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Operating System Specific Discussions => Other Operating Systems => Topic started by: amigadave on February 11, 2011, 04:55:40 PM
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This is not Amiga related, but some of the people here are smarter than the average computer user, so I thought I would ask for help/advice here regarding a recent problem I am having.
My G4 PowerBook (running MacOSX, not MorphOS2.x) has recently been having problems getting a valid IP address to connect to my wireless router and access the Internet. I noticed that sometimes the PowerBook would give itself a "self-assigned" IP address and could not access the Internet, but it was an intermittent problem that would correct itself after a reset of the computer, the router, or the cable modem, but now for the last two days, I have not been able to get my PowerBook connected. I have tried all kinds of fixes, including renewing the DHCP lease, resetting the computer, the router, the cable modem, trying a manual IP address, trying a manual IP address but still using DHCP, and even connecting the PowerBook to the router via an Ethernet cable, or directly connecting to the Cable Modem via an Ethernet cable and all have failed to give me an Internet connection. The PowerBook sees all the wireless networks in my neighborhood and I have even tried to connect to other unsecured wireless networks, but get the same "self-assigned" IP address that starts with the numbers 169.xxx.xxx.xxx and no Internet access.
I am beginning to think it may be a hardware failure of some kind. I went to my ISP's chat support to get help, but my Windows desktop crashed to the Blue Screen of Death in the middle of the session. The support person was leaning toward a hardware failure of some kind in the PowerBook, but that seems strange since it can see all the wireless networks, but just not obtain a valid IP address from any of them to make an Internet connection.
Any ideas about what I should try next or what might be wrong?
Thanks is advance.
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Can you try a linux bootdisk? That way you could at least rule out if your hardware is going wonky.
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to connect to my wireless router and access the Internet. I noticed that sometimes the PowerBook would give itself a "self-assigned" IP address and could not access the Internet, but it was an intermittent problem that would correct itself after a reset of the computer, the router, or the cable modem, but now for the last two days, I have not been able to get my PowerBook connected.
It is a pure speculation, but it may be that MAC addresses of network interfaces are stored in small battery backed up NVRAM. If the battery is dead, MAC may be randomly random ;-) and the problem will increase gradually as the battery becomes dead. I remember that Efika may have similar problems, after its CR 2032 gets exhausted.
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My $0.02...
- Have you tried another Wifi computer on your router? Is the WiFi router going up?
- Have you rebooted your router/modem/etc. recently?
- You could try blowing away your network related plist's. They may have become corrupted.
- You could try AppleJack diagnostic and repair tool - http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/15667/applejack
- Self assigned-ip is rarely a serious problem or hardware issue. Most likely a corrupt config or incompatibility. I even had it on a Windows XP laptop until I updated the firmware on the WiFi router. Weird thing with yours though, is it was working at one time.
- I wouldn't worry about the PRAM/NVRAM/battery, OS X doesn't store any information their and definitely not your MAC.
- You didn't give a lot of info to assist with troubleshooting. Have you changed or upgraded anything recently? What version OS X are you running? What's the make/model of the WAP?
Good luck