Urgent WIFI Issue. Please Help.

[sunsetsam]

Okay, you may think you have heard every wifi issue, but this one takes the cake.

To keep it concise; my wifi works everywhere, except in my apartment building.

My apartment complex uses one router and everyone in the complex is connected via wifi. The building is extremely old, so none of the units have ethernet plugs.

Again, my wifi (airport) connects to any other wifi network anywhere else, i.e. at school, coffee shops, unprotected networks, etc. Yet, it can NOT generate an IP address when it tries to connect to the wifi of my apartment building. It locates the network fine, but it can not connect.

I have tried almost everything I can think of, such as:

1. Deleting the network and its keychain attributes then adding it back on.
2. Adding a NEW location
3. Assist Me
4. Turning router off/on (I had to go inside the managers room to do it; permission granted ;D )
5. Flush DNS
6. INSTALLED LION (I previously had snow leopard)

I personally do not think the issue is with my computer, because it can connect anywhere else. It just cannot find an IP for that specific router. Or is there something I can actually do?

Please-Help-Me, I am desperate.

OS X Lion
MBP 15" NON-Unibody
2.4 ghz dual core

Thank You.

 

[ct2k7]

I'd put the blame on the router device or gateway you are using. It should be assigning a dynamic IP to your computer. Try swapping it?

Ensure DHCP server is enabled on the router

 

[sunsetsam]

I'd put the blame on the router device or gateway you are using. It should be assigning a dynamic IP to your computer. Try swapping it?

Ensure DHCP server is enabled on the router

What do you mean swapping? If you're talking about the router, I can't since other people use the router in the apartment building, and it works fine for them.

 

[christeeezy]

You can try assigning yourself a random static IP..?

 

[sunsetsam]

How do I do that? Has it worked before? I am up for anything with that state I am in.

 

[bigjobby]

You can't just assign yourself an IP address willy-nilly as its unknown which IPs are already allocated by the DHCP unless the you have access to the router's console.

Has your MBP previously been able to connect?
Do you have any problems with other devices?

One of the first things I'd investigate is whether you need to register your MBP's MAC address on the router to gain access.

 

[sunsetsam]

no one is being descriptive on how to do the things you are offering? Some step by step instructions or explanations can help.

thank you!

 

[alFR]

One of the first things I'd investigate is whether you need to register your MBP's MAC address on the router to gain access.

This. Get hold of whoever is in charge of the router and ask them if they have MAC address filtering enabled on it. If so, go into System Profiler and find your MBP's Wifi MAC address (About This Mac > More Info > System Report > Wifi), tell the manager and get them to add the address to the list on the router. If not, give us some more details:

• Has your MBP ever worked on the apartment network?
• Where are you trying it relative to the router? Could you be out of range?
• Can friends' laptops (or anything else you own, iPad or whatever) connect from the same location you're trying from?

 

[sdsvtdriver]

what model router?
what are encryption settings?
do you end up with a self assigned IP?

 

[alphaod]

You can try deleting some network preferences files. Note: You'll be resetting the networking application to factory defaults; it will not have any of your previous joined networks available or manually added locations.

Create a folder on your desktop and…
Go to: "Macintosh HD/Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration" (obviously replace "Macintosh HD" with whatever you named your boot drive)
Move these to your desktop folder you created earlier (instead of deleting them) in case you need to restore them: com.apple.airport.preferences.plist, com.apple.network.identification.plist, NetworkInterfaces.plist, preferences.plist

You'll most likely be prompted to input your password when moving these files.
Reboot after you move these files. If this resolves your issues, feel free to delete the folder on your desktop that has these files.

If your issues persist, I guess move these files back and call AppleCare.

Best of luck!