# [SOLVED] Wireless Laptop Can't Acquire Network Address



## Michael H (Jan 25, 2011)

Wireless internet has been working fine on my Dell Inspiron 1300 laptop for years, until last night. I am getting strong wireless signal but my wireless network connection can't seem to acquire a network address - it just tries and tries without success. I also am getting a message that I need to check the box labelled "Use Windows to configure my wireless network settings" but after I have done this, it eventually seems to uncheck itself after a while or upon reboot.

Let me know if I need to provide more details. Thanks for any help!

Dell Inspiron 1300
Windows XP SP3
Symantec Anti-virus scaner
Windows Firewall

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : JuliaAndMike

Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . : 

Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Mixed

IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No


Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection:


Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected

Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Dell Wireless 1370 WLAN Mini-PCI Card

Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-14-A5-3D-AD-33


Tunnel adapter Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface:


Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : 

Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface

Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00

Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No

IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : fe80::ffff:ffff:fffd%5

Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 

NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled


----------



## 2xg (Aug 5, 2009)

*Re: Wireless Laptop Can't Acquire Network Address*

Welcome to TSF,

Thanks for the info provided, I see that you have found the Networking Sticky. :grin:

Please remove all wireless profiles stored in your computer.
Removing an existing wireless "profile"
Re add your SSID (wireless network) that you're trying to connect to with the correct encryption.

If that didn't work, completely disable your Symantec software. Click on Start type Services.msc, locate Symantec and Disable the Service for now.


----------



## Michael H (Jan 25, 2011)

*Re: Wireless Laptop Can't Acquire Network Address*

Thanks for the welcome and the help. I read enough other posts to get the message on how to begin a new post for help!

I've tried both steps and I'm still not getting the internet connection. I repeated step 1 after disabling Symantec, but no luck. After entering my encryption password Windows says "You are currently connected to this network" but it also continues to say "Acquiring network address", which it never completes.


----------



## 2xg (Aug 5, 2009)

*Re: Wireless Laptop Can't Acquire Network Address*

I'll have some more tasks for you to do. Test your connection after each task given to you. You do not need to proceed to the next one if your issue has been resolved.

- Restore from a previous working state by using XP's System Restore.
How to restore Windows XP to a previous state

- Uninstall/reinstall the Wi-Fi adapter from Device Manager. Download the latest driver from the Manufacturers site and install.

- Verify that all your Network Services are Started from Control Panel.
Click on start and type services.msc press enter. On Dependency Tab, check the Dependecies make sure that they are also Started.

• COM+ Event System (for WZC issues) 
• Computer Browser 
• DHCP Client 
• DNS Client 
• Network Connections 
• Network Location Awareness 
• Remote Procedure Call (RPC) 
• Server 
• TCP/IP Netbios helper 
• WLAN AutoConfig (for Vista and Windows 7 only)
• Workstation

Perform a Reset of TCP/IP and Winsock:
Open up a Command prompt, click on Start=> type *cmd *press enter on the run box.
In the command line type: *netsh int ip reset resetlog.txt* . Press enter.

Type in *netsh winsock reset catalog* and press enter
After resetting winsock, Restart your computer.

- Remove Symantec completely by using the Norton Removal Tool. You may wish to reinstall it back if your issue has been resolved.


----------



## Michael H (Jan 25, 2011)

*Re: Wireless Laptop Can't Acquire Network Address*

OK, I've got my connection back - I was able to connect after rebooting, which I had not done after I disabled Symantec - perhaps I needed to do that?

However, there's still a minor glitch - in order to connect, I still have to go into the wireless network properties and check the box which allows Windows to configure my wireless network settings (see attached screen shot). Once I checked this box, I was able to connect. I have to do this step over each time I reboot now.

BTW - I tried a System Restore anyways, but there's been no changes to the system in over two weeks, and this problem began yesterday.

THanks for the help so far! Any further suggestions?


----------



## 2xg (Aug 5, 2009)

*Re: Wireless Laptop Can't Acquire Network Address*

Verify that the Service for Wireless Zero Configuration in XP is set to Auto and it's on started Mode. Pls. see Post# 4 for all Network Services.

Perhaps there's a conflict on the wireless manager. Are you using your Dell's wireless manager software to connect? You can only chose one, either your Windows WZC or your Dell's.


----------



## Michael H (Jan 25, 2011)

*Re: Wireless Laptop Can't Acquire Network Address*

I think I've got this solved, thanks to your assistance. There was indeed a conflict between the Windows wireless utility and the Dell Wireless WLAN Card Utility. Somehow, the box that allows the Dell utility to manage the wireless connection became checked - not sure how this happened, but I've unchecked it and it seems to have solved this second issue.

Thanks!


----------



## 2xg (Aug 5, 2009)

*Re: Wireless Laptop Can't Acquire Network Address*

That's great news!


Michael H said:


> I think I've got this solved, thanks to your assistance. There was indeed a conflict between the Windows wireless utility and the Dell Wireless WLAN Card Utility. Somehow, the box that allows the Dell utility to manage the wireless connection became checked - not sure how this happened, but I've unchecked it and it seems to have solved this second issue.
> 
> Thanks!


You're Welcome.


----------

