Forcing a New IP Address

I periodically run into a problem establishing a wireless connection for my
Netgear router and Dell Laptop running Vista. In most of these cases I am
locally connected but don't have an internet connection. This improved a
bunch when I started chosing a fixed channel, but I still run into the
problem occasionally.

My typical solution is to start the Network and Sharing Center -> View
Status -> Diagnose and wait for the result. In almost every case the
"preferred" selection is to force a new IP address, which virtually always
resolves the problem.

How do I just simply force a new IP address without going through the mating
dance that I am currently doing?

Thanks.

dave

Dave Lee wrote:
> I periodically run into a problem establishing a wireless connection for
> my Netgear router and Dell Laptop running Vista. In most of these cases
> I am locally connected but don't have an internet connection. This
> improved a bunch when I started chosing a fixed channel, but I still run
> into the problem occasionally.
>
> My typical solution is to start the Network and Sharing Center -> View
> Status -> Diagnose and wait for the result. In almost every case the
> "preferred" selection is to force a new IP address, which virtually
> always resolves the problem.
>
> How do I just simply force a new IP address without going through the
> mating dance that I am currently doing?
>
> Thanks.
>
> dave
You can do a repair or use ipconfig to release and renew IP addy, but
why did you give up on finding the source of the problem? I would look
at interference or a weak signal as probable causes. Both are easy to
diag & fix, easier and less frustrating than the mating dance you mentioned.

"Chris" <Chris@chris.net> wrote in message news:ge5nl2$kfu$1@aioe.org...
> Dave Lee wrote:
>> I periodically run into a problem establishing a wireless connection for
>> my Netgear router and Dell Laptop running Vista. In most of these cases I
>> am locally connected but don't have an internet connection. This improved
>> a bunch when I started chosing a fixed channel, but I still run into the
>> problem occasionally.
>>
>> My typical solution is to start the Network and Sharing Center -> View
>> Status -> Diagnose and wait for the result. In almost every case the
>> "preferred" selection is to force a new IP address, which virtually
>> always resolves the problem.
>>
>> How do I just simply force a new IP address without going through the
>> mating dance that I am currently doing?
>>
>> Thanks.
>>
>> dave
> You can do a repair or use ipconfig to release and renew IP addy, but why
> did you give up on finding the source of the problem? I would look at
> interference or a weak signal as probable causes. Both are easy to diag &
> fix, easier and less frustrating than the mating dance you mentioned.

It definitely isn't the signal (can happen when the router/laptop are only
10' apart in the same room). How would you suggest going about interference
diagnosis? My interference diagnosis is just a guess on my part and it isn't
that consistent so trial and error is going to be quite difficult (might be
2 days before I see another event or it might be 10 days - who knows). My
suspicion is that the source isn't local to my property as I have seen this
happen when the microwave wasn't going, radios/TV's/settop boxes were off,
fridge wasn't running, etc. FWIW my wife and I both have laptops with
identical wireless cards and both have experienced the problem, although it
"seems" like she has it less than I do (even though she is typically further
away from the router than I am in most cases). But I could be wrong about
this since I run my system WAY more than she runs hers, so maybe we are
equally susceptible. I need to run this experiment more carefully but we
never have the problem simultaneously (but have never run this in a
"controlled" manner).

And since I can get a new IP address and run just fine after a "DIAGNOSE"
(on the same channel) it seems pretty clear to me that, by then, the problem
is gone. I just don't see a good way to go at this one other than maybe
build a script that I can run that will force a new IP address.

Thanks.

dave

ps. I have never lost a connection while connected. This always happens when
returning after a laptop RESUME or SLEEP event, if that matters here.

> It definitely isn't the signal (can happen when the router/laptop are only
> ps. I have never lost a connection while connected. This always happens
> when returning after a laptop RESUME or SLEEP event, if that matters here.

Oh yeah, that matters. Going into the properties on the network card and
disable the power management features. See if that eliminates the problem,
it likely will. Then you can either live with the change (and sacrifice a
little battery life) or drive yourself crazy trying to get a driver that
actually works.

"Bill Kearney" <wkearney99@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:WPOdnYwOcaRw7ZrUnZ2dnUVZ_s_inZ2d@speakeasy.ne t...
>> It definitely isn't the signal (can happen when the router/laptop are
>> only ps. I have never lost a connection while connected. This always
>> happens when returning after a laptop RESUME or SLEEP event, if that
>> matters here.
>
> Oh yeah, that matters. Going into the properties on the network card and
> disable the power management features. See if that eliminates the
> problem, it likely will. Then you can either live with the change (and
> sacrifice a little battery life) or drive yourself crazy trying to get a
> driver that actually works.

It is an Intel 4965AGN network card. Ad Hoc power management is turned off
as is allowing the device to "wake up" the computer. But the computer is
allowed to turn off the device. So I"ll disable this and see if that helps
(and also see what the battery life impact is). And heck - haven't updated
the driver in 3 months - why not :-)

Thanks for the suggestion.

dave