IP Address problem

The 169.254.xxx.xxx address is the IP address that Windows assigns when it cannot get an IP address from a DHCP server.  Check the cables between the computer and the router.  Are the link lights lit up on both the router and the network card?  Can you ping the network card at 127.0.0.1?  Did the network card come with diagnositic software you can run?  If so, run it and see if it finds any problems.

Steve

I can successfully ping the ethermet card (127.0.0.1) but I cannot ping the router.

And I do not see any software for it. I am currently running a WinXP Net diagnostics program. And it says that the Network Adapter passed it's test.

Check the cables between the computer and the router.  Are the link lights lit up on both the router and the network card?

Steve

Check this thread:

http://forums.us.dell.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=dim_network&message.id=29914

Herman

jongkind, thanks for the link. I was in the process of doing a System Restore while reading this thread, so Cody's advice was correct for me. As the restore did recover whatever file was missing. Of course my experience with System Restore is that is usually screws up something else (today it appears to be MS Money) but at least I can access the router now!.

Thanks to everyone who responded.

I had similar problem with my new Dimension 2400 connecting to my homenetwork (Thomson multi PC modem/router for 4 clients). Strange was that my Dell work at each location exept the one furthest away from the modem. It kept pollong with the router and eventually Windows assigned the IP adress (169.x.x.x) instead of the router.

The fact that it only happend at this location (i.e. longest cable) made me think of some data loss due to cable length. I browsed some other subjects on the platform and read an entry from someone who advised to reduce the speed of the network interface card (NIC). Normally the speed is configured at 100 Mbs full duplex. When I switched it back to 10 Mbs half duplex the problem was already solved. Finally I switched it to 10 Mbs full duplex and its working just fine now. Apperently router and PC could't do a hanshake due to this speed problem

Had the same problem on a Dimension 8400 with a Broadcom NetXtreme 57xx integrated NIC. After setting up the PC and hooking the LAN ethernet cables to my LinkSys 4 port router, I kept getting an indication in the system tray of "incomplete or no connectivity" for the LAN network connection. The NIC was not getting an IP address from the router and kept defaulting to the IP address assigned by Windows XP Home. The other computers on my home network were running fine through the router and DSL modem.

For three days I spent hours on hold and a few frustrating minutes on the phone with the Dell help center in India. I tried numerous things they suggested to fix the problem like installing new drivers, reinstalling the network connections, recabling, powering down router, modem, PC and any combination of the three. After nothing worked, I finally convinced them the motherboard had to be bad (integrated NIC), and they agreed to replace it, much to their credit. The work was to be done in the morning. However, I still had a nagging suspicion it was software related, even though they never got close to the real cause. I had done numerous Google searches but never found a tip that worked.

But tonight I was browsing the Dell message boards and ran across your post. And voila'. I changed the speed on the NIC to 10 Mps full duplex and it started working like a charm. What a journey. (I plan to notify Dell later this week of the fix, since I cancelled the replacement of the motherboard.)