Hi there, I'm having this problem: I have a small network in my office and I'm running 10 identicall PCs (like this one listed above) and I have this PC that just do not "see" any other PC on the LAN. I tryed everything: -check and change the LAN cable -check and change the NIC -and check and change de HUB port (or plug, I don't know how it's called the litle hole where you plug the LAN cable in the HUB) and keeps without seen any other PC on the LAN. I ran the Win XP Wizard "Set up a Home or Small ofice Network" (that was the way I configure the other 8 PCs on the LAN) and gives me a 169.x.x.x IP adrdress with 255.255.0.0 Subnet Mask. My DHCP Server has (for what I read is what it should be) the IP address 192.168.0.1 with Subnet Mask 255.255.255.0 . I guess the thing is to set up mannually the subnet mask, but I don't know how to do it, 'cos in the properties panel of the LAN conection icon it is impossible. As you can tell I'm not an expert in "innitial-terms", so please be tender... he he.

I think 169.x.x.x is the automatic address Windows gives you. First, go to a command prompt, and release and renew the IP address. If that doesn't work, go to My Network Places, then right click your connection, then click 'Repair'. Try that. :)

If you have a functional DHCP server, why did you need to use that god awful Windows XP Wizard, by default all NICs are set to retrieve thier TCP/IP configuration from a DHCP server. Therefore there was no need to use the wizard, you could have just set the workgroup name and in theory it should have worked. Admittedly, Windows XP can be a total nightmare in a workgroup environment for the uninitiated.

I think you may have hit the max limit of shares microsoft allow before you have to upgrade your server licence xp has a 10 pc limit connection unlicensed. check your licencing. just a thought...

Thnx for the quick answers guys, I tryed several times the release-renew proces and also the repair method and MICOSS (the PC with the problem) it just stills "alone in its island". When I try to renew the ip address (even in the repair proces) I got the error, "DHCP Server unreachable", the problem (I guess) is that the freaking NIC has an other subnet mask (255.255.0.0) than the one the DHCP Server has(255.255.255.0) Is there any way to set de subnet mask manualy? How shold I know if my DHCP is working properly? all I know is that works fine to all the other computers on the LAN.

to manually set subnet mask: open up network and dial-up connections right click on "local area connection" select the TCP/IP protocol select properties... ...and you should be able to change subnet mask from there. hope that helps!