Windows 7 - home network IP addresses

Asked By Ryan Young

27-Jan-07 06:32 PM

I have a home network set up with 3 wired and 1 wireless connection to a
DI-524.  Everything works fine on the network as long as I specify my IP
addresses for all computers connected to the network.  If I let my laptop
auto detect, I will not get any internet on the laptop.  However, to connect
to any other wireless networks (office, friends, on the road) I have to
switch it to automatic and then it works fine there.

Can anyone shed some light on how this works and how I might get around this
problem?

27-Jan-07 06:54 PM

One cause of the problem is that the router is not setup to be a DHCP
server.  Another cause is that the laptop is not setup to get its IP address
via DHCP.  Perhaps posting the results of ipconfig/all would shed more
light.

Jim

27-Jan-07 06:58 PM

Have you checked that the DHCP server is turned on in your Router?

-Frank

27-Jan-07 07:40 PM

Hi
As mentioned above, it sounds like the Router's DHCP Server Off.
However, in case that it is Not so, you can configure the Laptop with
alternative settings, one with the Static IP for home, and one with Auto.
obtain for other wireless Hot Spots.
Configuring a Laptop (or any computer) to connect to more than one Network -
http://www.ezlan.net/faq#fewtcp-ip
Jack (MVP-Networking).

27-Jan-07 09:31 PM

You're right - DHCP is not turned on in my router.  Now for some reason I
cannot access the router via 192.168.0.1 from the hard-wired desktop  -
comes back with page cannot be displayed.  Missing a step or something
logical??

28-Jan-07 11:05 AM

Are all of your other computers in the 192.168.0.x net?
They must be in the same subnet as the router.
This is yet another reason to use DHCP.
Jim

28-Jan-07 04:30 PM

Yes, they are all the same.  When I ran ipconfig/all it told me that DHCP
was not turned on.  I would like to turn it on but cannot get into my
router.

the following is the results of ipconfig/all on my wireless laptop


Windows IP Configuration



Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : Ryan_Laptop

Primary Dns Suffix  . . . . . . . :

Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid

IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : Yes

WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No



Ethernet adapter Network Bridge:



Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected

Description . . . . . . . . . . . : MAC Bridge Miniport

Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 02-A0-D1-D5-EB-3B



Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:



Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . :

Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) PRO/Wireless LAN 2100
3B Mini PCI Adapter

Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-04-23-5A-C9-5E

Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No

IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.202

Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0

Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1

DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1

28-Jan-07 04:40 PM

If you do not have a DHCP server, then you must enter the addresses into each
computer's HOSTS file.

This brings back memories of CMU-TEK.

Jim

28-Jan-07 05:01 PM

This looks like more work than it might be worth.  I also looked into a link
suggested here where it said to configure an "Alternate Configuration" in my
TCP/IP settings - could not find that either.

28-Jan-07 05:43 PM

If you can't get to the router to set it to be the DHCP server, you have no
choice.

Really, now, you create a single HOSTS file which lists all of your
computers.  Then you copy this file to the proper subdirectory of Windows on
all of your computers...

I once managed a group of 45 computers which had to use this method because
the version of IP did not support DHCP.   It worked OK, and once setup there
was little to do unless we got an additional computer.

Jim

28-Jan-07 06:51 PM

OK, that's totally new to me.  So if I want to add all 4 computers on the
network to this HOSTS file, what would a line look like to do so?  And by
doing this, I will not compromise the way the wireless laptop works on other
networks?

28-Jan-07 09:10 PM

I believe you need to understand why you can't connect. On the bottom of
your DI-524 there should be a P/N..... That ends in a Letter and number
combination, this is the revision level, what is your revision level?
http://www.dlink.com/products/support.asp?pid=316&sec=0#firmware I suggest
that you do a factory reset, this should re-enable the DHCP server in the
DI-524

--
David Hettel

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group for everyone
to see.  I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions addressed directly to me in
E-mail or news groups.

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28-Jan-07 09:13 PM

The existing HOSTS file has the documentation.
As for using it with the other networks, whether it works or not depends on
whether this method creates an IP address conflitct or not and whether the
other networks use the same subnets.

You could edit the HOSTS file to put the comment character at the beginning
of each line except the one which defines the localhost.

Jim

28-Jan-07 09:58 PM

If you can't access the router, how did you determine that DHCP was not
turned on?

You *have* to access the router to fix your issue.

Assuming you know the address of the router...
- Connect an Ethernet cable *directly* from one computer to your router and
make sure the computer is on the same network as the router (set it
manually).

If you don't know the address of the router (or can't pass the password
check), find the reset button and press and hold it in for about 5 seconds.
Then, use the default logon/password and address according to the manual. If
you don't have the manual, you can probably find it online somewhere.

-Frank