Wireless Woe IP Address

I have a wireless network that worked very well. I have a Linksys AP and a
built in wireless card in my new Compaq Presario notebook. Using WPA
security.

Last week I noticed that the laptop betan to take over 6 minutes to
boot-up. Working with MS support we narrowed the problem down to the DHCP
server. It seems the laptop stalled waiting for an IP Address.

We remedied the problem by giving the laptop a fixed IP address on my
network.

My question is what changed? What could cause the laptop to stall during
boot-up? Is there any disadavantage to having a fixed IP address?

Will this effect working at local coffee shops?

Michael M. Cohen wrote:
> I have a wireless network that worked very well. I have a Linksys AP and a
> built in wireless card in my new Compaq Presario notebook. Using WPA
> security.
>
> Last week I noticed that the laptop betan to take over 6 minutes to
> boot-up. Working with MS support we narrowed the problem down to the DHCP
> server. It seems the laptop stalled waiting for an IP Address.
>
> We remedied the problem by giving the laptop a fixed IP address on my
> network.
>
> My question is what changed? What could cause the laptop to stall during
> boot-up? Is there any disadavantage to having a fixed IP address?
>
> Will this effect working at local coffee shops?
>
>
I don't have an access point or wireless card capable of WPA, so can't
speak directly to the problem, but I have seen this posted in several
forums/newsgroups.

Since it seems to happen with various combinations of access points and
wireless cards, suspect that the problem is somehow connected with the
way Windows implements WPA. The only solution I have seen posted is to
set a static IP.

Nothing wrong with a fixed IP until you change access points. Then you
will have to reset your connection for DHCP.

I had the same problem at a coffee shop. I was told by tech when called for
assistance
that some APs namely the big D and big L had a problem when connecting with
some computers with the big C processor. However, in my case the problem
went away when I discoved and removed virus
MSblast. Hkey/software/Microsoft/Windows/current
version/run/autorun="msblast.exe." Luck


"Michael M. Cohen" <michael(no_spam)@mmcohen.com> wrote in message
news:unGdnUcSsbNtsj2iU-(E-Mail Removed)...
> I have a wireless network that worked very well. I have a Linksys AP and
a
> built in wireless card in my new Compaq Presario notebook. Using WPA
> security.
>
> Last week I noticed that the laptop betan to take over 6 minutes to
> boot-up. Working with MS support we narrowed the problem down to the DHCP
> server. It seems the laptop stalled waiting for an IP Address.
>
> We remedied the problem by giving the laptop a fixed IP address on my
> network.
>
> My question is what changed? What could cause the laptop to stall during
> boot-up? Is there any disadavantage to having a fixed IP address?
>
> Will this effect working at local coffee shops?
>
>