AC-50-A4-BA-DB-E2-B6-74

DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Tunnel adapter isatap.{149682B9-BDED-4C20-AFF1-11ACB3D04737}:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 11:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface *(EDIT TO ADD: this was marked as media disconnected in the previous ipconfig)*
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IPv6 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 2001:0:5ef5:79fd:1ca3:126d:a06e:c6bf(Preferred)
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::1ca3:126d:a06e:c6bf%12(Preferred)
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : ::
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled

C:\Windows\system32>

I've noticed that the IP addresses on here have gone back to being the same as they used to be before I had all this trouble.

Also, is swapping the network adapter the last resort? I wouldn't have a clue about choosing one that is compatible with everything else IYSWIM.

Anyway, thank you for helping me yesterday. It is very kind of you to take the trouble. Would you mind leaving this thread unsolved for now? I'd like to see if this connection lasts for more than 7 or so hours.

Thank you


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## Phantom010

Looking at your log, I can see the DHCP server is finally assigning an IP address.

You can leave your thread unsolved, I don't mind at all.


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## Pity_the_PCfool

That connection lasted an hour, a record low.

I got the usual "IP address not assigned by DHCP etc etc" in Event Viewer and I also got these:

Level Date and Time Source Event ID Task Category

Warning 21/11/2010 01:08:11 Microsoft-Windows-DNS-Client 1014 None Name resolution for the name www.stopbadware.org timed out after none of the configured DNS servers responded.

Warning 21/11/2010 01:06:35 Microsoft-Windows-DNS-Client 1014 None Name resolution for the name www.google.com timed out after none of the configured DNS servers responded.

Warning 21/11/2010 00:20:14 Microsoft-Windows-DNS-Client 1014 None Name resolution for the name updatekeepalive.mcafee.com timed out after none of the configured DNS servers responded.

Warning 21/11/2010 00:17:40 Microsoft-Windows-DNS-Client 1014 None Name resolution for the name updatekeepalive.mcafee.com timed out after none of the configured DNS servers responded.

Warning 21/11/2010 00:16:01 Microsoft-Windows-DNS-Client 1014 None Name resolution for the name updatekeepalive.mcafee.com timed out after none of the configured DNS servers responded.

Warning 21/11/2010 00:14:22 Microsoft-Windows-DNS-Client 1014 None Name resolution for the name updatekeepalive.mcafee.com timed out after none of the configured DNS servers responded.

Warning 21/11/2010 00:14:09 Microsoft-Windows-DNS-Client 1014 None Name resolution for the name watson.microsoft.com timed out after none of the configured DNS servers responded.

Warning 21/11/2010 00:10:39 Microsoft-Windows-DNS-Client 1014 None Name resolution for the name updatekeepalive.mcafee.com timed out after none of the configured DNS servers responded.

and also this:

Level Date and Time Source Event ID Task Category

Warning 21/11/2010 00:22:07 Microsoft-Windows-RPC-Events 11 None

Possible Memory Leak. Application (C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe -k LocalServiceNetworkRestricted) (PID: 116) has passed a non-NULL pointer to RPC for an [out] parameter marked [allocate(all_nodes)]. [allocate(all_nodes)] parameters are always reallocated; if the original pointer contained the address of valid memory, that memory will be leaked. The call originated on the interface with UUID ({3f31c91e-2545-4b7b-9311-9529e8bffef6}), Method number (20). User Action: Contact your application vendor for an updated version of the application.

I'm stumped.

Is replacing the Network Card the only thing left? I don't know how to choose one. I could buy another the same as this one but as it's only lasted for 6 months I'm not that confident in it.


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## Phantom010

Make sure the *DNS Client* service is *Started* and *Automatic*.

If no luck,

Try using *Google Public DNS* in your router (if possible) and computer.

Or, *OpenDNS*.


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## Pity_the_PCfool

Thanks 

I changed the DNS server addresses to the Google Public DNS ones, but only on my PC. I don't know how to change the router settings and also my hubby's PC is connected to it and his connection is OK and I don't want to do anything that might affect his connection. He would go nuts if I affected his poker playing!

Connection is working at the moment. *touch wood*

Thanks for helping me, you're very patient


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## Phantom010

Let's hope it stays that way...


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## Pity_the_PCfool

Hello again.

Well I got about 11 or 12 hours altogether from that last connection. It finally dropped this afternoon with the usual message about IP address not assigned and the other one that says DNS server not responding. It's on again now that I've unplugged/re-plugged the router.

Will I have to get a new network adapter?

Would this one work?
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Intel-Gigab...1_4?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1290354138&sr=1-4

It says it needs a PCIe slot, how do I find out if I've got one? (I know I have PCI slots but I don't know what the "e" means).

Sorry if this is the wrong place to ask.


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## Pity_the_PCfool

Haven't had the PC on every day in the last week, but also haven't had any disconnections when it's been on and also hardly any error messages in the Event Viewer (apart from McAfee saying it's Firewall has been disabled).

The only other thing I did was I disabled McAfee's firewall and am using only Windows own (my router also has it's own firewall). Still using Google's Public DNS.

Thanks for your help, it is appreciated


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