IP Address 169.xxx.xxx how can i connect to the internet?

My wife's pc has an IP address in the range
169.254.xxx.xxx. With such an address, I understand this
is why she cannot connect to the internet through my cable
connection while I can. How can i fix this problem? thx

Hi,

Is there a DHCP server on the network? The 169.254.x.x address is because
the pc is configure to get an IP address from DHCP and it cannot. Is the
cable moodem supposed to assign the IP address?

Thanks,
Marc Reynolds
Microsoft Technical Support

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

The IP address 169.254.xx.xx is the same as 0.0.0.0

Carey

"km" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:055f01c38b18$56a5ac80$(E-Mail Removed)...
> My wife's pc has an IP address in the range
> 169.254.xxx.xxx. With such an address, I understand this
> is why she cannot connect to the internet through my cable
> connection while I can. How can i fix this problem? thx
>

In article <(E-Mail Removed)>, "Carey Holzman"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>"km" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>news:055f01c38b18$56a5ac80$(E-Mail Removed)...
>> My wife's pc has an IP address in the range
>> 169.254.xxx.xxx. With such an address, I understand this
>> is why she cannot connect to the internet through my cable
>> connection while I can. How can i fix this problem? thx
>
>The IP address 169.254.xx.xx is the same as 0.0.0.0
>
>Carey

No, that's not right. Those addresses are completely different.

0.0.0.0 is an invalid IP address. A computer with that IP address
can't communicate on a network.

169.254.xx.xx is an APIPA (Automatic Private IP Addressing) address.
Computers with APIPA addresses can communicate with each other on a
network. APIPA allows networking when there's DHCP server available,
because the computers automatically assign themselves compatible IP
addresses.

To learn more about it, please see this Microsoft Knowledge Base
article:

Description of Automatic Private IP Addressing in Windows Millennium
Edition
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;307287
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional - Windows Networking
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

Steve Winograd's Networking FAQ
http://www.bcmaven.com/networking/faq.htm

In article <(E-Mail Removed)>, "Steve
Winograd [MVP]" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>169.254.xx.xx is an APIPA (Automatic Private IP Addressing) address.
>Computers with APIPA addresses can communicate with each other on a
>network. APIPA allows networking when there's DHCP server available,
>because the computers automatically assign themselves compatible IP
>addresses.

I'm sorry, but I left out a word in the paragraph above. It should
say: APIPA allows networking when there's **no** DHCP server
available.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

Steve
Does that also apply in Win XP? - I've noticed that occasionally I have a
problem with one or two XP boxes that seem to reassign themselves to 169.254
addresses over the more normal 168.192 addresses on various networks -
possibly because they are booted before what would normally be the ICS
server.

--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2004, Win9x)

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.btinternet.com/~winnoel/millsrpch.htm
Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post messages to NG's

"Steve Winograd [MVP]" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> In article <(E-Mail Removed)>, "Carey Holzman"
> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> >"km" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> >news:055f01c38b18$56a5ac80$(E-Mail Removed)...
> >> My wife's pc has an IP address in the range
> >> 169.254.xxx.xxx. With such an address, I understand this
> >> is why she cannot connect to the internet through my cable
> >> connection while I can. How can i fix this problem? thx
> >
> >The IP address 169.254.xx.xx is the same as 0.0.0.0
> >
> >Carey
>
> No, that's not right. Those addresses are completely different.
>
> 0.0.0.0 is an invalid IP address. A computer with that IP address
> can't communicate on a network.
>
> 169.254.xx.xx is an APIPA (Automatic Private IP Addressing) address.
> Computers with APIPA addresses can communicate with each other on a
> network. APIPA allows networking when there's DHCP server available,
> because the computers automatically assign themselves compatible IP
> addresses.
>
> To learn more about it, please see this Microsoft Knowledge Base
> article:
>
> Description of Automatic Private IP Addressing in Windows Millennium
> Edition
> http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;307287
> --
> Best Wishes,
> Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)
>
> Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
> for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
> addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.
>
> Microsoft Most Valuable Professional - Windows Networking
> http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
>
> Steve Winograd's Networking FAQ
> http://www.bcmaven.com/networking/faq.htm

In article <OysB$(E-Mail Removed)>, "Noel Paton"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>> 169.254.xx.xx is an APIPA (Automatic Private IP Addressing) address.
>> Computers with APIPA addresses can communicate with each other on a
>> network. APIPA allows networking when there's no DHCP server available,
>> because the computers automatically assign themselves compatible IP
>> addresses.
>
>Steve
>Does that also apply in Win XP? - I've noticed that occasionally I have a
>problem with one or two XP boxes that seem to reassign themselves to 169.254
>addresses over the more normal 168.192 addresses on various networks -
>possibly because they are booted before what would normally be the ICS
>server.

Hi, Noel. Yes, that applies to XP. All versions of Windows since
Windows 98 have APIPA. NT and 95 don't.

If the ICS server comes on line after the XP boxes have assigned
themselves an APIPA, they should automatically detect it within a few
minutes and get a normal 192.168 address from the server.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional - Windows Networking
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

Steve Winograd's Networking FAQ
http://www.bcmaven.com/networking/faq.htm

Great, thanks - that explains why it's only an 'occasional' problem, then
(my instant solution is usually just to reboot, and it fixes itself) - most
people don't do any work for the first 15 mins after they boot, but I have
to get in there and start straight off, usually before I've had a chance to
make coffee!.

--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2004, Win9x)

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.btinternet.com/~winnoel/millsrpch.htm
Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post messages to NG's

"Steve Winograd [MVP]" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> In article <OysB$(E-Mail Removed)>, "Noel Paton"
> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> >> 169.254.xx.xx is an APIPA (Automatic Private IP Addressing) address.
> >> Computers with APIPA addresses can communicate with each other on a
> >> network. APIPA allows networking when there's no DHCP server
available,
> >> because the computers automatically assign themselves compatible IP
> >> addresses.
> >
> >Steve
> >Does that also apply in Win XP? - I've noticed that occasionally I have a
> >problem with one or two XP boxes that seem to reassign themselves to
169.254
> >addresses over the more normal 168.192 addresses on various networks -
> >possibly because they are booted before what would normally be the ICS
> >server.
>
> Hi, Noel. Yes, that applies to XP. All versions of Windows since
> Windows 98 have APIPA. NT and 95 don't.
>
> If the ICS server comes on line after the XP boxes have assigned
> themselves an APIPA, they should automatically detect it within a few
> minutes and get a normal 192.168 address from the server.
> --
> Best Wishes,
> Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)
>
> Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
> for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
> addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.
>
> Microsoft Most Valuable Professional - Windows Networking
> http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
>
> Steve Winograd's Networking FAQ
> http://www.bcmaven.com/networking/faq.htm

In article <(E-Mail Removed)>, "Noel Paton"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>> If the ICS server comes on line after the XP boxes have assigned
>> themselves an APIPA, they should automatically detect it within a few
>> minutes and get a normal 192.168 address from the server.
>
>Great, thanks - that explains why it's only an 'occasional' problem, then
>(my instant solution is usually just to reboot, and it fixes itself) - most
>people don't do any work for the first 15 mins after they boot, but I have
>to get in there and start straight off, usually before I've had a chance to
>make coffee!.

There's no need to reboot an XP box to get an IP address after the
DHCP server comes on line. Just disable and then enable the network
connection.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional - Windows Networking
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

Steve Winograd's Networking FAQ
http://www.bcmaven.com/networking/faq.htm

Oh, that's news to me. I never tried it. I have always understood that when
Windows cannot obtain an IP address (and I believe they started this with
Windows ME) that it will assign itself the 169.254.xx.xx address to prevent
the pauses that occur in operation when it's trying to access a network that
isn't there.

See, I learn something new every day. Thanks Steve!

Carey

"Steve Winograd [MVP]" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> In article <(E-Mail Removed)>, "Carey Holzman"
> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> >"km" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> >news:055f01c38b18$56a5ac80$(E-Mail Removed)...
> >> My wife's pc has an IP address in the range
> >> 169.254.xxx.xxx. With such an address, I understand this
> >> is why she cannot connect to the internet through my cable
> >> connection while I can. How can i fix this problem? thx
> >
> >The IP address 169.254.xx.xx is the same as 0.0.0.0
> >
> >Carey
>
> No, that's not right. Those addresses are completely different.
>
> 0.0.0.0 is an invalid IP address. A computer with that IP address
> can't communicate on a network.
>
> 169.254.xx.xx is an APIPA (Automatic Private IP Addressing) address.
> Computers with APIPA addresses can communicate with each other on a
> network. APIPA allows networking when there's DHCP server available,
> because the computers automatically assign themselves compatible IP
> addresses.
>
> To learn more about it, please see this Microsoft Knowledge Base
> article:
>
> Description of Automatic Private IP Addressing in Windows Millennium
> Edition
> http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;307287
> --
> Best Wishes,
> Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)
>
> Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
> for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
> addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.
>
> Microsoft Most Valuable Professional - Windows Networking
> http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
>
> Steve Winograd's Networking FAQ
> http://www.bcmaven.com/networking/faq.htm