Vista Business 32bit dhcp woes

[music43]

Hi everybody

I was hoping there might be a Vista MBPS floating round here or one of you Excel guys might be in the know.
My problems are too many to list but back in 2010 in got a virus on my machine which I think is the route of these problems. I lost all internet access both wireless and wired. After trying many things I got the IT guy at work to have a look. He couldn't fix it but figured it was the dhcp unable to obtain an ip address. He sorted it on a temp basis by assigning a fixed ip. Now I have lost that too. For some reason it hasn't fixed itself (can't think why not) and rebooting hasn't worked...

I have trawled the forums but to no avail.

Help me please. I can't face another install.

[Jesse]

Start - Run - "cmd" - OK

Type "ipconfig" and look for "IP Address" under "Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection" if are connected to a router it should look like 192.168.0.100, if you're directly connected to your cable or DSL modem then it could be any selection of numbers. As long as it does NOT start with 169 you should be good.

If you have 0's or 169 then you're not getting an IP address.

[music43]

I am not connected by a cable but on the wireless LAN the autoconfig IPv4 starts 169...

I know the router is connected to the internet because it is providing the WiFi for this (my phone).

I just plugged in the cable and re-typed ipconfig. The Ethernet address starts 169 also. I have another laptop which works on the cable also but it slow and old so is only a temp.

Where should I go from here please.

Thx

[Zack Barresse]

I never use DHCP on a home network, as I lock it down. I would recommend setting security and not broadcasting your SSID, this way it will make it very difficult for anyone to get into your network. I would say set a static IP address. If you haven't configured your router, I would personally change it from the default settings. Most routers use some sort of octet naming convention like 192.168.1.xxx with a gateway of 255.255.255.0, subnet 192.168.1.1. I'd recommend changing it to something else altogether (not 169, as Jesse pointed out, that is what a DHCP routing configuration will default to when it cannot assign an IP address), perhaps something easier to type (I'm lazy like that ) like 111.1.1.1 or something, or 10.1.1.1.

Whatever you do, make sure you write it down and you don't forget it. Once you change the IP address of the router it should save and reset. If the machine you're using to connect to it during the setup process hasn't been updated to the same IP, you'll need to change your settings (I'm assuming you're changing the settings via wired connection, so thus change your LAN IP settings to match what you changed the router to, changing the last octet to something different than your routers address, maybe 10.0.0.2 (if you used 10.0.0.1 for your router).

As far as security, I'd recommend WEP 128-bit encryption, it should work just fine for you. You can have it either autogenerate a code for you or you can type one in, either 13 or 26 character. Set either of the 4 keys as the actual key. The default is key 1, I generally add 4 keys and make the security key 3, mostly cause I can and it makes me feel better.

Depending on what you are doing with that machine, you may want to think about the firewall or port forwarding. Some applications or hardware use specific ports for certain things. You can also set these in your computers firewall settings under exceptions. It won't give you ports, it will give you names, like the normal HTTP port is 80, the normal FTP port is 21, etc. Check the boxes of everything you use, leave those unchecked which you don't, as a security precaution.

Of course, it could be as easy as a couple of command line switches if you use DHCP and don't want to change anything. In a command prompt type "ipconfig /release" and then type "ipconfig /renew", and it will release that IP address you currently have and reassign it with the router. But if you're getting a 169 address, I'd be willing to bet that won't work, and is probably an IP address or subnet issue. You must be on the same subnet as your router for the basic configuration I described. And your router shouldn't be in bridge mode for these settings.

Another thing you might try is to just reset the router back to factory defaults, then make all the changes you want fresh. It's generally what I do, and I'd recommend getting fairly handy with it (it's been my experience that you'll do this every so often, especially if you leave your network open).

In the realm of virus', what security do you have? Microsoft recently launched their 'Microsoft Security Essentials', a free download, which isn't too bad. In some recent tests it didn't score too bad, although it certainly wasn't perfect. But it looked pretty good, especially for the price. You can't run it with another AV program though, as they'll conflict. AVG is also very good. I don't personally care for Symantec (i.e. Norton's) or TrendMicro, which ship with a lot of the larger manufacturers, and is almost always the first thing which gets uninstalled for me.

Not sure if any of this helps, but hope it may.

[Simon Lloyd]

All great advice Zack, a couple of things (may go against the grain with you but thats what makes forums so diverse ) i'd recommend prior to reconfiguring any adapter, downloading, from a different pc of course, on to a key, spybot search and destroy and updates patch (it's free!), also google Housecall (Zack won't like this), it's trend micro's free online scan and is IMHO one of the best free scans you can get, it's usually online but you can download it.

Turn off your router (and as long as you have the original setup details for it) hold in the small reset button at the back and switch it back on, hold the button in for at least 10 seconds after power up. On your PC go to control panel>device manager (found under system on Vista and Win7)>Network adapter, on the wireless adapter right click and uninstall (you may need your windows disc but these days if you didn't recieve one and your pc had a "First start up" proceedure then the files are on your pc), after uninstalling then right click on network adapters and choose "Scan for hardware changes"

Go to Start>Run and type mrt.exe and hit enter or on windows 7 go to the start blob in the search type mrt and then click one of the results, after that run spybot full scan, then housecall full scan. Now using the default login you had for your router original set up, set up your wireless connection again.

Thats my two penneth worth (cents worth for our friends across the pond)

Good luck!

[music43]

Hi
Thanks to both you Zack and Simon for putting such detailed answers. Anyway, I will admit that this area is a little past my comfort zone and probably classes me as dangerous.
I spent some time over the weekend on the other machine downloading the latest spybot as I think the problem machine had too older version. I also looked at housecall but you need internet for that to function. I could only download the initiating exempt file. I also got the ms essential software.
After running those and the malicous software removal (which took 2 hrs to scan) I started looking at the network issue. To start with I could get onto the router page but eventually managed. I changed the ip address and turned off the dhcp within the router. I ran into several issues. I had to reactivate the dhcp in the router as without my wires Samsung smart phone refused to find an ip address...?
After all messing around, I could get the laptop to talk (with the cable connected) to the router but no to the internet. The internet works fine for the other machine and our phones. As I said this is a little over my head so I may be the problem.

Is there hope for me yet?

Thanks
Oli

PS I forgot to mention. I already keep the network secure with a 128 bit WEP and at the time of virus infection I was running sophos which had recently replaced the free but equally ineffective Avast. Norton seems to have been the only decent av that I have had on my machines but I am aware that everybody seems to have differing opinions on good and bad av. On one day someone told me about Kaspersky and before the day was out someone else had told me the complete opposite and they had a virus thanks to Kaspersky...
When I had Avast I thought it was good until I got a flash based virus from a kids game site.

[Simon Lloyd]

Unfortunately no single AV will capture all viri (is that the plural of virus? ), however usually having more than one AV on your system will cause false positives, that is to say that one will see the other as virus activity, as Zack said AVG Free is brilliant (i have the pro version and i run Avast manually every weekend).

Right, yes there's hope and it's good to be out of your comfort zone, it makes you proceed with caution and perhaps remember that having an up to date AV, Anti Spyware and Firewall are more important than you realise . Just for these purposes, turn off any firewall (including windows one), turn off any AV and try and connect, let us know the result (what version of windows are you using?), next you need the command window, at the prompt type ipconfig/all, copy the results, then perform the actions Zack mentioned, after that, at the prompt type ipconfig/all and hit enter, do the results vary?

Try to connect, any joy?, turn your Av and firewall(s) back on.

Did you uninstall your adapter ....etc as i mentioned?

Here's a shot of my ipconfig/all showing the bits we're interested in:

[Zack Barresse]

It might be a good idea to find someone who is good with networking and have them do it for you. It can be difficult to explain/follow online. What kind of router do you have? A good link for specifying how to change your TCP/IP settings is here. Also, when in the TCP/IP settings (i.e. double click Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4), if you click Advanced, you can add a default gateway as well, i.e. to whatever you change your router to, and if using DHCP as most are as default, you should be able to connect that way, so if you want to click the Add button and add it there.

For your smart phone, they're all a little different, depends mostly on your OS. If it's a newer Samsung, I'm assuming it has Android OS? Probably version 2.2 or 2.3 maybe? You can check by going to Settings, About Phone, Software Information. Should give you all your software information but namely your Android version. If it's not an Android OS, you should be able to check it as well but I'm not sure where it's at off the top of my head. Android allows the same IPv4 settings as your PC. One caveat/pitfall of Android network connections is they won't reset themselves, just turn the state on or off. To reset a connection (even though the settings will be saved) it's easiest to just turn the Airplane mode on and off again. In any case, if you change your router from DHCP to static IP addressing you'll need to make that setting change on your phone as well.

As far as AV goes, I wouldn't trust the routers security/firewall to protect you. I only use those settings to ensure I keep other machines off my router. The more connections you have to your router the more you open yourself up for [viral] attack. Keeping your Windows and AV software updated is probably number one.

There is always hope. It's just difficult on a forum and not actually being there.

[Simon Lloyd]

Just noticed that this is for Vista so (and don't be nervous, just man up and get on with it i found this on the net)
Read carefully and Kindly follow steps to help resolve your issues.

For wireless connections:

1. Hold the Windows key and press the R key, type services.msc and press Enter or click OK. This should open a new window - services local.
2. Look for Wireless Zero Configuration on the list in the right pane. The list is alphabetical, so you should be able to locate it maybe third from the bottom.
3. Double-click it to open it.
4. Click on the STOP button to stop it (lower left). If it is not highlighted or is grayed out, then the service is stopped. (it should also say that the SERVICE STATUS is stopped).
5. Look for STARTUP TYPE drop-down menu. Change it from AUTOMATIC to DISABLED. then click on APPLY (lower right).
6. Then just change it right back from disabled to automatic and click on apply again.
7. Click on START button (right beside the STOP button) on the same window to start the service.

--- We are essentially restarting the windows wireless service. What we did just turned it off and on again ---

8. Close the services local window.
9. Go to Start and then Control Panel. Network Connections. If you don't see Wireless Network Connections or Local Area Connection after opening Network Connections, kindly look for Network Connections again (it maybe on the lower right).

--- We need to be on the page where you have the wireless network connections icon. ---

11. Right-click on the icon for Wireless Network Connections then left-click on Properties.
12. You should have several tabs. Click on Wireless Network Connections tab (near the top of the window).
13. Make sure you have a checkmark on where it says, "Use windows to configure your wireless connections..." or something like that.

--- Before going into the next step. Kindly make sure first that you have the following CORRECT information: (1) your own SSID; (2) Network key (if you have one) - WEP or WPA or whichever encryption you are using. If you don't know these information, kindly secure these information first or better yet, try calling your router manufacturer to help you out on this ---

14. Then on the list that shows on the same window, remove everything on the list. That list shows all the wireless networks that you have been connected to before.

--- Don't worry about deleting it. The next time that you connect to the wireless network, it will be automatically added back into this list ---

15. Once everything is removed. Kindly close the window.
16. Go back to where you have the Wireless Network Connections icon again.
17. Right-click again the icon and left-click on View Wireless Network Connections.
18. If your wireless router is broadcasting your SSID, then you should be able to see it on the list of wireless network(s) that will appear on the screen.
19. Select your SSID and hit Connect.
20. It should be asking for your network key. Type it in. In might ask you to confirm the network key. Just type it in again.
21. It will attempt to connect it. And you will get a notification that you are connected.
22. Once you are connected, go back to the window where you have the Wireless Network Connections icon we were working on before.
23. That icon should say that it is connected.
24. Double-click it. It should open a new window.
25. You should have a General tab and a Support tab.
26. General tab should say it is connected.
27. Click on the Support tab.
28. Now confirm if your IP Address says 192.168.x.x. where x can represent any number. Example: 192.168.0.100
29. If you have these confirmed. Kindly try to see if you can now get into the internet or into your network.
30. Enjoy!

[Ken Puls]

It looks like you have this well in hand, guys, but I just wanted to question Zack on something...

You really switch from DHCP to static IP's on your home network? Personally I avoid static IP's.

I always change the default subnet for my networks so that they aren't 192.168.1.x, but I definitely use DHCP. If I don't, then I have to manually reconfig my laptop when I go elsewhere. In addition, static IP's give you no extra security at all unless you disable DHCP provisioning on your router. I'm sure you know this, but just in case anyone reading this doesn't...