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Self-Assigned IP on MacBook - unable to connect to Internet

4K views 5 replies 4 participants last post by  Wolfshead 
#1 ·
Hello everyone - I hope someone can help me with this issue. I have already searched the forum here and spent the entire day yesterday "googling" but have not been able to solve my problem (although I HAVE discovered that many people are having the same issue).

I'm running 10.5.8 on my MacBook and changed my ISP yesterday (from DSL to cable). The new connection works fine on my desktop Mac (a G4) but not on the laptop. I'm hard-wired, not wireless. Under Ethernet I get the message "self-assigned IP" which does not allow me to connect to the Internet. I've tried with and without a router. The laptop still works fine if I revert to using my old DSL connection (and the desktop works on both). As I say, I've discovered that lots of people have had the same issue but haven't yet found a solution that works. Can anyone help? Thank you!
 
#2 ·
A Self Assigned IP address means that your computer is not getting an address from the router's DHCP server when it starts up and asks for one.

The most common cause of this would be if there were some manual settings in the Network System Prefs to manually override the DHCP or to have a fixed router address. If your machine is in a different subnet from the router, or the router address is wrong, it will not connect for DHCP.

I don't know what your configuration is, Broadband modem > router > wired ethernet to the machine?

If you have more than one machine, you will need the router to share out internal network IP addresses. Has the router changed?

Call the ISP, sometimes the modem has to be provisioned for each MAC address of the machines attached to it.
 
#3 ·
Try shutting down computer and turning off the modem for a few minutes. Then reboot the computer, and power up the modem.
 
#4 ·
Assuming that you have a router in the mix (ie: cable modem->router->wired computers) you also need to shut down the router. Restart the modem - when its lights have settled down, restart the router. Then restart the Macs.

If you're still having issues after trying that, let us know what the equipment is - including the brand and model, and which ISP you're now using.
 
#5 ·
Thanks for the catch Paddy. Been quite awhile since I had a router in the mix.:)
 
#6 ·
Thanks everyone, for taking the time to help! After trying every possible solution, I ended up buying a new modem and a new router. Everything is now flowing beautifully. I still don't know what the problem was, but I don't care any more!

Thanks again - you guys are great!
 
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