Stuck on "Acquiring Network Address"

geinfaced · 10-09-2008, 09:54 PM

I just recently purchased a LinkSys WMP300 Wireless PCI card for my XP PC. Since the install I have not been able to access the internet. It has no problem finding our wireless network (we have a laptop running off of our wireless Netgear router just fine), and it even shows the signal strength and link quality as "Very Good." However when I am connecting to it through Windows, the Network status gets to "Acquiring Network Address" and then stays there. Eventually the status changes to "Limited or No Connectivity." I also haven't been able to renew my IP with ipconfig /renew. It just kind of freezes and does nothing.

So far I've tried a reinstall of the network card and turned off firewalls. I'm not so great with advanced details of DHCP and DNS stuff though and similar posts I've found mention it. Any help is appreciated.

**johnwill** · 10-10-2008, 12:00 PM

First off, disable ALL encryption and MAC filtering on the wireless router and see if you can connect. Typically, this kind of issue is an encryption key mismatch or MAC filtering blocking the connection.

geinfaced · 10-10-2008, 02:48 PM

I'm not 100% sure how to disable all that. It's a Netgear router (WNR834N) and when I log onto its settings, I don't see anything about MAC filtering. I can modify the router's MAC address (right now it's set on default) but nothing else concerning it.

UPDATE: I removed the password key from the network and my PC connected wireless, no problem. I don't know why that would have done anything, since I had the key anyway. However, this seems like an unsafe connection now that it's completely open. We don't have many neighbors, but is there another solution?

10-09-2008, 09:54 PM	#1 (permalink)
geinfaced Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 9 OS: Windows XP	Stuck on "Acquiring Network Address" I just recently purchased a LinkSys WMP300 Wireless PCI card for my XP PC. Since the install I have not been able to access the internet. It has no problem finding our wireless network (we have a laptop running off of our wireless Netgear router just fine), and it even shows the signal strength and link quality as "Very Good." However when I am connecting to it through Windows, the Network status gets to "Acquiring Network Address" and then stays there. Eventually the status changes to "Limited or No Connectivity." I also haven't been able to renew my IP with ipconfig /renew. It just kind of freezes and does nothing. So far I've tried a reinstall of the network card and turned off firewalls. I'm not so great with advanced details of DHCP and DNS stuff though and similar posts I've found mention it. Any help is appreciated.

10-10-2008, 12:00 PM	#2 (permalink)
johnwill Manager, Networking Forums Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania, US Posts: 41,832 OS: Windows 7, XP-Pro, Vista, Linux Blog Entries: 1	Re: Stuck on "Acquiring Network Address" First off, disable ALL encryption and MAC filtering on the wireless router and see if you can connect. Typically, this kind of issue is an encryption key mismatch or MAC filtering blocking the connection. __________________ If TSF has helped you, Tell us about it! or Donate to help keep the site up! Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience

10-10-2008, 02:48 PM	#3 (permalink)
geinfaced Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 9 OS: Windows XP	Re: Stuck on "Acquiring Network Address" I'm not 100% sure how to disable all that. It's a Netgear router (WNR834N) and when I log onto its settings, I don't see anything about MAC filtering. I can modify the router's MAC address (right now it's set on default) but nothing else concerning it. UPDATE: I removed the password key from the network and my PC connected wireless, no problem. I don't know why that would have done anything, since I had the key anyway. However, this seems like an unsafe connection now that it's completely open. We don't have many neighbors, but is there another solution? Last edited by geinfaced; 10-10-2008 at 02:53 PM. Reason: found solution