IP address issues

Magrus · Post by **Magrus** » Tue Jul 05, 2005 8:25 am

Right now, my computer is acting very strange. I went away thursday, my computer was fine. I came back last night, my internet wasn't working, and while attempting to fix that I found some other odd occurances on my system.

First, I have a Linksys Wireless B USB Network Adapter; 2.4 ghz, 802.11b; whatever that means.

I hit "repair" on it trying to get a new IP address, and it comes up with

Address type: Automatic Private Address
IP Address: gives me one of those
Subnet Mask: gives me one of those
Default Gateway: gives me nothing
DNS Server: gives me nothing
WINs Server: gives me nothing

The master router I'm connected to works fine, the three other router's connected to it work fine. It did go all buggy and shut off while I was gone, and everyone else fixed theirs, but mine for some reason won't do so. I tried for close to 10 hours yesterday, taking the USB connection out, taking the cord out of the adapter, rebooting, shutting down my whole system and letting it sit and then turning it back on again. Fiddling with the settings, creating a network bridge, error-checking, system restore, defrag, spyware scan, virus-scan, toying with my firewall. Everything I could think of. It didn't fix my internet problems.

This leads to my "computer acting screwy". Among all of my tinkering, I decided to clear off some junk on my system, uninstalling old games I never play. A number of them had missing files necessary to uninstall them. 4 to be exact. Frustrated, I just deleted the files in the folders to them and re-installed KOTOR to go run rampant and get rid of some frustration. Well, that just make my computer shut down and restart for some strange reason.

I'm quite lost on what's going on with my system. I've been assured no one toyed with my computer during my absense, and that the power didn't flicker on and off. Nothing was spilled on it or anything so I'm confused.

Any thoughts on what could be causing any of this?

Tamerlane · Post by **Tamerlane** » Fri Jul 08, 2005 3:04 am

Need some more information,

Is this a wireless home network or business one?

Secondly do you have any information on your wireless router?

Does the USB adapter have any issues when placed on to another machine or laptop?

Can the other PC's ping your machine and vice versa and can you ping the router?

It may be a simple case of flushing your DNS cache but I wouldn't recommend that until the other factors have been addressed first.

Magrus · Post by **Magrus** » Fri Jul 08, 2005 7:26 am

Home network.

Information such as what? My landlord has all of the original booklets and discs to install it from what he bought it with if that's what your looking for.

The adapter, for some stupid reason needs its own install disc to be run and have it installed on each computer you try running it on. I attempted switching one of the other ones and trying it on my computer, but it requested the install disc that came with that adapter, and vice versa with mine. Mine was stolen so I can't reinstall it to see whether or not it works unfortunately.

Not sure how to ping another machine, however, I still have a signal to the router. That still works fine, I just don't have internet access if that helps any.

It may be a simple case of flushing your DNS cache but I wouldn't recommend that until the other factors have been addressed first.

Hmm, mind explaining how that works, or pointing me to a site or resource that would give me information on that? As of yet, I've tried what I know how to do and nothing's worked and I'm stuck with the choices of trying to buy a new $60 adapter and seeing if that works, or taking it into a shop. I won't have the money for either until next month.

dragon wench · Post by **dragon wench** » Fri Jul 08, 2005 1:50 pm

That sounds a lot like the problem I was having...
Some sort of LSASS exploit related to the Sasser worm screwed up my ability to get on the net by inserting a loop back IP address (127.????? Not sure exactly now).
It might not be the same thing, but I just wanted to mention it.

Ned Flanders · Post by **Ned Flanders** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 2:06 pm

Is this problem remedied?

If you're getting Automatic Private IP Addressing (APIPA), then it seems your network adapter isn't able to locate the DHCP service you have been using to obtain an IP lease. That's why you're only getting an IP address and a netmask, because the computer itself is assigning these parameters and, by default, APIPA doesn't assign gateways or DNS.

The first thing I would try is another adapter. Don't buy one, borrow one from another machine that is working.

Magrus · Post by **Magrus** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 2:20 pm

Definately isn't remedied and that's exactly my problem. I need to install another adapter, even the same exact model. The install discs have all been lost, so I'd need to buy another to test it out. That'd require funds I don't have access to until next month unfortunately.

Ned Flanders · Post by **Ned Flanders** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 2:42 pm

Can't you borrow an adapter from someone else just to test? Before you go spending the money on new gear, you want to make sure it is in fact the problem. Or, try using your adapter on another PC.

Magrus · Post by **Magrus** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 3:34 pm

No, there's another problem. For some idiotic reason, each adapter comes with it's own install disc. If you want to use one adapter on one computer, and switch it to another one, you need to use THAT install disc. Even if they are using the same type of adapter and have theirs installed. You still need the install disc that came with the new adapter and install that one onto their system again.

There's one other adapter, the one I used to use before I got my new one in january actually, in the house. In order to put that one on mine and test it, I need to install it, even with the software for mine installed. Unfortunately, the disc got destroyed, mine was lost while moving my room around. I do NEED a new one to test it, which is pointless IMO. I'm better off taking it to a shop in that case and saying "what do I have to do to make my internet work" if I have to pay money to begin with.

Ned Flanders · Post by **Ned Flanders** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 5:21 am

A shop shouldn't charge you if you take your machine in with a specific solution in mind. Won't take more than 5 minutes to install a network adapter XP already has drivers for.

Without a chance to look at myself, which I don't have, the adapter certainly seems to be the trouble. Personally, I have zero experience with USB NICs so I can't comment on their reliability; but it does seem like the culprit given the circumstances.

Magrus · Post by **Magrus** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 10:18 am

Hmm, well thanks. I might see if I can bring my system to someone and see what they say then. If they end up charging, I'll take it home and go back when I can afford it.

Magrus · Post by **Magrus** » Sat Jul 16, 2005 11:37 am

Ok, I tried a different adapter, installed the software, hooked it up and it had the same problem. I brought it back to my roommate and told him so, his girlfriend pulled out her laptop and tried the wireless thing on there. That has the same problem and has since the weekend mine stopped working while I was away. Given that, I'm assuming it's not the adapter, or my computer and something to do with the router or the network. Now I just need to figure out what the heck is going on with that.

sdwillie · Post by **sdwillie** » Tue Aug 09, 2005 9:28 pm

I hope your problem is solved and that's why this thread hasn't been touched for two weeks, but since you haven't said things are fixed...

As long as you can't connect you should disable your firewall by removing it from startup (NOT from your machine). They're only useful if you're on a network and can be a pain when you're trying to establish a connection.

What are you connecting to? You said you have a Linksys Wireless B adapter, but what's it trying to join? (fyi, linksys wireless WAPs have a high fail rate at around 18 months)

Can you try a hard connection? It's a simple way to narrow your point of failure to hardware.

What OS are you using? XP will tell you that you should use the install disc that came with the device, but it isn't required.

What IP are you getting? Is it in the 192 range, or are you getting a 169.xxx.xxx.x IP? If so you aren't connecting to the 'router' (actually what you want to connect to is a WAP).

It would help to have a better idea of the physical configuration of your network. Since you mentioned having three 'routers' connected to a fourth, does anyone share your WAP, and if so are they having the same problems as you? If you're the only user having someone else connect to your WAP will will confirm/eliminate that from potential points of failure.

Do you have other USB devices attached and if so how are they behaving?

Other things could be your problem, but like I said, this thread is untouched in a couple weeks and I don't want to go too far into something which may be resolved.

Magrus · Post by **Magrus** » Wed Aug 10, 2005 11:48 pm

Hello person! I moved, the problem was fixed. My landlord said he tried "everything" when he didn't. He hit the reset button and viola! Internet worked! I wanted to hit him from my two weeks of frustrated struggling, that he fixed it by hitting a button.

Thanks for the info though.

I just moved, and now I'm stuck with these windows messenger notices that truly irritate me on a level I can't describe. Must remember to hurt Mr. Gates and his programming staff for letting a program run that allows those stupid spyware filled messages onto my system.