Strange one this (at least to me) :-) I have an intranet network with four PCs wired and a couple wireless. One PC recently lost its IP address (192.168.0.x) and defaulted to the standard 169.x.x.x as if it could not communicate with the router. After messing around for a couple of hours I assumed that the NIC (onboard) was dead and installed a NIC in the PCI slot. All was then well and normal functionality resumed so I disable the onboard NIC. On Friday the problem reoccured, exactly the same with the new NIC. Sure enough I re-enabled old NIC and it immediately connected to the router and grabbed a DHCP IP. All is currently working. I'm pretty sure that the problem will return again. I have traced it to a problem on the PC itself (as a second PC works fine on the same wall port even when the offending PC fails). I'm guessing that the NIC is being blocked somehow, although the PC in question only uses the Windows firewall and AVG AV but it seems to make no difference if these are on or off. When the problem is evident I have tried to renew the IP but there is no IP assigned, as if it cannot see the router. (it ither sets it to 169.x.x.x or all zeros). However, if I assign a static IP then I can use the intranet but not the internet. I'm presuming that something on the PC is blocking a port that is used by the NIC but that's a guess. Short of me restoring the PC back to factory build is there anything I can try to trace this one down. I've search the forum but I haven't found one like this - some close but not the same. taffybach

I would go back to the static IP but make sure that you enter the DNS IP addresses, the subnet mask and the default gateway. That way you'll be able to use the internet too.

Thanks guapo. What do I set as the IP address for the DNS. Is this the router IP again? I had set the subnet and gateway but not the DNS. Taff taffybach

Have you reviewed the dhcp scope in the router? Are you doing ip reservations [mac filtering] in the router? Have you restarted your router? Imagine the power of knowing how to internet search http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/Teachin...

Thanks wanderer. Response below: Have you reviewed the dhcp scope in the router? Yep - the scope is fine. I've got enough connections and I have addresses either side of the failing PCs usual IP address. Are you doing ip reservations [mac filtering] in the router? Nope. Have you restarted your router? Makes no difference - also note that I can disconnect the failing PC nd connect another PC into the same port and all works fine. Taff taffybach

windows firewall on? If its disabled do you still have the issue? Imagine the power of knowing how to internet search http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/Teachin...

The IP of the router is the default gateway. I don't know the DNS IPs for your internet provider. You have to find out from them.