Self Assigned IP address - How do I get rid of it?

Question

Self Assigned IP address - How do I get rid of it?

I have an apple extreme base station. I subscribe to Optimum Online internet. I connect the two, and I am getting a self assigned IP address, which starts with a 169, and obviously does not connect to the internet. I have changed locations, reset the extreme base station, renewed the DHCP - nothing works. How can I get rid of this self assigned IP? Of course, Optimum says its not a "problem they deal with". HELP. ***** cause I got a new TV and I wanna connect it to the ethernet on the airport extreme! But the Self Assigned IP is killing me...

Posted on May 17, 2011 6:51 PM

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Answer 1

May 17, 2011 6:55 PM in response to Marco Meneses 11

Can you confirm that you have an Ethernet cable connecting the Optimum device to the WAN port on the AirPort Exteme.....and that the AirPort Extreme has been configured in Bridge Mode?

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Answer 2

May 17, 2011 6:56 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Hi there. Yes, ethernet cable connecting the Optimum internet jack to the WAN port on the extreme. No - the airport is NOT on bridge mode. Should it be?!?

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Answer 3

May 17, 2011 7:00 PM in response to Marco Meneses 11

I am assuming the Optimum device is a gateway/router, correct?

Open AirPort Utility - Click Manual Setup

Click the Internet icon

Connection Sharing = Off (Bridge Mode)

Update

Then restart your entire network, gateway first, then AirPort Extreme, etc.

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Answer 4

May 17, 2011 7:05 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Shouldnt it be on share a public IP address? Bridge mode will just pass along the 169 self assigned IP...won't it?

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Answer 5

May 17, 2011 7:09 PM in response to Marco Meneses 11

It should be on "Share" if you are connecting to a simple modem....not a gateway or router.

Can you provide some details about the Optimum device? A link, perhaps?

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Answer 6

May 17, 2011 7:12 PM in response to Bob Timmons

First of all - thanks for your help. I do appreciate it. As I have a brand new LED TV that I want to hardwire and it won't work! Annoying...

Anyways - I live in a pre-wired community. The whole building uses optimum online, so there are no "modems" in my unit - just jacks - like phone jacks - that say DATA.

If I hardwire my mac into the wall - the jack gives me a self assigned IP address. Won't work.

Right now, I have an aiport EXPRESS connected to the jack. This for some reason works.

If I switch out to my spare airport EXTREME (so that I can use one of the ethernet ports to wire the TV) - then the self assigned IP address comes through on the extreme - and it does not work.

Does that make sense?

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Answer 7

May 17, 2011 7:19 PM in response to Marco Meneses 11

I understand what you are saying, thanks. But the behavior of the devices does not make sense.

Your computer, AirPort Express and AirPort Extreme should all be able to connect to the Ethernet jack on the wall.

Anytime you plug a router (the AirPort Express and AirPort Extreme are routers) into a network like you have, the correct configuration is Bridge Mode. If you configure the Express or Extreme to act as a router in the "Share a public IP address" setting, then you have 2 routers in series, both trying to handle DHCP and NAT, which invariably causes a conflict....and no connection.

I cannot understand why your computer will not connect if connect it directly to the wall jack. Are you restarting the computer / device each time you make a change?

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Answer 8

May 17, 2011 7:20 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Me neither man. And what is annoying is that for "some reason" the airport EXPRESS actually DOES work. If I could replicate that on the Extreme, I'd be set. But IT JUST WON't WORK - as the self assigned IP does not go away!

UGH.

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Answer 9

May 17, 2011 7:39 PM in response to Marco Meneses 11

This is beginning to sound like the main router at the facility "registers" or "authorizes" the device that is connected to the wall jack. And, it picked up the AirPort Express for authorization....and won't authorize another device until someone or something tells it to. A lot of college dorm networks work this way.

I think you will need to talk to the IT guy in charge of the network to get things figured out.

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