# Solved: Unable to connect to the internet - 169.254



## interweb (Jul 7, 2010)

Hi,

I live in a appartment block that has free wifi for residents. I have two laptops both of which worked perfectly connecting to the internet until two days ago when one would no longer connect and each time I tried I got a LIMITED OR NO CONNECTIVITY box in the wireless icon.

The problem seems to be that I'm not getting any other IP address other than 169.254...

I've tried a number of things to fix this that I've seen on forums. 

One thing I tried was to go to the command prompt and run a IPCONFIG/ALL - IPCONFIG/RELEASE - IPCONFIG/RENEW. When I try and renew I get a UNABLE TO CONTACT DHCP SERVER reply. 

Can anyone help with this? my other laptop works fine. I've not made any changes to my laptop it just stopped working two days ago and its a really annoying!

I even tried to connect to a different network and it still had teh same problem. 

Would appreciate any input 

D


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## pedroguy (Jan 28, 2001)

Hi.Can I see this from the failing laptop and from the good one ?
Start, Run, CMD, OK to open a command prompt:
(For Vista or 7 type CMD in the Search box after Start)



In the command prompt window that opens, type the following command:

Note that there is a space before the /ALL, but there is NOT a space after the / in the following command.

IPCONFIG /ALL

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

If you are on a machine with no network connection, use a floppy, USB disk, or a CD-RW disk to transfer a text file with the information to allow pasting it here.

The 169. address ,is as you probably know means that your adapter is not getting a good network address assigned by the dhcp server,usually a mode or router.
Could be caused by a number of different things so that's why I would like to see the ipconfigs


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Remove all the stored wireless network profiles and search again for the network.

How to Remove Stored Wireless Network Profiles for XP, Vista, and Windows 7


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## pedroguy (Jan 28, 2001)

Well,that was one of the things I was thinking about,I just did not want to reveal everything at the same time


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

I'm only revealing one thing.


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## interweb (Jul 7, 2010)

Hi - thanks for your help so far - I will try that suggestion - info below

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.
C:\Documents and Settings\Dan>ipconfig /all
Windows IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : DanComp
 Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 2200BG Network
Connection
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-0E-35-1F-1D-08
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration IP Address. . . : 169.254.178.204
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :
C:\Documents and Settings\Dan>


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## pedroguy (Jan 28, 2001)

Ok:Still need ipconfig from good laptop,but in the mean time,here are some things to try.
Stack repair for XP and Vista.
Courtesy of Johnwill of the Networking forum.



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

Start, Run, CMD to open a command prompt:

In the command prompt window that opens, type the following netsh commands..

Reset TCP/IP stack to installation defaults, type: netsh int ip reset reset.log

Reset WINSOCK entries to installation defaults, type: netsh winsock reset catalog

Reboot the machine.


To obtain dns and ip address automatically XP

Select Start > Settings > Network Connections.
&#8226;	Double-click the Connection icon of the connection you wish to modify to open the Local Area Connection Status window.
&#8226;	Click the Properties button to open the Local Area Connection Properties window.
&#8226;	Click to highlight Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).
&#8226;	Click the Properties button to open the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Properties window.
&#8226;	TCP/IP Properties window, IP Address tab
&#8226;	Select Obtain an IP address automatically.
&#8226;	Select Obtain DNS server address automatically.
&#8226;	Click OK to return to the Local Area Connection Properties window.
&#8226;	Click OK to return to the Network Connections window.

And let's have a look at the network adapters and make sure that all necessary networking services are active.:

Hold the Windows key and press R, then type devmgmt.msc

Please respond to all the following steps.
1.	Under Network adapters, please tell me all the devices listed.
2.	Are there any devices under Network adapters that have a red x displayed?
3.	Also, are there any devices anywhere in the Device Manager display with yellow ? or ! displayed?





Check your Services are Started on all PCs: 
&#8226;	COM+ Event System (for WZC issues)
&#8226;	Computer Browser
&#8226;	DHCP Client
&#8226;	DNS Client
&#8226;	Network Connections
&#8226;	Network Location Awareness
&#8226;	Remote Procedure Call (RPC)
&#8226;	Server
&#8226;	TCP/IP Netbios helper
&#8226;	Wireless Zero Configuration (XP wireless configurations)
&#8226;	WLAN AutoConfig (Vista wireless configurations)
&#8226;	Workstation

Note: You can check the services in Control Panel, Administrative Tools, Services.

All of these services should be started, and their startup type should be automatic (or perhaps manual).

If a service is not running, open it's properties and check the dependencies. Check each of the dependencies and see which one is preventing the service from running. Checking the event log is also a good idea here, there may be clues to what is failing. 
__________________


Also,when this stopped working,any hardware/software changes ?
Just for info right now,do you have a restore point available before the wireless went south?


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## interweb (Jul 7, 2010)

Hi - I will try all of the above. I've tried the restore option and it didnt work I went back a month. - Thanks


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## interweb (Jul 7, 2010)

No hardware or software changes as I recall either


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## interweb (Jul 7, 2010)

Ok so here goes...

1. I removed stored wirless networks - still not working 
2. I did the TCP/IP stack repair and reset - still not working 
3. DNS and IP obtain addresses automatically - settings fine already 
4. Network Adaptors as follows:

Intel(R) PRO/100 VE Network Connecton (note this has a red X through it)
Intel(R) PRO/wireless 2200BG Network Connection 

Nothing in Device Manager has a yellow ? or !

5. Services as follows
- COM +Eent System - Started and manual 
- Computer Browser - started and manual 
- DHCP client - Started and manual 
- DNS client - started and manual 
- network connections - started and manual 
- network location awareness - started and manual 
- remote procedure call (RPC) - not started and dependent on workstation 
- server - started and manual 
- TCP/IP Netbios helper - started and manual 
- wireless zero configeration - started and manual 
- WLAN autoconfig - N/A i'm not using vista
- Workstation - started and manual 

I can't find the event log you suggested checking?

Thanks


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## pedroguy (Jan 28, 2001)

Start RPC.You have workstation started.
Never mind.This is the second rpc,locator.
My other though is,could your internet provider have limited you to one ipaddress somehow?
Let's see an ipconfig from the working laptop.
And did you take John's suggestion to delete wireless profiles and re-log onto your network ?


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## interweb (Jul 7, 2010)

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.
C:\Documents and Settings\danielto>ipconfig/all
Windows IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : tra-pre-40170
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . : domain1.linked.co.uk
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : domain1.linked.co.uk
linked.co.uk
co.uk
Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom 802.11b/g WLAN
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-21-00-26-FE-D1
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.5
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : 08 July 2010 23:35:34
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : 11 July 2010 23:35:34
Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) 82562GT 10/100 Network Conn
ection
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-1F-29-91-97-91
Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection 3:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : GlobeTrotter GI41x - Network Interfa
ce #2
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-F1-D0-00-F1-D0
Ethernet adapter Bluetooth Network:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Bluetooth LAN Access Server Driver
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-21-86-0D-8D-3C
C:\Documents and Settings\danielto>


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## interweb (Jul 7, 2010)

Above from working laptop


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## pedroguy (Jan 28, 2001)

And you removed wireless profiles and tried to re-log onto your network.?


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## interweb (Jul 7, 2010)

yes i've removed them and tried again without joy...i'eva also now started RPC


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## interweb (Jul 7, 2010)

should i enable all network adaptors - see email above (red cross)?


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## pedroguy (Jan 28, 2001)

No.That is the ethernet connector I believe.


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## pedroguy (Jan 28, 2001)

Maybe your provider is providing only one connection

Let's try this:
Control panel/network connections/right click on the wireless network and select properties.Go to tcip and select properties
Instead of obtaining automatically the ip address and dns addrress,let's try thisut in these addresses.

P Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.6
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1

For dns server:
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
Then ok out of all panels.
Let's see an ipconfig /all after that.
If it does not work go back in and re-set everything to auto acquire.
This will probably not work,but just curious


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Why are all your network services set to manual? That's not the default settings for most of them.


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## interweb (Jul 7, 2010)

I have no idea... happy to change them to something else??


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## pedroguy (Jan 28, 2001)

Change the startup type to automatic on the services type.


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## interweb (Jul 7, 2010)

all of them outlined above??


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## pedroguy (Jan 28, 2001)

Yes.Some will start and then stop if not required.


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## interweb (Jul 7, 2010)

Ok changed them all to automatic and then maunally typed in the IP address etc and now it works???

Problem likely to return??


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## pedroguy (Jan 28, 2001)

Well,let's see.They should be being auto assigned,but .....Maybe the change to auto did something for us


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

I'm guessing that one or more services were not starting because of the erroneous settings. You should be fine.

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## interweb (Jul 7, 2010)

Thanks both - much appreciated


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