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Level 3

752 points

MacBook and Wireless DHCP problems

I'm trying to connect to a DSL wireless network that has a 64 bit WEP key. I'm using a black MacBook, an aluminum PowerBook G4, my wife's black MacBook, and a Compaq PC. My MacBook will connect to the wireless router, but will not obtain a valid IP address through DHCP but my wife's will. She's not doing anything different than me but she can obtain an IP address with no problem. The PowerBook also works fine.

I can connect if I turn off the password to the router, but not if there is a password. I've reset the airport preference com file, reset the router, run a hardware test, and all the obvious things under networking preferences (yes, the password has been typed correctly, etc.).

I think it's just a crappy router problem, and not a MacBook issue. I've never had trouble connecting to other networks, just this one.

The router itself is an Actiotec (brand?) and came with the Qwest DSL service, so it's nothing fancy (another reason I think it could be a router issue).

Any suggestions, ideas, tips, etc. are welcome.

Also, do the MacBooks actually have Apple Airport Express cards installed inside or is it an intel integrated thing as part of the core duo package?

Thank you.

MacBook, Mac OS X (10.4.6)

Posted on Jun 5, 2006 7:39 PM

26 replies

Jul 18, 2006 5:10 AM in response to Mac new joiner

Hi there.
I have had this problem since first received my lovely new MacBook White. No IP via DHCP over airport, DHCP work perfect on a cable connection. Have tried everything suggested, even the channel number, but no joy. The airport works fine on the wirless router I have at home (IP address via DHCP etc) but will not work with the wirless router at the office. I have the correct key (10 digit plain text) as the same key work fine in my PC laptop. There must be a problem with the software on the MacBook, all the hardaware works fine in other situations/locations.
BTW, if I manually assign an IP address I cannot access the network or even ping anything so it just is not working.
Any ideas as this is driving me mad.
BTW, I had similar experience of (paid for £199 per year) Apple Care support. Should be called Apple Couldnt Care Less Support!!

Cheers
Mark

Jul 18, 2006 5:27 AM in response to NeverMindTheGrunge

I had some success last night, I think. I will confirm this evening. Since I was already not on channel 6, I suspect that targeting a specific channel is not the solution. However, I did reset my router as well as switching from channel 4 to channel 3. Then, after the network came back up, i re-entered my password. The computer connected instantly. I have absolutely no idea whether this fix is permanent and will know more when I get home. Also, I don't really know what the fix was. I suspect the reset did more than the channel switch, but I have no idea. The channel may play some role as I could not establish a network at all with any computer on channels 1 or 2.

Jul 18, 2006 6:43 PM in response to NeverMindTheGrunge

I had the same problem: Airport would see the WiFi router but couldn't get an IP. Solution: Try setting a new location to use Airport in the Network prefs pane. For some reason, the MacBook keeps the router-assigned IP when ethernet is connected and this must block Airport. The new location avoids the problem on my MacBook.

MacBook Mac OS X (10.4.7)

Jul 18, 2006 6:47 PM in response to Rohit Malhotra

I seem to connect more often, but still not 100%.

Jul 19, 2006 4:47 AM in response to JMF

I am not sure if this will help, but I had a problem very much like the one you describe, and I read that one should add the dollar sign ($) before the key when entering it. Doing that worked for me; no problems since.

MacBook Mac OS X (10.4.7)

CyberRob

Level 1

25 points

Jul 19, 2006 5:41 PM in response to JMF

Im having the same thing go wrong when i don't have a password it works when i do it don't and this is ******* me off

O and it will not let me put a $ before my pass so that did not help me at all.

any help?

CyberRob

Level 1

25 points

Jul 19, 2006 9:13 PM in response to CyberRob

Fixed

Im using wpa now and it wirks fine!

Jul 22, 2006 7:26 PM in response to CyberRob

I think that I finally have it:
Macbook wireless connection to netgear wgr614v5, latest firmware, broadcasting SSID, using WPA security. I had always thought that G was faster than B but having both active would not be a bad thing. I was wrong. I switched to only b and my connection is faster and my macbook connects to the router every time and gets assigned an IP address.

BigD289

Level 1

75 points

Jul 24, 2006 12:13 PM in response to JMF

Same problem, black MacBook will connect to router via airport but won't pick up an IP address. Works fine when plugged in via ethernet. Trying to connect via LEAP, still doesn't remember username and password so have to save the password under WEP <username/password> (Apple when are you going to fix this!!!).

Works fine on a G4 PowerBook, iBook and numerous PCs wih exactly the same settings. The other macs are running 10.4.7 (PPC), maybe its something to do with the Intel build, or the WiFi drivers???

MacBook Mac OS X (10.4.7)

Sep 28, 2006 8:23 AM in response to BigD289

I noticed a post on macintouch that suggested eliminating non-alphanumeric symbols from the password. I had a number in my password and eliminated it. Now I seem to get an IP address more frequently. Still not perfect, but potentially better.

Oct 17, 2006 5:20 AM in response to JMF

I had 2 out of 39 MacBooks at school which suddently developed this problem after a router switch. It seems to have been solved by deleting the DHCP Client ID when showing Airport in the Network preferences.

When I replace the DHCP Client ID the computer immediately get the same IP as the the Ethernet Client ID has.

I hope this is a permantent fix.

MacBook and Wireless DHCP problems