Bad IP Address!

[astoner1977]

My computer is a HP Pavillion, with Windows XP, and I'm trying to hook up Verizon DSL. I tried to get help from HP, but since I bought my computer in late 2001, it's considered obsolete and they won't help. When I tried to connect with DSL, it wouldn't work. At first I thought my line wasn't DSL capable...but Verizon said it was. So, obviously, it was something wrong with my computer. I didn't want to be one of those people who call for help,(and it ends up being an obsurdly easy fix) so I worked on it for a week before I caved. All of my connection lights were good and my memory is fine. I did the ping and config commands. I also attempted the network wizard. All of this failed. Verizon said it was probably a bad NIC, so I replaced it. Failed. Then Verizon said, after I did the config command, it was a bad IP address. They said that Windows will assign a random IP address, if something goes wrong. That's all fine and dandy...I know what the problem is, but no one will help me fix it. So, there it is....my tale of hardship Can anyone help? I would greatly appreciate it!

[dl65]

 astoner1977....  You say you replaced the ethernet card ........Did you install the drivers which probably came with it ?

Do you have the Mac address from your machine ?
Some ISPs require you to register this with them
Does your machine display a ip address?

to check this......... click start / run ....... in the run box type cmd  ....then press enter.  A new small black window will appear...... At the blinking cusor ...... type.....   ipconig/all   then push enter.........
You should see info appear.........   Your MAC ( physical address ) should be there as well as a ip address.

let us know what you discover.

dl65  

[astoner1977]

Thanks for the quick response! I have done that command and the address it gives me begins with the numbers 169... I don't have the full address in front of me b/c I am at my work's computer. My ISP provider had me run the same command and the address that I received, she said it was a bad number. She told me that Windows will make up a random faulty address if certain problems arise.?? Does this make any sense to you? It sounded like an easy fix, but like I said HP wouldn't help at all!
    Yes. I did replace the NIC. It now has ethernet capability only. My other one had dial-up as well. Also, my ISP provider never mentioned registering the IP address. I hope I've been able to make sense of all of this.

[astoner1977]

P.S. The driver that came with the NIC, on the box said it was Win. XP capable. But, in the instruction book only goes to Win.2000, as well as the driver disk. So, I don't know what that is about either.

[Rob Pomeroy]

Start by reading our networking FAQ.  There's a link in my signature.