# Stuck on "acquiring network address"



## Lilacdancer

I am running a Dell Inspiron 700M with Windows XP. I have been connected to my apartment's internet through a LAN cable for about a month with no problems. Yesterday I left my computer for about 10 minutes, and came back to find that it was disconnected. I tried disabling and reenabling the icon in network connections, and also tried restarting. I've also run AdAware, Spybot, and HijackThis, and come up with nothing out of the ordinary. Basically, when I enable it, it goes to "acquiring network address," and then gets stuck there for a couple minutes. Finally, it switches to "limited or no connectivity" with an error triangle icon. I've tried plugging my laptop in to my roommates' jacks, and they work fine. Unfortunately, none of them have laptops, so I can't try plugging them into my jack. But I've concluded that the problem seems to be with my computer.

I've done some Google searches, and from those results, I've tried disabling TCP-IP (even though I didn't have two TCP-IPs, I thought it was still worth a try; it didn't work though, so I put it back), using Winsockxpfix, using Dell's Driver Reset Tool, etc. I found this post here <http://forums.techguy.org/history/t-395689.html> which seems to be the same problem, but even though I went to the link that was given, I couldn't really get a clear idea of what I was supposed to do to fix it (I thought that Winsockxpfix would do it, but it didn't).

Also, I CAN currently access the internet through a wireless connection; however, it's from the cafe next door, so the connection isn't very good.

Thank you in advance for ANY help that you can provide!

-Laura


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## Lilacdancer

I've also tried choosing "repair," but then it gets stuck on "renewing your IP address," and finally tells me that the network did not assign a network address to the computer. Also, I'm not using a router, and all my apartment-mates have working internet.


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## TerryNet

"I've tried plugging my laptop in to my roommates' jacks, and they work fine."

Laura, does you laptop work with the roommates' jacks, or still can't get IP address?

Pending your answer to the above, it could be your computer, your cable, or the apartment's jack that you use. Have you eliminated your cable as a suspect, either by having a roommate use it or by borrowing a roommate's cable?
Terry


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## TerryNet

Something simple to try: go into Device Manager and uninstall your ethernet adaptor; restart, reinstall.


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## Lilacdancer

Sorry - what I meant to say was, I've tried plugging in to my roommates' jacks using their cables, and that doesn't work (still can't get IP address). However, their jacks and cables work with their computers.

I tried uninstalling and reinstalling - no dice. However, in Network Connections, it's now titled "Local Area Connection 2." There is no original Local Area Connection. Could that mean that the original exists somewhere (but doesn't show up) and is conflicting?


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## TerryNet

The '2' in "Local Area Connection 2" is of no consequence; it's really just counting the number of times you reinstalled. The original no longer exists. You can rename this one to anything you want to.

You have convinced me that you are correct about the problem being with your computer, but I have no good ideas. Some other things I would check or try ...

Right click on the connection - Properties; make sure Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) is listed and checked.

Control Panel - Administrative Tools - Services; make sure TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper and DHCP Client services are started.

Device Manager - right click on the ethernet adaptor - Properties - Advanced tab; make sure 'Link Speed & Duplex' is auto-detect (or the correct value for your network). From the General tab try the "Troubleshoot" (almost never works, but once in a while ...).

Start - Run - cmd - OK; in the command window type ping 127.0.0.1
This is a loopback test; if you don't get four responses the adaptor is probably bad and you'll need to get a new one. Or, if warranty, convince them to replace.


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## TerryNet

One other dumb thought--I have been assuming that you are supposed to "obtain IP address auto. ..."; if in fact you were assigned a static IP address, then somehow your TCP/IP Properties got messed up and you need to reset them to whatever they are supposed to be. Just trying to cover all the bases.


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## Lilacdancer

Tried all those things. Still no luck. I did get 4 responses from the loopback test.


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## JohnWill

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

For these commands, *Start, Run, CMD* 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 [log_file_name]*

*Note:* the _log_file_name_ needs to be specified, e.g. *netsh int ip reset reset.log*


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## Lilacdancer

I tried that, and restarted, and it still didn't work.


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## Toast.k

Ok lets try to isolate the problem here.

First make sure you hooked up.

open up a command prompt again.

type in ipconfig and see what it gives you, put it in here and we can see what you got so far.


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## Lilacdancer

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 2:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Autoconfiguration IP Address . . . : 169.254.65.115
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . . . :


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## tkmuthuvel

hai

how have u been getting ip address? static or through DHCP?

U had given follwing :

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 2:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Autoconfiguration IP Address . . . : 169.254.65.115
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . . . :

if u assinged this ip statically it may be in range of DHCP server.so u'r aggined ip may be assigned to some other system. so u'r getting "acquiring network address" message

so try change this ip address.

Muthuvel.K
Coimbatore .India


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## tkmuthuvel

how have u been getting ip address? static or through DHCP?

U had given follwing :

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 2:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Autoconfiguration IP Address . . . : 169.254.65.115
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . . . :

if u assinged this ip statically it may be in range of DHCP server.so u'r aggined ip may be assigned to some other system. so u'r getting "acquiring network address" message

so try change this ip address.

Muthuvel.K
Coimbatore .India



Lilacdancer said:


> I am running a Dell Inspiron 700M with Windows XP. I have been connected to my apartment's internet through a LAN cable for about a month with no problems. Yesterday I left my computer for about 10 minutes, and came back to find that it was disconnected. I tried disabling and reenabling the icon in network connections, and also tried restarting. I've also run AdAware, Spybot, and HijackThis, and come up with nothing out of the ordinary. Basically, when I enable it, it goes to "acquiring network address," and then gets stuck there for a couple minutes. Finally, it switches to "limited or no connectivity" with an error triangle icon. I've tried plugging my laptop in to my roommates' jacks, and they work fine. Unfortunately, none of them have laptops, so I can't try plugging them into my jack. But I've concluded that the problem seems to be with my computer.
> 
> I've done some Google searches, and from those results, I've tried disabling TCP-IP (even though I didn't have two TCP-IPs, I thought it was still worth a
> try; it didn't work though, so I put it back), using Winsockxpfix, using Dell's Driver Reset Tool, etc. I found this post here <http://forums.techguy.org/history/t-395689.html> which seems to be the same problem, but even though I went to the link that was given, I couldn't really get a clear idea of what I was supposed to do to fix it (I thought that Winsockxpfix would do it, but it didn't).
> 
> Also, I CAN currently access the internet through a wireless connection; however, it's from the cafe next door, so the connection isn't very good.
> 
> Thank you in advance for ANY help that you can provide!
> 
> -Laura


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## Lilacdancer

I don't know the difference between static vs DHCP. What do I need to do to change it?


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## tkmuthuvel

first i want to now u'r network model.

how many m/c is in u'r n/w???

before that try follwing method to solve u'r problem

try to give ip address which is assigned near u'r system.

u can see u'r near machine ip by follwing steps

go to RUN

type CMD or COMMAND

type IPCONFIG/ALL

now assign this ip to u'r machine

Note :U'r near system should off [sutdown] when u assinged ip to u'r system form near systems iP.

if u'r system work fine after complete this process ,Problem is now u'r currently using ip is assinged already to some one machine

check post .

Muthuvel,
Coimbatore ,India


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## TerryNet

Laura, when you connect to that wireless signal you get an IP address assigned by the network server or router or whatever they use. This is an example of DHCP or "obtain IP address auto." Your computer is trying to do the same when connecting to your apartment's ethernet network. It's failing, as you know, for reasons that we have not yet determined. Your computer then assigns an Automatic Private Internet Protocol Address (APIPA, 169.254.x.y) itself. This only works for Ad-hoc (computer to computer) networks.

If your apartment uses static IP addresses, an address that you assign "permanently" in your TCP/IP Properties, you were given an address or they set up your computer for you.

An easy check is to ask a roommate to do ipconfig /all. If that shows
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
then your apt. is NOT using static IP addresses.

If in fact, you need to set a static IP address (which your apt. will have to tell you what it is), I don't know how your computer got messed up, but at least the fix will be easy.

One unusual possibility I've thought of is that your apartment may have used something called MAC address filtering to block your computer (actually your ethernet adaptor) from accessing their network. If they did this it would have been because you were doing something they don't like, or they were trying to block somebody else and typed in the incorrect address. To check this out you'd have to talk with them. Or, if a friend has a home network powered by a router, maybe you could try connecting there. Your ipconfig /all should have shown your MAC (Physical) Address; here's mine:
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-07-E9-A8-97-06
Note that your wireless adaptor has a different MAC Address.

If Static IP is not the answer, and MAC address filtering is not the answer, I think something happened to your ethernet adaptor. If warranty, put on some quiet soothing music and prepare for some quality time on the phone with Dell. :-(
Else, with an empty PCMCIA slot, you could buy an ethernet adaptor.
Terry


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## Lilacdancer

I was just up on campus planning on using wireless internet, but then I decided I'd do a quick test and try the Ethernet connection there. And it worked! So apparently something is wrong with my apartment network, not my computer. It's after normal business hours, but I'll give them a call first thing in the morning and see what they say. Until then, I'll hold off on any more tests on my computer.


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## BKiddL

Lilacdancer - I am having the same problem with my son's computer in his apartment. From what I read your internet just started working with out any changes? Did you orginally contact the IT person at your apartments letting them know you had a problem? Do you think the apartment people finally did something and that is why it started working?


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## TerryNet

BKiddL, I think you misread Lilacdancer's post. Her computer still does not work with her apartment's ethernet; it does work with wireless and on another (on campus) ethernet connection; she hopes to talk with apartment's IT tomorrow.

Please start your own thread if you'd like help; we keep getting confused even with just one problem at a time.


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## Lilacdancer

Thanks for answering for me Terry  That's correct. Good luck BKiddL!


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## BKiddL

I do have my own thread; this one seemed to have more information so I just wanted to see if the problem was fixed - sorry for the interruption


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## shootist321

DHCP Client Service is what fixed this problem on my clients' machine.


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## whinston

I've been struggling with this, too, and have reads lots of forum posts on a number of sites about it. Clearly, lots of people experience this problem. Commonly, the problem seems to be that for some reason the computer drops the correct log in information for the network (WEP key, etc...). That is why when checking each component one by one - modem, router, wireless adapter, they all appear to work but, nonetheless, the problem persists. I fixed it by doing the following: I connected to my router and changed the SSID (the name I gave my wireless network). Then, when I restarted my computer and selected the newly named network to connect to, the computer prompted me for the log in/security information. I entered the full WEP key and it connected again! You may also be able to do this by going into control panel >> network connections then right click 'wireless network connections' and select 'properties'. On the 'wireless connections' tab, select your network from the list, click 'properties' and reenter your security key information.


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## JohnWill

Whenever you have a problem like this, one thing to do is to remove all the wireless network connections are recreate them.


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## petedownunder

Hi Just been following this thread, as I've been having a simialr problem trying to connect my laptop to my wireless network. 
The last post from Whinston did it for me. - I re entered the security key and everything sprang into life! Maybe that's your problem?


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## Pace Tech

I have seen this problem many times on customers computers. I am not sure what causes this, but i am starting to think it has to do with AOL. 

The thing that usually fixes it for me is turning back on the DHCP service in windows.
This service should always be running unless you have a static ip address, and even then its not a big deal to leave it on.

So to make sure DHCP is running go to:
Start - Control Panel - Administrative Tools - Services
Scroll down to "DHCP Client" and double click on it
Make sure "Startup type" is set to "Automatic"
Make sure "Service status:" is "Started"
If it is not click the "Start" button


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## insomniak

Lilacdancer said:


> Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 2:
> 
> Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
> Autoconfiguration IP Address . . . : 169.254.65.115
> Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
> Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . . . :


If your getting 169.254.x.x its your PC and not your router that is assigning the IP address. This is a called APIPA see : http://compnetworking.about.com/cs/protocolsdhcp/g/bldef_apipa.htm

If you are connecting with a wireless connection, check first if there are any other wireless networks in range. One of these networks "could" be affecting yours. I found that if you secure your connection, e.g. WEP will usually fix it.

sometimes running "ipconfig /renew" from a CMD line works too.


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## JohnWill

Guys, this is an ancient thread, so there are no new problems to be solved here.


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