Hey all, I have a problem and wanted to know if I could get any solutions here. I have a Dell which cannot connect to the internet, which it used to be able to do fine. From what people tell me, it's because my comp can't reach the DHCP in the router. Specifically, and I quote:

"Since you said it's cable, you probably have a single dynamic public ip address. The cable modem should be running a DHCP daemon. The router should be running a DHCP client. The router gets assigned the dynamic public ip address. The router could be set up two ways. It can be set up to assign dynamic or static private ip's to any machines behind it. Depending on this setup, you should be running a DHCP client on the computer or manually setting the ip. It really depends on how things are set up. Who configured the router setup? What ip is given to the other computer connected to the router that is still working? With this info you could manually assign an ip based off this one. Depending on the setup, you could access the router, if you know it's private ip, on port 80 for configuration options. Again this ip could be guessed based on the ip of the working computer.

Is DHCP running on the working computer? This would be a good sign that the router is dynamically allocating ips based on an ip range given to it. Make sure DHCP is listed as started on the problem box."

The problem is, I have no idea what he's talking about or in what way I can accomplish this. If someone can demystify the jargon in a way I can use it to get my Dell online, I'd be very happy.

[info]
-Dell WinXP Pro <non internet capable>
-Compaq WinXP Pro <internet capable; currently being used>
-Netgear Router
-Cable connection

I've tried the various methods:
-Tried a new NIC
-Plugged the ethernet wire into different router ports
-Possibly all the various combinations of powering down, unplugging, plugging, and waiting N minutes using the Dell, cable modem, router, and compaq trying to figure out what's wrong.
-Using /iprelease and /iprenew, always seeing the same IP has already been released and 0.0.0.0
-Try to create a new direct connection in network properties, but it won't allow me
-Tried to install the http://192.168.1.1 to access my router, but get a page failed to display

IP address : A number assigned to your PC to identify it on the internet.

Dynamic IP : Assigned by an ISP, they will have a pool of them and every time you dial-up or re-start your connection, you get a one. Because they're from a pool, they will usually be different each time.

Static IP : Particular IP number assigned by your ISP. Stays the same all the time, no matter what.

DHCP : "Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol - This protocol allows a computer to join an IP-based network without having to configure a specific IP address. IP addresses are assigned to computers as they enter the network and are released when the computer leaves. The IP addresses are selected from a pool of IP addresses, allocated to the DHCP server. This server will require correct IP, subnet mask, gateway & name server address configuration and this allows computers running DHCP client software to call on these settings as required. DHCP releases the need for system administrators to apply these settings for each computer joining the network."

You might try 192.168.1.2 or 192.168.7.1 or 2

The 1 would be the router and the 2 the PC.

<b><font color=blue>~ <A HREF="http://www.btvillarin.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=324" target="_new">My System Specs</A> ~<font color=blue></b>

do you have the working computer connected through the router or directly to the modem?

how do you shoot the devil in the back? what happens if you miss? -verbal