LAN port or Router issue ?!

kevpuk · 5 Jul 2007 at 18:40

Trying to get my Dad's new wireless router up and running (over wire, at the moment !)....trouble is that his LAN port is always getting a 169.xxx etc. IP address and not a 192.xxx etc. one.....which means no Internet

I am pretty sure I had a similar issue once upon a time on one of my motherboards with Dual Lan....one port happily accepted/got a 192.xxx address and provided internet etc., but one always went down the 169.xxx IP address.....

So, any one got the answer ?! He has - allegedly - tried manually configuring settings (meaning he has probably half done it !).......I am planning to go and sort it out asap, and would like to be fore- armed :eek:

Snapshot · 5 Jul 2007 at 22:24

First, is he using a known good RJ45 cable? Are the LEDs on on the laptop's LAN port and the router's LAN port?

Second, is it known that DHCP is enabled on the router?

The 169.xxx.xxx.xxx range is the one MS uses if the port is configured for DHCP but the DHCP server cannot be contacted.

DJ XS · 6 Jul 2007 at 14:14

Should be an easy one to troubleshoot.

Change the following:

1) Plug the RJ45 into another port on the router.
2) Change the cable itself
3) Reinstall/Move the NIC to another PCI slot

If all the below fail, try another PC/Device with the same port/cable and then you should know where the problem lies.

kevpuk · 6 Jul 2007 at 17:58

OK, so a few more details :

Seems that he had limited success plugging his laptop into the router...for a while !....but still no joy and only 169.xxx IP address on desktop. The LAN port is integrated on the motherboard, so no moving slots

Router is brand new from box, so guessing it is ok......really think what I need to focus in is the desktop LAN port - driver/chipset/xp confusion ??

DJ XS · 6 Jul 2007 at 18:17

kevpuk said:
OK, so a few more details :

Seems that he had limited success plugging his laptop into the router...for a while !....but still no joy and only 169.xxx IP address on desktop. The LAN port is integrated on the motherboard, so no moving slots

Router is brand new from box, so guessing it is ok......really think what I need to focus in is the desktop LAN port - driver/chipset/xp confusion ??

Yep i'd agree, although when i said change port, i meant the port on the router (assuming it has a 4 port built in switch).

I'd be tempted to just go and buy a cheap 100meg PCI card and plug it it, that will tell you where the problem lies, at the end of the day not like they are expensive nowdays.

Best of luck and report back with findings

Snapshot · 7 Jul 2007 at 06:33

I'm not sure you do need to concentrate on the desktop PC yet. If the laptop only had limited success when plugged into the router then it may well be the router or the RJ45 cable(s). I realise it's very difficult for you sitting in the middle but we're not getting much detail to work on. I do know what it's like as I have to support my 82-year old father who has managed to learn nothing about Windows in the 10 years he's had a Windows PC....