Unable to obtain an IP address via Wireless

Question

Have tried to set up two seperate people with home wireless on their Latitude D610's ( both running XP ). Both people are using a D-Link DI-624 router. In each case the laptop shows that they are connected to the wireless router ( I assume this means the SSID and WPA key are all correct ) but when I do an IPconfig, in get a 169.x.x.x address. Which means the laptop didn't get an IP address. Ipconfig release and renew comes back with no IP.   For one user, I set up the DI-624 at their home and was able to connect successfully on an old Dell Dimension desktop with a D-Link PCI wireless card and on an old IBM laptop with a D-Link PCM-CIA wireless card. When I tried to connect the Latitude D610, no go. Even though I connected no IP.   In the other situation, I have the DI-624 here in my office. I can connect with my Latitude D600 using its internal wireless card no problem. I can connect with a Latitude C610 using a PCM-CIA Linksys wireless card no problem. But when I try a totally difference Latitiude D610 I get exactly the same problem.  I can connect, but no IP is given out.   HELP!!!!

jmwills · Answer

Don't assume anything. All that means is the SSID is broadcasting and the NIC can see it. More than likely the encyrption key is wrong and/or MAC filtering is in place. I would update the firmware for the router and go wtiht WPA-PSK instead of WEP.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,1277020,00.asp

DPGumby · Answer

I take your point. Here is a bit of an update. Thinking that my Dell D600 can get an IP address from the DI-624, I know that DHCP is working. So I followed the path you suggest, i.e that its a WPA phrase typo. Anyway I first disabled security completely ( on both router and laptop ) and was able to connect. I then enabled WEP 128 bit ( on both router and laptop ) and again was able to connect and get an IP. When I went back to WPA no joy. I then statically assigned an IP address to the laptop ( leaving WPA in place on router and laptop ) and boom I am connected. This would suggest my SSID is ok and the WPA phrase is ok, but for some reason I am not getting DHCP from the D-Link. That however flies in the face of the face I know that DHCP is working on the D-Link, because both my other two Dell laptops can get an address and the other site I have the problem with the same D610 is able to service a IBM laptop and a Dell desktop with WPA and gives an IP address.

So it seems to me that the Dell D610 has a problem with DHCP and WPA. I am running the latest Intel drivers for the internal wireless card and the latest XP patches. I wonder if there is some setting I am missing that is my problem.

So once again Help!

DPGumby · Answer

Sorry didn't specify in my orignal post I am running WPA-PSK when I have the problems.

jmwills · Answer

Its has to be a firmware issue.  Check for updates.  Are you using the Windows utiltity to manage the connection?  If not, you shoud be.

DPGumby · Answer

I had installed the latest update to the D610 when I originally posted. I will look for any additonal. I also had the latest DI-624 firmware installed at that time, but since my D600 had no problem, I think it best to concentrate on the D610 as the source of the problem. Will try as you suggest using the Windows zero configuration tool to manage the connection and see if that helps.

HywelBurris · Answer

Hi, Did you ever manage to find a solution for this as i am having similar problems as you can see from the following thread:-   http://forums.us.dell.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=latit_network&message.id=7468   Thanks   Hywel

Networking, Internet, & Bluetooth

Unable to obtain an IP address via Wireless

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