BleepingComputer.com: 169.254.xx.xx & No Fix in Sight

Please let me know if I need any additional information: I've spend the last 3 days with my head buried in various forums trying to find a solution for this issue and I'm starting to see in duplicate. Be gentle?

My current set-up is: HP e9100z AMD Phenom II X2 545 Processor, 3.00 Ghz with 6.00 GB RAM running Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit, plugged directly into an Ambit Model No: U10C018 modem via Ethernet cable.

Internet was turned on Saturday (Oct. 16) and worked intermittently for the first 24 hours (you'd have to renew IP and reset Local Area Connection to get it to work. On Monday, things stopped working entirely, which is where my troubleshooting began.

• After calling the ISP, we determined that the computer's IP is 169.254.xx.xx. Which I have since discovered is bad juju. Renewing doesn't work (it says something along the line of DHCP did not respond. Please try your call again. [Although ipconfig/all says that it is, in fact, enabled.]), and unplugging the modem/rebooting the computer doesn't seem to want to work either.
  
• I have determined that it is not the modem/Ethernet cable, as awesome friend's laptop connects with no problem. I have uninstalled the Network Adapter (NVIDIA nForce 10/100 Mbps Ethernet if it matters) device and reinstalled it. (It also says "This device is working properly", but maybe it's lying.). I also Pinged 127.0.0.1
  
• I have also gone through Microsoft's "Fixit" program to reset Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) which did not fix my problem, so they offered to charge me $49 dollars to "chat with someone".

Any help would be greatly appreciated; I'm positive I don't know what's going on anymore! And, like I said, please let me know if I need any additional informations.

Hi Foxed and welcome to the forum!
We dont charge $49 bucks to "chat with someone" here

Have you checked the system for viruses/spyware yet to rule out that possibility?

Side note. There is no need to disguise that IP.
It is the default IP that network cards default to when they, for what ever reason, are not being assigned an IP by the DHCP server.

I now return you to Eyesee for continued assistance.

I did find this doing a Google search for (vista dhcp U10C018):

Windows Vista cannot obtain an IP address from certain routers or from certain non-Microsoft DHCP servers
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/928233

I also found that some people connected to their modem via USB rather than an ethernet cable which your modem should support. The link is to the modem's manual and has instructions, albiet old, to do that.
http://www.jetbroadband.com/images/stories/pdfs/U10C018userguide.pdf

Here are some other interesting threads:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=943512&tstart=141
http://superuser.com/questions/33304/broadband-connection-problem


I'd also be interested in what OS your fiend uses with his laptop when he connected and it worked...

This post has been edited by HighDesertBum: 20 October 2010 - 05:17 PM

Yay for replies! I've been refreshing this page like a maniac waiting for all your wonderful selves to appear--and of course, the moment I step away, everyone shows!

Eyesee: I'm running a scan currently! The computer has Norton Internet Security (if it matters), and through attempting connection through safe mode, it doesn't appear to be the root cause of the issue.

ThunderZ: I wasn't attempting to disguise it! I just couldn't remember what came after the 169.254 because I was too lazy.

HighDesertBum: I will definitely look into a USB connection ASAP; perhaps I will also try the Microsoft solution first (as the USP cables I have are currently not here!). I'm also looking through those links you provided--very interesting read. Oh cable companies: never change your silly shenanigans.

And to answer your final question: Windows Vista Home Premium 32-bit!

This post has been edited by Foxed: 20 October 2010 - 05:31 PM

.

This post has been edited by Foxed: 20 October 2010 - 05:30 PM

I would also suggest, if you haven't tired this yet, is power-cycling your modem. Unplug it for 20-30 minutes (depends on modem) will cause it to reset on the ISPs end. I've also found that modems will save MAC address information of a computer that was plugged into it before unless it has been power-cycled. If you haven't tried this yet it wouldn't hurt, especially while you run your virus scan. ;)

I think I will attempt this now, actually. Unfortunately, the Microsoft solution seems a bit unlikely since the other Vista Home Premium OS (laptop) isn't having a problem with the connection...

Foxed, on 20 October 2010 - 05:50 PM, said:

Yeah, I was a bit dismayed when you posted that...

You could also look through you Event Viewer for any errors?
http://www.computerperformance.co.uk/vista/vista_event_viewer.htm

Are you saying in post #5 that the connection still has problems in safe mode?
That is the way I read it, I just want to be clear about it.
You also said that the Internet had just been turned on and really never worked correctly.

Power cycling the modem, as suggested, is a good idea. When I have issues with my connection I shut the computer down, power cycle my modem and router and then turn the system on. I have that problem at least once a month and it consistantly fixes it.

Keep us posted

One last question: have you tried assigning a static IP to your network card?

HighDesertBum: I haven't checked my Event Viewer, partially because I'm not sure quite what to look for. Any advice?

Also, I have attempted to assign a static IP to the network card (Properties --> IPV4 --> Properties --> Use the following IP address) and it didn't connect. Every time I attempt to connect, it seems to stall out around identifying.


Eyesee: Yep! Logging into safe mode did not provide a connection.

Cycling the modem also hasn't fixed things.


More details: I moved recently and the computer was able to connect to Old Apartment's internet no problem; internet gets turned on at New Apartment and it works sporadically on the computer and then stops working entirely.

Do you see a lot of red circles with a white x in them and status of error? Those are what we're looking for and anything related to DHCP. You'll probably find them under system or application headings.

What static IP address did you use?

Also, are you keeping the same internet provider between apartments? If so, maybe you could keep the modem that's working and have it reassigned to your new place!

Hmm. I've only just started going through the Event Log and I'm not seeing anything quite like that--there are a lot of Information icons! But I'll keep looking!

Basically, I lifted the IP off the laptop connection, xx.xx.xx.101, and changed it to xx.xx.xx.201. (That does work, right? Like I said: seeing in duplicate lately. My brain is failing at sense-making.)

And while we are keeping the same internet provider, the modem from O.A. belonged to O.Roommate, who took it with him--but that would be an awesome solution if not for Roommate!

I would duplicate whatever network settings the laptop had when connected to your modem. That IP address is a public IP meaning you can't change it. Anything beginning with 10.0.0.0-10.255.255.255 or 172.16.0.0-172.31.255.255 or 192.168.0.0-192.168.255.255 are private IPs and yours to manipulate.

This post has been edited by HighDesertBum: 20 October 2010 - 07:47 PM