Cannot get rid of 169.254.xx.xx IP address

169.254.xxx.xxx IP address is Automatic Private IP Addressing (APIPA) used when computer configured to use automatic IP addressing but is unable to  contact a DHCP server.  The cause of these could be one of the following:

- DHCP server was temporary unavailable

- computer was not connected to network properly

- computer was not authorized to connect to network

To work around this problem run next commands in elevated command prompt

ipconfig /release

ipconfig /renew

if it does not solves the problem you have a connectivity problem with DHCP server. Try to ping your default DHCP server. Try to ping DHCP server from other machines on same network. If DHCP server available for other computers on same network, then its defiantly connectivity problem between your computer and DHCP server.

If it still not working, please place more info:

- what size and kind of network do you have? How many machines on it? Is it wired or wireless network? Is the router available to you?

Thank you for the reply.

Unfortunately, this fix did not do anything.  When I tried ipconfig /release, it said "an error occurred while releasing interface wi-fi: an address has not yet been associated with the network endpoint."

When I tried ipconfig /renew it simply sat there, running, not displaying any new information.  I had to exit the terminal.

The internet still does not work.

I do not know how to ping a DHCP server, sorry.

To answer your questions: on this network there is one other machine, a desktop.  It is a wireless network with WPA2 security (and yes, I double and triple checked that the security code was accurate).  I do have access to the router.  I have already tried resetting it and power cycling it and that has no effect.

Also, per my original post: I know what APIPA is; the problem is that this laptop WILL NOT release its APIPA IP address.  When I connect to another wifi network that overlaps my home on the laptop, it connects perfectly and has the proper IP address (198.162.xx.xx).  I cannot just use this network though, because the signal strength is terrible and the network is not very fast.  My other home computer is connecting to the network that is giving me trouble and is having no problems.  The laptop simply ALWAYS brings up the APIPA IP address, even when the DHCP server has other IP addresses available.

The laptop, when connected by cable to the router, does function well.  It is ONLY wireless connection with this specific router that is giving me trouble.  It is a huge inconvenience, however, because the laptop cannot be carried around, and also because the home network is many times faster than the other one we can pick up here.

I know it is a connectivity problem between my laptop and the DHCP server.  My question is why is it happening and how can I fix it.

Hello Sam,

Thank you for the reply.

I am sorry for late response.

I would suggest you to reset TCP/IP and check if it helps.
Refer this article:
How to reset TCP/IP by using the NetShell utility
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/299357

You may also type the following commands one by one in command prompt and press Enter after each command.

netsh winsock reset

ipconfig /flushdns

ipconfig /registerdns

You may open command prompt by pressing Windows + X keys together and then selecting command prompt(admin).

You may restart the computer after running above command s.

I hope this information helps.

Thank you

Hi,

I'm not an expert in Networking by any stretch, but here is something I have noticed for what it's worth....

I believe that if you are using a cable modem\router, you have a fixed IP address set by the cable company.

Only they can change it...

If you have DSL through a phone line, you will be assigned a different IP address everytime you reboot your modem\router.... But this only applies to the IP address of your modem\router...

When using a router, the router connects to the IP address assigned to it by the provider.

However, this has nothing to do with your machines listed IP address....

Since a router by design routs multiple machines, the router assigns the IP address to each device....

All of my machines on a DSL connection have a 192.168.xxx.xxx address with slight variations, which are assigned by the router.

My actual DSL IP address is 50.43.xxx.xxx, and I have no control over it except to reboot the modem, and I get whatever the provider decides to assign...

If you go into your WIFI settings, the "Preferred" is most likely your router....

Anything else is either your neighbor's router, or a hotspot of some type....

My guess would be that you need to reconfigure your actual router to provide a different address to your device... if that's even possible....

What is the major concern with the one you are using ?

Hi,

This seems to be a real doozy and no mistake. I'm trying to fix a users laptop (Toshiba Satellite C660 with Windows 7 Home Premium). I'm using my home wifi (BT Broadband 68mg nicely fast). My own laptop (Samsung Ultrabook - Win 7 Home premium) works fine. My iPhone works fine. All of the advice given has not worked on jot. I'm still stuck on with the blasted:

Link-Local IPv6 address.............fe80::78c8:f2e6:ac3a:55df%15(Preferred).

Autoconfiguration IPv4.............169.254.85.223(Preferred)

Subnet Mask..................................255.255.0.0

Default Gateway...........................(nothing)

DHCPv6 IAID..................................253519261

DHCPv6 Client DUID...................00-01-00-01-14-51-f0-1f-88-ae-1d-f6-7a-31

DNS Servers....................................fec0:0:0:ffff::1%1

                                                fec0:0:0:ffff::2%1

                                                fec0:0:0:ffff::3%1

NetBIOS over Tcpip.....................Enabled

So to recap:

I've tried NETSH WINSOCK RESET - Didn't work

               NETSH IPv4 RESET - That didn't work either

               NETSH IPv6 RESET - Nope no good

               IPCONFIG /flushdns - Nah no good

               IPCONFIG/registerdns - Same again

What ever I try I get the same result. The wifi connection is always showing as "Unidentified Network" and I cant change the network setting to "Home" (I'm guessing that it wouldn't change because of the IP cockup)

So, I've lost the evening and a good deal of the night and I'm going to have to tell the owners of the laptop that the problem they thought they had hasn't been fixed 'cos I've found a better one that has kept me up half the night that I'm not going to be able to charge them for in good conscience.

There's got to be some one out there who has a handle on this?

Surely?

Thanks

Mike 

Hi,

How do the other machines compare to this one as far as the IPV6 settings go ?

How about the actual address

The standard address to a router is usually 192.168.xxx.xxx for IPV4, and 255.255.255.xxx for the IPV4 Subnet Mask.... I don't know about IPV6.

My connection doesn't use IPV6, and that may be related to your problem...Maybe your machine doesn't support IPV6, but is trying to use it...

I have a Link-local IPV6 address showing, but no Gateway or DNS Server.

My IPV6 Connectivity: is  "No Internet Access"

Do you have your IPV4 properties set to Automatic ?

Under the WINS Tab, is LMHOSTS lookup ENABLED, and NetBIOS Settings to DEFAULT ?

Hello Mike,

Thank you for your response.

Did you try using steps in the article provided in the previous post?

I would suggest you to uninstall and reinstall network adapter and check. Please follow these steps.

a. Press Windows + X keys and select device manager.

b. Click the expand button next to "Network Adapters". Right-click the network adapter you wish to

reinstall and click "Uninstall" and click ok.

c. Select "Yes" to restart your computer. Windows will typically automatically reinstall your network driver upon restart by searching and installing the hardware. Disconnect the network adapter and plug it back

into your computer if Windows does not automatically install the driver.

I hope this helps.

Thank you