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Or how your computers get their networking settings automatically. How does this work? And why does it sometimes not work?

In your computers on a network there is a TCP/IP Network setting for how you get your network settings for that computer (and that specific network connection, if you have more than one connection). Usually this setting is something like "Obtain IP Address Automatically" and "Obtain DNS Server Automatically". Most people don't realize it but the "Automatic" setting means for the computer to contact a DHCP Server on the network to obtain the IP Address, Network Gateway, and DNS Server settings.

So where is this DHCP Server?

The DHCP Server is usually in whatever is your network gateway (Default Gateway) which is usually the router that gets you onto the Internet. For those that share a connection from Microsoft Windows that server is in that Windows box. So how does it work?

When you connect to your network either by plugging into a wired connection or connecting wirelessly to a wireless network, your computer immediately seeks out a DHCP Server to obtain its settings. The Protocol dialog looks something like this:

Client Broadcast DHCP Discover
DHCPsrvr Broadcast DHCP Offer
Client Broadcast DHCP Request
DHCPsrvr Broadcast DHCP ACK


So how do you know when it's not working?

When your computer runs through this procedure of obtaining an IP Address and network settings it is usually successful and very quickly completed. If it fails in this procedure it will usually pop up a dialog box and tell you that it failed. You should know another indicator of DHCP failing, that is your computer assigning itself and IP Address in the range: 169.254.x.x. If you see that 169.254 instead of and Internet IP address (or an IP from your router such as 192.168.x.x) then you can bet DHCP failed and you will have no network or Internet functioning at all. Windows often tells you "Limited Connectivity".

So what are some reasons why it would not be working?

First of all there should not be more that one DHCP Server on a network. So it's important to make sure that there are not two Internet Sharing PC or Router boxes on the network.

Also many after-market firewall softwares wreak havoc on DHCP and Connection Sharing. I can't tell you how many times I've had to un-install Norton Internet Security or other Anti-Virus packages that include firewall functionality. What are these companies thinking anyway??? You can't block DHCP or DNS out-of-the box in the default configuration companies!!! That should not be an after-thought in a products testing. People need to go on and share the Internet connection. You want your product returned go ahead and block this stuff. I'll keep un-installing your software.

You're connection didn't really connect. In Windows the wireless key codes often get corrupted somehow. The only way to fix that is to clear the Preferred List of Wireless Connections. Remove your network from that list and connect again. You will be required to re-enter your wireless key code or pass phrase.

WiFi Hotspot Connections assign your IP Address by DHCP also. Sometimes you will connect to a hotspot and get an IP Address assignment but the Internet will not work. That's probably because the hotspot doesn't have the Internet connection on at the time. This usually doesn't happen with true public hotspots, but does happen with home or office network connections. If you connect to the Linksys or Hpsetup or Netgear or Dlink (manufacturers names) networks then you can bet it's someones "private" network. Just because they neglected to turn on Security doesn't change the fact that it is a "private" network. And you can't complain that they didn't leave the Internet on for you. You can check what your ip address is, and the gateway. See if you can ping the gateway? Then see if you can ping an Internet Web Site like www.google.com.

[That's all for now. If you have any questions on this please contact me.]

Please contact us for information or for a quote: Telephone Number is: 954-683-3426.

Thank You.