limited or no connectivity/invalid IP address

I am attempting to re-establish a wireless connection. At one time, the
desktop PC in question could connect to the internet via a Dell 1450 USB
adapter. The wired PC was using a Linksys WRT54G using WPA2 encryption.
Everything was working great. Then ...

All of a sudden, the PC with the adapter could not connect. The signal
strength was either excellent or very good, but I was unable to connect to
the internet and was getting messages such as: "limited or no connectivity",
or "invalid IP address", or "network did not assign a network address" when I
dumbed down the WPA2 encryption to WEP.

When I view available networks, I can see our network. I tried doing a
repair, but it does not work.

The wired PC is set for automatic DHCP. The SSID is displayed.

Both PCs run WinXP with SP2.

I don't even know where to begin. Can someone please help me?

Power cycle the Linksys box.
The DHCP service built into them is not that dependable. Sometimes it just
stops giving out addresses for no particular reason.

You may want to restart the "problem" PC as well,...in fact shut it
down,..lesve it off. Power cycle the Linksys box,..when it is ready again,
power on the PC.

--
Phillip Windell
www.wandtv.com

The views expressed, are my own and not those of my employer, or Microsoft,
or anyone else associated with me, including my cats.
-----------------------------------------------------


"Red Eagle" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:806818EC-0ED7-4A8A-AD52-(E-Mail Removed)...
>I am attempting to re-establish a wireless connection. At one time, the
> desktop PC in question could connect to the internet via a Dell 1450 USB
> adapter. The wired PC was using a Linksys WRT54G using WPA2 encryption.
> Everything was working great. Then ...
>
> All of a sudden, the PC with the adapter could not connect. The signal
> strength was either excellent or very good, but I was unable to connect to
> the internet and was getting messages such as: "limited or no
> connectivity",
> or "invalid IP address", or "network did not assign a network address"
> when I
> dumbed down the WPA2 encryption to WEP.
>
> When I view available networks, I can see our network. I tried doing a
> repair, but it does not work.
>
> The wired PC is set for automatic DHCP. The SSID is displayed.
>
> Both PCs run WinXP with SP2.
>
> I don't even know where to begin. Can someone please help me?

Hi
Sorry, but might be you want to clarift your Post.
Wired PCs do not use WPA2 or any other Wireless related settings.

Quote: "limited or no connectivity", or "invalid IP address", or "network
did not assign a network address" when I
dumbed down the WPA2 encryption to WEP.
End of Quote.

What the above quote means?

I suggest that you should disbale the security in both the Router and the
Wireless computer, make sure that you have a Wireless connection, and then
enable WPA-AES in the Router, and there after in the Cleint usingthe same
passphrase.
You need to set first your Wireless Router and generate there a Key, then
you set the laptop with the same key.
From the weakest to the strongest, Wireless security capacity is.
No Security
MAC______(Band Aid if nothing else is available).
WEP64____(Easy, to "Brake" by knowledgeable people).
WEP128___(Hard, but possible to Brake).
WPA-PSK__(Very Hard to Brake ).
WPA-AES__(Not functionally Breakable)
WPA2____ (Not functionally Breakable).

The documentation of your Wireless devices (Wireless Router, and Wireless
Computer's Card) should state the type of security that is available with
your Wireless hardware.

All devices MUST be set to the same security level using the same pass
phrase.

Therefore the security must be set according what ever is the best possible
of one of the Wireless devices.

I.e. even if most of your system might be capable to be configured to the
max. with WPA2, but one device is only capable to be configured to max . of
WEP, to whole system must be configured to WEP.

If you need more good security and one device (like a Wireless card that can
do WEP only) is holding better security for the whole Network, replace the
device with a better one.

Wireless Security - http://www.ezlan.net/Wireless_Security.html
Debuging basic Wireless, http://www.ezlan.net/wireless.html
Jack (MVP-Networking).


"Red Eagle" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:806818EC-0ED7-4A8A-AD52-(E-Mail Removed)...
>I am attempting to re-establish a wireless connection. At one time, the
> desktop PC in question could connect to the internet via a Dell 1450 USB
> adapter. The wired PC was using a Linksys WRT54G using WPA2 encryption.
> Everything was working great. Then ...
>
> All of a sudden, the PC with the adapter could not connect. The signal
> strength was either excellent or very good, but I was unable to connect to
> the internet and was getting messages such as: "limited or no
> connectivity",
> or "invalid IP address", or "network did not assign a network address"
> when I
> dumbed down the WPA2 encryption to WEP.
>
> When I view available networks, I can see our network. I tried doing a
> repair, but it does not work.
>
> The wired PC is set for automatic DHCP. The SSID is displayed.
>
> Both PCs run WinXP with SP2.
>
> I don't even know where to begin. Can someone please help me?

Sorry if my post didn't make sense.

Originally the router was configured to use WPA2, and the problem PC was
able to connect. When I started having problems, I lowered the encryption
level to WEP to see if the problem PC could connect. With WEP I was able to
get the limited connectivity, but then the connection would die, and I would
get the messages about the invalid IP address, etc.

Hope this makes sense.

I will try your suggestions. Thank you for responding.

"Jack (MVP-Networking)." wrote:

> Hi
> Sorry, but might be you want to clarift your Post.
> Wired PCs do not use WPA2 or any other Wireless related settings.
>
> Quote: "limited or no connectivity", or "invalid IP address", or "network
> did not assign a network address" when I
> dumbed down the WPA2 encryption to WEP.
> End of Quote.
>
> What the above quote means?
>
> I suggest that you should disbale the security in both the Router and the
> Wireless computer, make sure that you have a Wireless connection, and then
> enable WPA-AES in the Router, and there after in the Cleint usingthe same
> passphrase.
> You need to set first your Wireless Router and generate there a Key, then
> you set the laptop with the same key.
> From the weakest to the strongest, Wireless security capacity is.
> No Security
> MAC______(Band Aid if nothing else is available).
> WEP64____(Easy, to "Brake" by knowledgeable people).
> WEP128___(Hard, but possible to Brake).
> WPA-PSK__(Very Hard to Brake ).
> WPA-AES__(Not functionally Breakable)
> WPA2____ (Not functionally Breakable).
>
> The documentation of your Wireless devices (Wireless Router, and Wireless
> Computer's Card) should state the type of security that is available with
> your Wireless hardware.
>
> All devices MUST be set to the same security level using the same pass
> phrase.
>
> Therefore the security must be set according what ever is the best possible
> of one of the Wireless devices.
>
> I.e. even if most of your system might be capable to be configured to the
> max. with WPA2, but one device is only capable to be configured to max . of
> WEP, to whole system must be configured to WEP.
>
> If you need more good security and one device (like a Wireless card that can
> do WEP only) is holding better security for the whole Network, replace the
> device with a better one.
>
> Wireless Security - http://www.ezlan.net/Wireless_Security.html
> Debuging basic Wireless, http://www.ezlan.net/wireless.html
> Jack (MVP-Networking).
>
>
> "Red Eagle" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:806818EC-0ED7-4A8A-AD52-(E-Mail Removed)...
> >I am attempting to re-establish a wireless connection. At one time, the
> > desktop PC in question could connect to the internet via a Dell 1450 USB
> > adapter. The wired PC was using a Linksys WRT54G using WPA2 encryption.
> > Everything was working great. Then ...
> >
> > All of a sudden, the PC with the adapter could not connect. The signal
> > strength was either excellent or very good, but I was unable to connect to
> > the internet and was getting messages such as: "limited or no
> > connectivity",
> > or "invalid IP address", or "network did not assign a network address"
> > when I
> > dumbed down the WPA2 encryption to WEP.
> >
> > When I view available networks, I can see our network. I tried doing a
> > repair, but it does not work.
> >
> > The wired PC is set for automatic DHCP. The SSID is displayed.
> >
> > Both PCs run WinXP with SP2.
> >
> > I don't even know where to begin. Can someone please help me?
>
>

Hello, Jack.

I can only share the internet connection when the router's security is
disabled. If I set the security level higher and view available networks, I
get this messagae: "Windows cannot configure this wireless connection."

"Jack (MVP-Networking)." wrote:

> Hi
> Sorry, but might be you want to clarift your Post.
> Wired PCs do not use WPA2 or any other Wireless related settings.
>
> Quote: "limited or no connectivity", or "invalid IP address", or "network
> did not assign a network address" when I
> dumbed down the WPA2 encryption to WEP.
> End of Quote.
>
> What the above quote means?
>
> I suggest that you should disbale the security in both the Router and the
> Wireless computer, make sure that you have a Wireless connection, and then
> enable WPA-AES in the Router, and there after in the Cleint usingthe same
> passphrase.
> You need to set first your Wireless Router and generate there a Key, then
> you set the laptop with the same key.
> From the weakest to the strongest, Wireless security capacity is.
> No Security
> MAC______(Band Aid if nothing else is available).
> WEP64____(Easy, to "Brake" by knowledgeable people).
> WEP128___(Hard, but possible to Brake).
> WPA-PSK__(Very Hard to Brake ).
> WPA-AES__(Not functionally Breakable)
> WPA2____ (Not functionally Breakable).
>
> The documentation of your Wireless devices (Wireless Router, and Wireless
> Computer's Card) should state the type of security that is available with
> your Wireless hardware.
>
> All devices MUST be set to the same security level using the same pass
> phrase.
>
> Therefore the security must be set according what ever is the best possible
> of one of the Wireless devices.
>
> I.e. even if most of your system might be capable to be configured to the
> max. with WPA2, but one device is only capable to be configured to max . of
> WEP, to whole system must be configured to WEP.
>
> If you need more good security and one device (like a Wireless card that can
> do WEP only) is holding better security for the whole Network, replace the
> device with a better one.
>
> Wireless Security - http://www.ezlan.net/Wireless_Security.html
> Debuging basic Wireless, http://www.ezlan.net/wireless.html
> Jack (MVP-Networking).
>
>
> "Red Eagle" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:806818EC-0ED7-4A8A-AD52-(E-Mail Removed)...
> >I am attempting to re-establish a wireless connection. At one time, the
> > desktop PC in question could connect to the internet via a Dell 1450 USB
> > adapter. The wired PC was using a Linksys WRT54G using WPA2 encryption.
> > Everything was working great. Then ...
> >
> > All of a sudden, the PC with the adapter could not connect. The signal
> > strength was either excellent or very good, but I was unable to connect to
> > the internet and was getting messages such as: "limited or no
> > connectivity",
> > or "invalid IP address", or "network did not assign a network address"
> > when I
> > dumbed down the WPA2 encryption to WEP.
> >
> > When I view available networks, I can see our network. I tried doing a
> > repair, but it does not work.
> >
> > The wired PC is set for automatic DHCP. The SSID is displayed.
> >
> > Both PCs run WinXP with SP2.
> >
> > I don't even know where to begin. Can someone please help me?
>
>

All true.
But it sounded like this had been working prior,...so everything would have
already be setup correctly,...but just one day the pc is power up and it
doesn't receive a config from DHCP.

Power cycleing the wirless device is a 30 second quickie to test,..if it
doesn't work than the other things can be checked.

--
Phillip Windell
www.wandtv.com

The views expressed, are my own and not those of my employer, or Microsoft,
or anyone else associated with me, including my cats.
-----------------------------------------------------

"Jack (MVP-Networking)." <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi
> Sorry, but might be you want to clarift your Post.
> Wired PCs do not use WPA2 or any other Wireless related settings.
>
> Quote: "limited or no connectivity", or "invalid IP address", or
> "network did not assign a network address" when I
> dumbed down the WPA2 encryption to WEP.
> End of Quote.
>
> What the above quote means?
>
> I suggest that you should disbale the security in both the Router and the
> Wireless computer, make sure that you have a Wireless connection, and then
> enable WPA-AES in the Router, and there after in the Cleint usingthe same
> passphrase.
> You need to set first your Wireless Router and generate there a Key, then
> you set the laptop with the same key.
> From the weakest to the strongest, Wireless security capacity is.
> No Security
> MAC______(Band Aid if nothing else is available).
> WEP64____(Easy, to "Brake" by knowledgeable people).
> WEP128___(Hard, but possible to Brake).
> WPA-PSK__(Very Hard to Brake ).
> WPA-AES__(Not functionally Breakable)
> WPA2____ (Not functionally Breakable).
>
> The documentation of your Wireless devices (Wireless Router, and Wireless
> Computer's Card) should state the type of security that is available with
> your Wireless hardware.
>
> All devices MUST be set to the same security level using the same pass
> phrase.
>
> Therefore the security must be set according what ever is the best
> possible of one of the Wireless devices.
>
> I.e. even if most of your system might be capable to be configured to the
> max. with WPA2, but one device is only capable to be configured to max .
> of WEP, to whole system must be configured to WEP.
>
> If you need more good security and one device (like a Wireless card that
> can do WEP only) is holding better security for the whole Network, replace
> the device with a better one.
>
> Wireless Security - http://www.ezlan.net/Wireless_Security.html
> Debuging basic Wireless, http://www.ezlan.net/wireless.html
> Jack (MVP-Networking).
>
>
> "Red Eagle" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:806818EC-0ED7-4A8A-AD52-(E-Mail Removed)...
>>I am attempting to re-establish a wireless connection. At one time, the
>> desktop PC in question could connect to the internet via a Dell 1450 USB
>> adapter. The wired PC was using a Linksys WRT54G using WPA2 encryption.
>> Everything was working great. Then ...
>>
>> All of a sudden, the PC with the adapter could not connect. The signal
>> strength was either excellent or very good, but I was unable to connect
>> to
>> the internet and was getting messages such as: "limited or no
>> connectivity",
>> or "invalid IP address", or "network did not assign a network address"
>> when I
>> dumbed down the WPA2 encryption to WEP.
>>
>> When I view available networks, I can see our network. I tried doing a
>> repair, but it does not work.
>>
>> The wired PC is set for automatic DHCP. The SSID is displayed.
>>
>> Both PCs run WinXP with SP2.
>>
>> I don't even know where to begin. Can someone please help me?
>