APIPA help

[penauroth]

I have a Win 2k server that acts as our DHCP, DNS and Domain Server. I have a hetergenous network of operating systems connected to the server via an HP switch. I am able to successfully convert our Win 98 and Win 2K workstations to this domain. However, there is one laptop that is using APIPA to assign it's own IP address in the form of 169.254.x.x.

Apparently, the user has his own LAN at home, uses another LAN at a remote office and connects to our domain at the HQ Office. Microsoft has an article addressing this issue:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;244268.

After configuring the registry the workstation does not find the DHCP server and the IP address is 0.0.0.0. I am at my wits end. Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Paul

 

[GlenJohnson]

Have you checked the nic. If memeroy serves me correct 169.254.x.x is the address that the OS supplies if the nic isn't working correctly or recieving any info. Can you ping the server, or check out ipconfig /all and see what's what. How about setting the laptop up to use a fixed ip and on the dhcp server, create a client reservation for it and see if it works that way? Good luck. Glen A. Johnson
Johnson Computer Consulting
MCP W2K
glen@johnsoncomputers.us



"There is only one good: knowledge; and only one evil: ignorance."
Socrates (470- 399 BC); Greek philosopher.

 

[penauroth]

I am able to statically allocate an IP for the laptop and when I do, I can see all the machines on our network. Funny thing is, when I try to ping

http://www.google.com

it says it cannot find the host. Also, I am unable to navigate to any websites or send/receive mail.

I went as far as removing the NIC and Modem and deleting the registry values for the interface and adapter. No luck. Continues to allocate 169.254.x.x IP address.

Strangely, I can connect to an ISP but I am unable to ping any hosts, browse the Internet or send/receive mail when dialing out to an ISP. I am ready to dump his system and start from scratch.

Paul

 

[GlenJohnson]

Check for an old hosts or lmhosts file. Can you ping any ip addresses? What does your ipconfig /all look like. Who's the laptops dns servers and gateway? Glen A. Johnson
Johnson Computer Consulting
MCP W2K
glen@johnsoncomputers.us



"There is only one good: knowledge; and only one evil: ignorance."
Socrates (470- 399 BC); Greek philosopher.

 

[penauroth]

Where can I find those files?

If I statically define the address, then yes. Otherwise, the only IP address I can ping is 127.0.0.1.

The DNS Server and Default Gateway are all automatically defined.

The following is his ipconfig /all:
Windows 2000 IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : ericl
Primary DNS Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcast
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : Yes
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Actiontec 82559-based Mini PCI Ethernet Adapter (10/100)
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-20-EO-68-11-93
Autoconfiguration Enabled. . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration IP Address. . . . : 169.254.200.10
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . :

Is should look something like this:

Windows 2000 IP Configuration



Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : pauln
Primary DNS Suffix . . . . . . . : mydomain.com Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcast
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : mydomain.com MYSERVER

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:



Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : PHNXSERVER
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) PRO/1000 MT Network Connection
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-06-5B-CD-6D-FD
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.8
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.254
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Tuesday, December 10, 2002 11:41:32 AM

Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Wednesday, December 18, 2002 11:41:32 AM

Thanks for looking into this for me Glen.

Paul

 

[penauroth]

I checked the lmhosts file and there are no entries other that the default comments.

Paul

 

[GlenJohnson]

hosts and lmhosts files are in winnt/system32/drivers/etc, but I don't think that's your problem. You won't be able to ping with the 169.254 config because your on two different subnets. Two options, leave this as statically configured or keep trying to find out what's wrong. The fact that you can connect using fixed ip tells us the nic is probably good. Try using dhcp, but putting in the default dns servers in the networking below where you setup dhcp option. I'm curious about this. Glen A. Johnson
Johnson Computer Consulting
MCP W2K
glen@johnsoncomputers.us



"There is only one good: knowledge; and only one evil: ignorance."
Socrates (470- 399 BC); Greek philosopher.

 

[penauroth]

I statically defined the DNS but the laptop would not request an IP address from the server.

This is odd. I am unable to browse the internet or ping domain names when I statically assign the DNS, IP and Gateway. However, I can communcate with workstations on my network and ping an outside IP address using this configuration. It appears the laptop is not sending out any request such as DHCP or HTTP. This has something to do with it's default network config.

Also, I reserved the laptop an IP address at the DHCP server but he laptop is unable to pull that IP. I am approaching this problem at every angle and my patience is wearing thin! Thanks for your interest and help.

Paul

 

[GlenJohnson]

This is strange. It may have something to do with the other network settings. You've got more patience than me, I'd have f-disked it by now. What is APIPA by the way? Is this a xp machine? Glen A. Johnson
Johnson Computer Consulting
MCP W2K
glen@johnsoncomputers.us



"There is only one good: knowledge; and only one evil: ignorance."
Socrates (470- 399 BC); Greek philosopher.

 

[GrnEyedLdy]

Penauroth,

If your machine is DHCP enabled and has assiged itself an address in the APIPA range, the reason is because it can not reach a DHCP server.

"The DHCP client attempts to locate a DHCP server and obtain a configuration from it.

If a DHCP server cannot be found, the DHCP client auto-configures its IP address and subnet mask using a selected address from the Microsoft-reserved class B network, 169.254.0.0, with the subnet mask, 255.255.0.0."

Is the user logging into the domain? I ask this because you mentioned your user was logging on to multiple LANS, are these workgroups?

I noticed when you posted the IPconfig of the laptop when it received APIPA, it has IP routing enabled. Does your user use the laptop at home with ICS?

Patty

 

[penauroth]

Automatic Private IP Addressing.

This is the convention Microsoft uses for computers who are unable to connect to a DHCP server. The workstation will automatically assign itself an IP address in the form of 169.254.x.x/16.

The machine is a Win 2k professional. I am trying other approaches.

Paul

 

[penauroth]

GrnEyedLdy,

I am very familiar with the APIPA technology. I have been working with it for a day-in-a-half.

I attempted to add the laptop to our domain but it cannot find the PDC. The reason is because he is on a different network (i.e. 169.254.x.0).

I checked with the user and he is not using ICS at home. Thnkyou for inquiring. I haven't givin up hope yet! But I am about to pull the plug.

Paul

 

[GlenJohnson]

Why is he using apipa to begin with? Is it because he's on multiple domains? Patty, we figured out the 169.254.x.x earlier, because he can set a fixed ip and everything is perfect. Paul, if you set a fixed ip again, then you can join the domain I bet. This isn't going to help with visiting multiple sites however. Is this machine capable of using a docking station. You could set up the networking with the docking station, so when he plugged into each one, he could get on the network. I've heard of this but never done it. I can't believe a docking station can join a domain however. Can we do something with scopes? Are the sites trusted? This one is good. Patty, wonder where bronto is. Glen A. Johnson
Johnson Computer Consulting
MCP W2K
glen@johnsoncomputers.us



"There is only one good: knowledge; and only one evil: ignorance."
Socrates (470- 399 BC); Greek philosopher.

 

[penauroth]

Him and his wife are on a LAN at home using the same workgroup config as our company's but we have recently integrated a C/S architecture with a Poweredge server. My company was using the firewall (Netsceen 5xp) as the DNS and DHCP. The other guy and his wife do not have a DNS or DHCP at home, so naturally the NIC does not detect DHCP and allocates itself an IP using APIPA. Strangely, I was able to successfully convert his wife from a workgroup to the domain but his laptop will not find the DNS or DHCP server.

I have tried to statically assign a DNS, gateway and IP address for the laptop and I am able to see and interact with all computers on the network with this config. However, when I try to join him to our domain I receive an error message stating that the client is unable to find the domain and the DNS or DHCP is not configured correctly. I know my DNS and DHCP is configed correctly because my GP is being pushed down to all workstations on the domain, minus Win 98 machines. Further, when I statically assign these values the laptop does not prompt me to restart the computer for the changes to take effect. Strange...

I tried setting his laptop up on a port replicator but it just assigns a new APIPA to the adapter. Is this crazy or what!!!???

Tomorrow, I will have to spend sometime with the folks at microsoft and we all know what a good time that will be.

The root of the problem is turning off the APIPA. I have tried but the Autoconfiguration Enabled. . . . . : Yes and the Autoconfiguration IP Address. . . . : 0.0.0.0.

I tried to statically assign the DNS, Gateway and IP but received the same results.



Paul

 

[GrnEyedLdy]

Penauroth,

If you want to know how to disable APIPA, try this link, it will give you the registry edit to accomplish this.

Have fun...(not that your not already having fun)

http://www.win2000mag.com/Articles/Index.cfm?ArticleID=7464

Patty

 

[GrnEyedLdy]

Penauroth,

Something I forgot to say,

I in no way meant to imply that you did not have a full understanding of Automatic Private IP Addressing. I apologize if it sounded like that.

The only point I was trying to make was that if the laptop is receiving an address in the APIPA range, then first and foremost, the problem lies in 'why your laptop can't reach the DHCP server'.

I'm sure you have already tried this, but..

Have you logged in to the machine locally with the local admin account, configured a static IP address that is on your network subnet and from there attemped to join the domain?

If you can successfully join, then after a re-boot log into the domain and configure the laptop to receive DHCP.

If you cannot join the domain, can you ping the DNS server by name resolution as well as IP while logged in with an address in the appropriate subnet?

Are you crossing a router to reach the domain?

Yeah Greg, where is Bronto...:-D

Patty

 

[penauroth]

Thanks Patty,

I don't mean to come off coarse. Sorry.

I have tried both approaches you metioned. The configuring of the registry does not diable IPAutoconfiguration but it does set the IP to 0.0.0.0. Also, stopping DHCP services has the same effect. I have logged into the machine as the admin and statically assigned the DNS, Gateway, and IP. I can see everyone on the network to include the server but DHCP is unable to propagate to the machine.

We have a very simple network here. No router just every workstation hooked into our HP switch.

Thanks.

Paul.

 

[penauroth]

Possible solutions:

I had two computers with the same problem.

1st Computer (Resolution found by a casual user via a Win 2K resource book... hmmph!):

1. Flush the DNS -- ipconfig /flushdns
2. Register the DNS -- ipconfig /registerdns
3. Clear the ip log -- netsh int ip reset c:\resetlog.txt

The user was able to obtain a DNS, IP and join our domain.

2nd Computer (tried above but did not work).

1. Report the workstation.

I would like to thank Glen and Patty for diligently helping me with this issue. Thanks.

Paul

 

[penauroth]

Almost forgot.

Under step 1. Uninstall and re-install TCP/IP protocols.