On 11 Sep 2004 13:37:00 -0400,
(E-Mail Removed) (Al Dykes) wrote:
>Thanks. I'll read the URL, but the XP laptop works fine when carried to
>a location with public WiFi, and the laptop that is still at the
>location is a w2k system, so AIAIK, doesn't have Zero Config.
>
>Both machines are auto-configuring to a 169 IP.
Oh-oh. You can run your network using all 169.254.xxx.xxx IP
addresses, but you may get some suprises. The 169.254.xxx.xxx IP
address block is reserved by Microsloth for IP addresses the computah
defaults to when it cannot get an IP address from a DHCP server. The
xxx.xxx numbers are random. If you're running with 169.254.xxx.xxx
addresses, then it's highly likely that you only have 169.254.xxx.xxx
as an IP address for the computah, but 0.0.0.0 for the default gateway
and DNS servers. You can network like that between two computahs, but
you're not going to surf anywhere on the internet without a gateway
and DNS servers. You can see all the addresses with:
Start -> Run
cmd
ipconfig /all | more
Worse, your Windoze XP laptop is very persistant. If you go to a
coffee shop hot spot and connect successfully, you will get an IP
address of 192.168.1.xxx (or something similar) from a DHCP server.
When you get back home, XP will try to use this IP address until you
either disable/enable the card, or kick start a DHCP request with:
cmd
ipconfig /release
(wait a while)
ipconfig /renew
There are a few other suprises but they're minor and can be ignored.
However, methinks that running a network with 169.254.xxx.xxx
addresses is a bad idea.
So, the big question is why are you not getting an IP address from the
DHCP server in the router? DHCP might be turned off, misconfigured,
or just plain broken. Hard to tell from here. Another possibility is
that the encryption on your wireless link has changed. If this is
the case, you'll get a good signal indication, but you won't be able
to connect to the web server in the router. I have a bunch of other
guesses but mangled WEP/WPA are the usual culprits.
Start this exercise with a desktop (or laptop) plugged directly into
the DI-614+ router. No wireless involved. Make sure that the DHCP
server is working and that your desktop is getting a real IP address,
gateway, and DNS server, and *NOT* the 169.254.xxx.xxx default IP.
Once the router is working for a wired connection, troubleshoot the
wireless part. If the WEP/WPA encryption seems to be the issue,
disable encryption in both the DI-614+ router and client radios. Once
that's working, turn it back on and make sure everyone is using the
same WEP key or WPA shared key.
--
# Jeff Liebermann 150 Felker St #D Santa Cruz CA 95060
# 831.336.2558 voice
http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
#
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(E-Mail Removed) AE6KS