Suddenly my computer (running Windows XP, updated regularly) cannot connect to our home network. I am reasonably sure that it is a software issue because the cable and the network card have been replaced with ones known to work. The path to the internet is My Computer -> Linksys router -> Cable Modem.
The router is configured to use DHCP to assign addresses, but when my computer is configured in the same way it defaults to the address 169.254.215.197 and attempting to renew the address using ipconfig are rejected on the grounds that it is not a socket. (for background, the router’s address is 192.168.1.1, and the assigned DHCP addresses should begin at 192.168.1.100)
While using DHCP I cannot ping anything, even the router. However, if I define the computer’s IP as say 192.168.1.109, a legal address in the network, I can successfully ping other computers and the router. However, I cannot connect to the internet or the router.
At this point I have run out of ideas; what can I try?
Are you sure that the DNS isnt just screwed up and that is why you cant ping to the internet? Im pretty sure that if you manually define the Gateway and the correct DNS you should be ok. Dont know the easiest way to fix DHCP for you.
First things first. An address 169.254.x.y indicates that your computer is unable to reach a DHCP server/renew its DHCP lease.
Usually this is a hardware issue such as a dodgy cable, cable not plugged in etc etc, or a software issue to do with drivers not loading.
However in this case we know it is not a hardware problem, as statically-assigning addresses “fixes” the problem.
Without knowing too much more about your setup, and if assigning a static IP address is a quick and easy thing to do - go ahead.
You will need to define the IP address and subnet (eg 192.168.1.109, subnet mask 255.255.255.0).
You will also need to define a default gateway. This might be 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.0.254 at a guess - basically the default gateway address should be the IP address of the router.
You will also need to define the DNS settings. If your router acts as a DNS server, you can configure DNS as your router’s IP address. On the other hand, if your router doesn’t do DNS, use the ISP’s DNS settings. In fact, there are many DNS servers out there that you can use. I use 203.32.8.111. I suggest you ring your ISP to find out the IP addresses of its DNS servers.
I hope this gives you something to start with. Of course, the real fix would be to figure out why your machine isn’t talking to the DHCP server the way it should be. On occasion I’ve seen this due to the DHCP server running out of leases, or somehow blocking the MAC address of the device. If the router in question allows you to do so, you might try deleting any active leases it has issued and attempt to renew the address (ipconfig /release and ipconfig /renew).
“Not a Socket” errors indicate that the WinSock has become corrupt. From the MS KB:
Click Start, and then click Run.
In the Open box, type regedit, and then press ENTER.
Click the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Winsock2 On the
Registry menu, click Export Registry File.
In the File name box, type a name for this backup file, and then click Save.
For example, type Winsock Registry key, and then click Save. Note the name
of the folder in which you save this file.
Repeat steps 3 through 5 for the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Winsock2
Delete the following keys from the registry:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Winsock
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Winsock2
Next you’ve gotta uninstall\reinstall TCP/IP. Simply open the properties for your network adapter, click the TCP\IP protocol and click “Uninstall” or “Remove” (I forget which at the moment). Reboot the PC. You may have to add TCP\IP back to your LAN connection, but XP should re-install it on its own. Check it after the reboot. Look here for more info:
Rex,
Your link looks promising, but I am having difficulty after backing up and deleting the registry keys. (BTW, I am assuming that the first path is not supposed to have the 2 on the end, else I would be backing up the same key twice)
When I try to remove TCP/IP the option to uninstall is disabled. Everything else in the list has the option to uninstall, except TCP/IP. How do I remove it?