Dhcp server not detected

I Have a new dell machine which is set to automatically detect the dhcp server (ip address) but it does not detect the dhcp server and sets its self a private ip 169.254.0.0 address. I have tried ipconfig from the cmd and it will not release when i do this and reboot the ip is set 0.0.0.0 and then pics upthe private address. the renew command returns the message unable to connect-time out error, is the a hardware problem or program problem.
stav

 

If you can ping 127.0.0.1, and the 169.254.x.x address successfully, it's probably a cabling issue or a broken NIC. If either of those pings fail, it's a software issue or a broken NIC.

 

I have no problem inputting a manual ip address 192.0.0.0
i think there may be a problem with the switch/hub as a dell machine the company has had for 7months has started to do this and worked fine before.
thanks stav

 

Does the manual address allow you to access the network? If you have normal access by entering a manual address, the only thing I can come up with is some sort of firewall blocking the DHCP replies from the DHCP server, or your machine has some problem with the DHCP client. I'd remove all the networking components and reboot, and let them be discovered again, see if this sorts it out.

 

With a manual ip address i can access all of my network, i had atempted allready to remove the network protocals but i could not figure out how- i mean the remove but is grayed out and i have full access rights, as admin on network and full rights as an account - in o/s windows xp pro, if you know why this is i would be grate full

 

Something is clearly screwed up with the configuration, I've never had an issue with XP-Pro where as admin I couldn't configure the network. Has someone been fooling around with the permissions on the machine?

 

The machine is 1week old - no one would fool around with it, i have just looked at 6 other xppro machines. and they 2 do not let you remove/uninstall the protocals - i have not tried but do you think that to uninstall them you have 2 install another device/protocal first, could be that as the network card is built into the mother board that this could cause this problem/????

 

If you're logging in as Administrator, I have no idea why you can't do anything you like with the networking configuration.

The network card on the MB has no bearing, as far as XP is concerned, it's just another NIC. You may have to uninstall them in a particular order, depending on what's installed, though I don't recall ever having that problem either.

 

Finally Solved the problem, In the advanced option i entered the gateway address and now the nic card picks up the DhCP server.
Thanks for you help.
Steven

 

That's certainly odd, I've never had to enter a gateway address for DHCP to function. DHCP should assign the gateway address, same as all the other stuff.