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Self Assigned IP address nightmare

R

richrara

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 13, 2010
22
0
Hi, I have been unable to get online now at home for 4 weeks due to 'self assigned ip address' problem.

I have tried every fix I have been able to find including:

- Adding a new location
- Deleting keychain password in keychain access app.
- Renewing DHCP lease
- Switching airport off and doing all of the above and then rejoining the network.
- Diagnostics
- Rebooting the hub several times

But still I am getting a self-assigned IP address and am unable to connect.

If anyone has any further advice it would be hugely appreciated.

For info; Around 3 months ago I started to use time machine as a back-up for an external HDD. I didn't experience this problem immediately - but could this have an impact?
I haven't had any major system crashed or any other issues.

Thanks in desperation!!!
 
Thanks for yr response. Ok so I have a hub (is that the same as a modem?). I'll try connecting directly, see what happens and get back. My wife has the same macbook pro as me and isn't having the problem so it's seemingly something on my system rather than a problem with the hub.

I just tried reinstalling an old version of the system configuration folder (as suggested in another thread) which I had backed up and still no luck:mad:
 
OK, here's what happened. I connected an ethernet cable directly to the hub. Selected ethernet as my priority connection in system preferences, and it showed an IP address and looked as if it was all good to go.

Then, with the broadband light on my hub showing as green (so all good) I tried to open a web page, and got an error message in my browser window from my provider that the internet connection wasn't working.

Which can't be the case as my wife is connecting to the same network without any problem.

We literally just have one hub, simple home set-up with nothing in-between.

----------

Correction - my wife's connection (through airport) is no longer working since I connected the ethernet cable to mine (bizarre, or not?). I'm rebooting the hub and will try again with the ethernet cable from it to my machine and update shortly (once I've confirmed the connection is working on my wife's machine, ruling out I presume a problem with the hub)...
 
So, the internet connection fully went down following connecting an ethernet cable between the hub and the mac (I know this as my wife could no longer connect).

So I've rebooted the hub and now she is connecting OK via airport, I am connecting OK via ethernet (small mercies) - but I still get the self-assigned IP problem when trying to connect on my machine only via airport.

Any further advice pls?

Thanks
 
Yep. Follow these simple steps:

1. Turn off the Airport card.

2. Open System Preferences->Network pane.

3. At the top of the Network pane will be the 'Location' drop-down selector. Use that to 'Edit' the Locations.

4. When the 'Locations pop-up comes up click the + symbol to add a custom named Location (calling it whatever you want, don't worry it will act actually like Automatic) and then , while still in the Network pane turn on your airport card and rejoin your network.

5. Once joined to your wireless network, at the bottom of the Network pane and click the 'Apply' button to total save this new Location.


See if following these steps work, Good Luck.
 
richrara said:
So, the internet connection fully went down following connecting an ethernet cable between the hub and the mac (I know this as my wife could no longer connect).

So I've rebooted the hub and now she is connecting OK via airport, I am connecting OK via ethernet (small mercies) - but I still get the self-assigned IP problem when trying to connect on my machine only via airport.

Any further advice pls?

Thanks
Click to expand...

Can you tell us the make and model of your "hub" please? And describe how the hub is connected to any other broadband devices.
 
Hi, yes it's simply know as 'BT Home Hub'.

I think it is worth noting that I have been connected to this hub via airport for over 3 years without any problems, and my wife is still connecting to it on her Macbook Pro (same as mine) without any problems.

The only change that I see I have made in recent months is using Time Machine for back-up.

As detailed above I have tried a myriad of 'fixes' but with no avail.

Any further suggestions warmly welcomed.

Thanks
 
Umm,

Why not reboot the hub?

If you have network problems that is the first thing you do!

Reboot the box also you got form the internet guys.

If they only gave you one box or you only have one box reboot it, first

If you have two boxes Unplug both, and then plug the box in first with the phone or cable line, wait a minuit or so then plug in the other box,

(You should do this like every 30 days,)
 
Thanks, but as I mentioned in the fixes I've tried (1st post) rebooting the hub (on several occasions) is one of them. Any more suggestions pls? Other than getting a new Macbook! :confused:
 
richrara said:
Thanks, but as I mentioned in the fixes I've tried (1st post) rebooting the hub (on several occasions) is one of them. Any more suggestions pls? Other than getting a new Macbook! :confused:
Click to expand...


Looking over your initial posts again, the thing that comes to mind is that your network is acting like one of the Macs is bypassing the router and connecting directly to the broadband modem. The other IP addresses are then not authorized to connect.

Please double check and make sure that your "Hub" is connected to the broadband router by the WAN or Internet port, and that any computers connected by ethernet do so on the LAN or numbered ports.

If you find that the Internet connection was being made with the wrong port (i.e. through a LAN port instead of the WAN/Internet port) you will probably need to power down the hub and modem, then turn them back on. Then, for good measure I'd reboot the Macs too.
 
Thanks again for your message Sam. We only have a single "hub" (and no router) - now I just read this online: "A network with only switches (hubs) must instead designate one computer as the gateway to the Internet"

What this has made me realise is that my internet connection stopping working coincided exactly with my wife's previous macbook dying (she now has a new macbook pro which as I mentioned before is connecting fine) - could it be that her old macbook was effectively acting as the 'gateway to the internet'? And if this is the case, how do I override that? (the old macbook has been scrapped)

For clarity;

- There is one single hub (BT Home Hub)

- We both ONLY connect to it via airport ( although as previously suggested I did try momentarily connecting to it using an ethernet cable for testing purposes, and it connected fine - but there is absolutely nothing else connected to it normally or at present)

- The only cable which is connected to the hub is inserted (as it always has been) into the port labelled 'broadband'. This cable runs into an ADSL filter which also has a cable for the telephone in the second port, and the ADSL filter then connects into the wall. This is exactly as it has been for the past 4 years and without any problems occuring until 4 weeks ago (around the time my wife's macbook died).

Thanks in advance - really hope we can get to the bottom of this!
 
In addition to my last note, I think it's also worth reemphasizing that my wife's new Macbook Pro is connecting to this internet connection via airport with no problem whatsoever - could it be that this has now become the computer that is 'designated as the gateway to the internet' (?) - and if so, how can I get it to let me in!?
 
richrara said:
In addition to my last note, I think it's also worth reemphasizing that my wife's new Macbook Pro is connecting to this internet connection via airport with no problem whatsoever - could it be that this has now become the computer that is 'designated as the gateway to the internet' (?) - and if so, how can I get it to let me in!?
Click to expand...

Did you try my suggestion about trying a new Location yet or just dismiss it?
 
Hi Satcomer, thanks for the advice - but as you'll see if you read my first post where I detail all the fixes I've tried, this was the first one (I've tried it numerous times) and it has no effect.
 
To keep the thread up to date, here are the fixes I've now tried. All to no avail (still seeing self-assigned IP address).

- Adding a new location
- Deleting keychain password in keychain access app.
- Renewing DHCP lease
- Switching airport off and doing all of the above and then rejoining the network.
- Diagnostics
- Rebooting the hub several times
- Connecting via ethernet cable (this worked, but I need to be connected via airport)
- Replacing the System Configuration folder with an older version of that folder which existed before I was having any issues
- Checking the cable is plugged into the correct port in the hub

I have 1 single BT Home Hub, no separate router. NOTHING else is attached to the hub - there is one cable going from the 'broadband' socket into the telephone port on the wall (via an ADSL box - this is how it has always been)

My wife is connecting to it via airport without any problems.

My problems started when her old MAC died, and I am wondering therefore (although I have very little technical knowledge) if that Mac was 'acting as the gateway to the internet' and if so how I can essentially override this.

Also, any other suggestions warmly welcomed.

Thanks
 
richrara said:
Thanks again for your message Sam. We only have a single "hub" (and no router) - now I just read this online: "A network with only switches (hubs) must instead designate one computer as the gateway to the Internet"

What this has made me realise is that my internet connection stopping working coincided exactly with my wife's previous macbook dying (she now has a new macbook pro which as I mentioned before is connecting fine) - could it be that her old macbook was effectively acting as the 'gateway to the internet'? And if this is the case, how do I override that? (the old macbook has been scrapped)

For clarity;

- There is one single hub (BT Home Hub)

- We both ONLY connect to it via airport ( although as previously suggested I did try momentarily connecting to it using an ethernet cable for testing purposes, and it connected fine - but there is absolutely nothing else connected to it normally or at present)

- The only cable which is connected to the hub is inserted (as it always has been) into the port labelled 'broadband'. This cable runs into an ADSL filter which also has a cable for the telephone in the second port, and the ADSL filter then connects into the wall. This is exactly as it has been for the past 4 years and without any problems occuring until 4 weeks ago (around the time my wife's macbook died).

Thanks in advance - really hope we can get to the bottom of this!
Click to expand...

I'm not familiar with the BT Home Hub. If it's provided by your DSL company then it probably *IS* a router (where I said "Broadband router" before I meant "broadband modem") and a modem in one. In this case, BT is probably using the term "hub" very loosely--wanting you to think of a central point that everything connects to. The passage you cite about hubs and switches uses those terms in a technical sense. So unless they were found in documentation explicitly pertaining to your hardware, I do not think they apply.

If the Internet worked on YOUR macbook even when your wife's was asleep, then it was not designated as the gateway.

Alrighty… Let me ask you some more questions. On each of the laptops, please go to System Preferences > Network. Click on "Airport" (is the dot next to it green?) and click the "Advanced…" button.

Please list ALL of the settings under the TCP/IP, DNS, Proxies and Hardware tabs, separately for both laptops. Thanks.
 
Hi, thanks for your response. The dot next to Airport is amber.

I have listen my settings below, and then my wife's beneath those (is there any security issues with me putting all these up by the way?)

The immediate differences I notice are:

There is nothing showing under DNS servers on mine - but there is on hers.

Her subnet mask number is different to mine.

She has a number next to 'router' - I don't.


My machine:

TCP/IP TAB

Configure IPv4 - Using DHCP

IPv4 Address: 169.254.202.207

Subnet Mask: 255.255.0.0

Router - This is blank

Configure IPv6 - Automatically

Router - This is blank

IPv6 Address: This is blank

Prefix Length: This is blank

DHCP Client ID: This is blank

DNS TAB Both fields are blank

Proxies TAB

Under 'bypass proxy settings for these hosts and domains'
*.local, 169.254/16

HARDWARE TAB - THERE ISN"T ONE OF THESE (I'm running 10.6.4)
IT GOES>
Airport - TCP/IP - DNS - WINS - 802.1x - Proxies - Ethernet


MY WIFE"S MACHINE:

TCP/IP TAB

Configure IPv4 - Using DHCP

IPv4 Address: 192.168.1.64

Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0

Router - 192.168.1.254

Configure IPv6 - Automatically

Router - This is blank

IPv6 Address: This is blank

Prefix Length: This is blank

DHCP Client ID: This is blank


DNS TAB

DNS Servers: 192.168.1.254
Search Domains: home

PROXIES TAB

Under 'bypass proxy settings for these hosts and domains'
*.local, 169.254/16

Hardware on her machine is set to configure automatically and gives a MAC address
 
I'll interject two things here.

Your wife's IP ends in .64, which is curious. Usually, a router is configured to begin handing out IP addresses starting with .2. Have you checked the router's (hub's) settings?

Also, have you tried connecting "Manually" using the Subnet Mask setting that shows on your wife's settings and a fixed IP such as 192.168.1.70? Try it with Google's DNS servers in your settings, 8.8.4.4 and 8.8.8.8
 
Thanks Brian - I'm in London - which might explain the IP address difference (?).
Just tried inserting manually the same settings as my wife's (but changing the IP address to the one you suggested) and the network 'dot' changed from amber to green, and it showed as being connected - but then I couldn't get online when I went to my web browser - the usual 'internet not connected error message'.

As far as the Google DNS Servers - where would I put those, and what would it achieve in terms of solving my long term issue?

Thanks
 
richrara said:
Thanks Brian - I'm in London - which might explain the IP address difference (?).
Click to expand...
Not in this case… there's nothing technically wrong, it's just an unusual format. But there are a lot of ways she could have gotten to that point so it's just a quirk, not a problem.

Just tried inserting manually the same settings as my wife's (but changing the IP address to the one you suggested) and the network 'dot' changed from amber to green, and it showed as being connected - but then I couldn't get online when I went to my web browser - the usual 'internet not connected error message'.

As far as the Google DNS Servers - where would I put those, and what would it achieve in terms of solving my long term issue?

Thanks
Click to expand...
You would put the DNS server in the DNS server tab after going to Network Preferences > Airport > Advanced > DNS. If you put the 192.168.1.254 address in the DNS list, take it out and try with the Google DNS servers. We're just trying to narrow down the source of the problem, and manually pointing your computer to a known-good DNS server helps us do that.

With those settings as you have said (IP address 192.168.1.70, subnet mask 255.255.255.0, router 192.168.1.254 and DNS set to... whatever...) what happens when you go to terminal and type

ping 8.8.4.4

and press the [return] key? You can press [control] + c to make it stop after a few tries.
 
Just added Google's DNS Servers under the DNS tab and DNS Servers and still no luck (along with adding my wife's subnet mask, router and IP address settings with the last 2 digits of the IP address changed) . The light goes green and says that it's connected to BT Home Hub - but I can't browse and get the Alert: No Internet Connection in the status bar (top right hand corner of my finder).

----------

Can you tell me how to get to terminal pls and I'll try it.
 
I don't think London has anything to do with it. The Router address seems to be standard for the Home Hub. I don't know how it's assigning IP addresses and don't see anything about that in a cursory search.

There should be a DNS section in "Advanced" on the Mac.
 
richrara said:
Just added Google's DNS Servers under the DNS tab and DNS Servers and still no luck (along with adding my wife's subnet mask, router and IP address settings with the last 2 digits of the IP address changed) . The light goes green and says that it's connected to BT Home Hub - but I can't browse and get the Alert: No Internet Connection in the status bar (top right hand corner of my finder).

----------

Can you tell me how to get to terminal pls and I'll try it.
Click to expand...

Spotlight (⌘ + Spacebar by default) and type Terminal
 
Here were the results when I tried the Terminal app Ping

Last login: Thu Aug 2 11:07:49 on console
ping 8.8.4.4Rich-Mitchells-MacBook-Pro:~ richmitchell$ ping 8.8.4.4
PING 8.8.4.4 (8.8.4.4): 56 data bytes
ping: sendto: No route to host
ping: sendto: No route to host
Request timeout for icmp_seq 0
ping: sendto: No route to host
Request timeout for icmp_seq 1
ping: sendto: No route to host
Request timeout for icmp_seq 2
ping: sendto: No route to host
Request timeout for icmp_seq 3
ping: sendto: No route to host
Request timeout for icmp_seq 4
ping: sendto: No route to host
 
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