Unable to contact your DHCP server

[Guest]

Hello,

I get the error "unable to contact your DHCP server" when I do an ipconfig
/renew. I'll get a 169 ip address which I know is wrong. This used to work
for months and my laptop will work just fine. So it must be a problem with
my desktop. I have WinXP SP2.

The only thing I was doing was trying to add a router betwen my DSL modem
and my desktop. The router would not work. I used the installation disk
that came with the router. It just walked me through the same type of things
I would normally do via the 192.168.1.1 web site. The other thing that
happened is that I changed the password with my ISP (Verizon). But they said
that this was just for accessing mail on their web site.

So I don't know what happened.

I've installed a patch KB884020. And by the time you read this I've
probably used the WinsockFix application. We are not using the router. I'm
just trying to make the DSL work straight to the desktop. My laptop works
fine. I used VPN with my laptop. Could this have changed the relationship
with the ISP?

Please help - Its my Dad's PC, I'm leaving town in 2 days, and I don't want
him unable to access the internet because I tried to use a router.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Brian A.]

You don't mention the router manufacturer/make/model, some routers such
as Linksys require the router IP be set to a separate subnet if you get
conflicts between the VPN and Local Lan IP's. ex: If the VPN IP is
192.168.1.x and the Local Lan is 192.168.1.x where x is the same number the
VPN uses, then changing the routers IP to 192.168.0.1 should clear the
problem.

What really appears to be the possible issue is the desktops network
configuration.
Right click My Network Places on the Desktop.
Click Properties.
Right click Local Area Connection.
Click Properties.

Under "This connection uses....."
Select "Client for MS Networks".
Click Properties.
Select "Windows Locator" from the dropdown box.
Click Ok.


Scroll to and select Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).
Click Properties.

Under the General tab make sure "Obtain an IP address automatically" is
selected.
Click the Advanced button.

Under the DNS tab:
Selected "Append Primary and Parent DNS suffixes.
Register this connections address in DNS"

Under the WINS tab > NetBIOS:
Selected Default.
Ok out of MNP.

Reboot if required.
Open a command prompt.
At the prompt type and press Enter after each command:

ping 192.168.1.1 *Routers IP, change as necessary.
If it times out then there is no communication between the router and
machine.
If not then the machine communicates with the router.

ping google.com
If it times out then there is no connection to the net.
If not then net connection is established and all is well.

If pinging times out on any address run, ipconfig /all, to see if the
machines IP is correct.
If it isn't, at the prompt type and press Enter after each command:

ipconfig /release
ipconfig /flushdns
exit

Shut down the machine.
Pull the power from the router.
Pull the power from the modem.
Wait approx 30 secs.
Apply power to the modem and wait for it to finish synchronizing with the
cable.
Apply power to the router and wait for it to finish synchronizing with the
modem.
Power up the machine.
The machine should now be assigned a new IP from the router.
Run ipconfig or attempt net connection to test.


--

Brian A. Sesko { MS MVP_Shell/User }
Conflicts start where information lacks.
http://basconotw.mvps.org/

Suggested posting do's/don'ts: http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375

 

[Guest]

Thanks for your help. I've taken thr router out of the mix to simplify
things back to the way they were. I'll try a non-linksys router again later.

All the net config items checked out as you said. LMHOSTS is also enabled -
not sure what this is for.

I cannot ping google.com. Either before or after.

When the router is connected I was able to pull up 192.168.1.1 and configure
the router. So I feel like this proves my NIC and cable are working OK.
Maybe it does not prove it.

So what is next. Is there some deeper debugging tools that I can use - some
log files to look at?

 

[Guest]

Also - since I've connected with the ISP via my laptop and used a VPN - could
this have changed the way the ISP has configured the connection and now it
won't work with the configuration my desktop has?

The only other thing was that the ISP changed my password. I can't imagine
this having anything to do with general access - but just want to throw that
out there.

 

[Guest]

Another thing - I don't see anywhere where any DNS is identified. Should I
see a DNS somewhere in my configutation for IE or in the Network settings?

 

[Guest]

Brian A. - I found the issue. Verizon only allows one MAC address to access
their network. I had apparently done the sequence of events (release on the
PC and a renew on my laptop) to change the MAC defined with Verizon. I did
not know how to change it back. I would always do a renew in conjunction
with the release on my laptop.

THis is the same reason why the router would not work - it has its own MAC.
We found the issue after I did a Clone MAC address from on the router from my
laptop.

I'm frustrated that the ISP does not have this as a part of their checklist
- they knew we had multiple computers involved.

Thanks for your assistance.

 

[Brian A.]

Brian A. - I found the issue. Verizon only allows one MAC address to
access
their network. I had apparently done the sequence of events (release on
the
PC and a renew on my laptop) to change the MAC defined with Verizon. I
did
not know how to change it back. I would always do a renew in conjunction
with the release on my laptop.

Glad to hear you clear for takeoff. Actually I believe your ISP will
allow more than one MAC, but that's at an additional cost of around $10.00
mo. per each added user.

THis is the same reason why the router would not work - it has its own
MAC.
We found the issue after I did a Clone MAC address from on the router
from my
laptop.

Don't hold me to it but I think the Cloned MAC in the router is the MAC
of the machine used to access the routers setup configuration. At least
that's how it is on mine if I was to use it.

I'm frustrated that the ISP does not have this as a part of their
checklist

That's one way to get the unaware to mention their network of more than 1
machine using one ISP assigned IP.

- they knew we had multiple computers involved.

Surprising they didn't fill you in on any additional costs, go figure.

Thanks for your assistance.

You're welcome for what it was worth. The main thing is you're set to
go and it appears to be with little time left before you became an orphan.
Good luck and have a relaxing trip back home.


--

Brian A. Sesko { MS MVP_Shell/User }
Conflicts start where information lacks.
http://basconotw.mvps.org/

Suggested posting do's/don'ts: http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375