Can't contact DHCP server? (wired)

[H0ax!]

Came home today to Unidentified network, Access; Limited Connectivity.

After a quick Google, I tried most of the steps... I use homeplugs and both have a red LED for status and Green LED for ethernet, so I guess the cables are working okay? I've tried using a different network adapter, my IP and DNS are set to receive automatically, but I'm still getting this could not contact DHCP server. Also, I noticed my default gateway is blank, does this mean anything?! The only way I could connect was by wireless, my router is a BT Homehub...

Here is my ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : Home
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : home

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 2:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8139/810x Family Fast Ethernet
NIC
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-08-54-45-AE-FE
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection 2:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : home
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : RT73 USB Wireless LAN Card #2
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-16-0A-12-ED-D1
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::f002:f624:b6bf:3bf8%13(Preferred)
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.68(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : 19 September 2011 23:00:58
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : 20 September 2011 23:00:57
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.254
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.254
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 369104394
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-11-CE-D8-89-00-50-8D-9F-64-77

DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.254
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Generic Marvell Yukon Chipset based Ether
net Controller
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-50-8D-9F-64-77
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::b9e4:b114:ae7c:ccc0%8(Preferred)
Autoconfiguration IPv4 Address. . : 169.254.204.192(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 134238349
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-11-CE-D8-89-00-50-8D-9F-64-77

DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : fec0:0:0:ffff::1%1
fec0:0:0:ffff::2%1
fec0:0:0:ffff::3%1
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 6:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : isatap.{D2D956D4-52A3-4B5B-8783-426E34085
CEF}
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 7:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #2
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 9:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 02-00-54-55-4E-01
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 12:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : home
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #3
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes


Any help would be appreciated = D

 

[PistolPete]

You have picked up an APIPA address as the card is set to DHCP and not received an address. APIPA is non routeable, so it's normal to not have a default gateway with an APIPA address.

My first guess would be a duff connectivity. I'd try swapping the cable from the PC to the home plug, and if you can directly into the homehub just to rule both of these out.

As the HH is assigning DHCP over Wifi, it's not likely to be at fault so I'd then be looking at the PC. Check the NIC drivers are correct - I had problems previously with an Asus board and the Marvel drivers. Windows update kept saying that it's driver was newer and replacing the official Marvell driver and causing the NIC to just stop working.
EDIT: Just noticed that the other NIC was not a Marvell (assuming you used the Realtek) so this is unlikely to have been the cause - I'd be looking at the cable / homeplugs.


Hope that points you in kinda the right direction.

 

[H0ax!]

Thanks.

Whilst at work today I realised I never actually tested the homeplugs with the laptop, just the cables!

Turns out it was the homeplugs preventing me from connectiong (they had previously worked for about a year straight with no problems). Just had to reconfigure the end point unit again... Apparently, we also had a power cut, which probably caused this^^^

 

[PistolPete]

Glad you got to the bottom of it.