MacBook and Wireless DHCP problems

Question

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

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Answer 1

Jun 5, 2006 8:37 PM in response to JMF

It sounds like a router issue because under the same curcumstances on your wife's MacBook, it works. Also, is the router a 802.11b or 802.11g router. Sometimes, I've had trouble obtaining an IP address through a 802.11b router. That's one reason why I upgraded to "g". This may not be true for all, but just a suggestion.

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Answer 2

JMF Author

Level 3

752 points

Jun 5, 2006 9:39 PM in response to Trevor Gibson

It is an ACTIONTEC 802.11b/g router currently set to accept either. I also checked the firmware of the router and it is the latest version.

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Answer 3

Jun 5, 2006 10:08 PM in response to JMF

You might want to try a different router to see if that's the issue.

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Answer 4

iFelix

Level 8

35,155 points

Jun 7, 2006 6:33 AM in response to JMF

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.).

Are you using the plain text password or the HEX equivalent?

iFelix

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Answer 5

JMF Author

Level 3

752 points

Jun 7, 2006 10:32 AM in response to JMF

64 bit HEX key

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Answer 6

iFelix

Level 8

35,155 points

Jun 8, 2006 2:16 AM in response to JMF

What happens if you switch to 128bit WEP?

iFelix

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Answer 7

Jun 25, 2006 4:20 AM in response to JMF

I am having the exact same issue, just keeps getting self assigned IP addresses (most of the time) will connect when there is no encryption (I am using WPA).

And it is not the router as my intel iMac, G5 PowerMac and G3ibook all connect perfectly everytime.

Seems to be an issue a lot of people were having with their MBP's

A temporary solution seems to be deleting ones passwords in the keychain, but it is only ever temporary.

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Answer 8

Jun 25, 2006 4:57 AM in response to William B. Mcintyre

I have also ran into this. My house is using a 64 bit WEP setup. When I take the MacBook to an open wireless site, it connects perfectly and automatically.

When I return home, I get the bogus IP self-assigned number and can't automatically connect. My solution is to select OTHER, type SID name, then enter the password and I'm in.

I'm using a D-Link 624 wireless router.

This is not a major issue, just slightly annoying, especially when the password info is in the Keychain.

MacBook - 4H621 - 2.0 Gbyte RAM, Parallels VM, Mac OS X (10.4.6) G4 Tower, Atari ST with Mac Plus emulator, Dell 8400 Tower, Dell D600 laptop

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Answer 9

Jun 25, 2006 7:01 AM in response to JMF

Just a couple of quick questions…

1) Are you using MAC address filtering? This will stop you getting a DHCP address if you are and have not added your MacBook's MAC address.

2) How large is your DHCP address pool? It may well be only 2 addresses. If it is expand it to 5-10 addresses or so.

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Answer 10

tromo

Level 1

0 points

Jun 25, 2006 8:19 AM in response to JMF

Are you still able to associate/connect with other closed WAPs? In my case, with both a Netgear and a Linksys G WAP, AirPort looks like I'm connected, but I cannot ping the router or anything else and no DHCP. Oddly enough, if I manually connect to my WAP, AirPort will say there was an error joining, but at that point, the network works... Open WAPs still work fine (as do mine if I turn off WEP/WPA).

MacBook Blanc 2GHz Mac OS X (10.4.6)

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Answer 11

Jun 30, 2006 2:00 PM in response to JMF

I'm having this exact problem with my black MacBook. For the most part it connects OK to my wireless network (a WPA encrypted Netgear DG834G). However sometimes the MacBook just gets a self-assigned IP and no amount of restarts will fix this, until I power off the router and the MacBook.

Curiously I have Vista dual-booting through Boot Camp, and that connects fine to the wireless.

It's obviously something in OSX on the MacBook - my old PB12 connects fine to the same network every time (both running 10.4.7)

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.

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Answer 12

JMF Author

Level 3

752 points

Jun 30, 2006 2:17 PM in response to nicktaylor

I had BootCamp on my MacBook for a couple weeks just to try it, and Windows would not connect to the router either. I think it's due to the fact that the router is a P.O.S. more than anything. I have no troubles at home with my Netgear.

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Answer 13

Jul 4, 2006 6:52 PM in response to JMF

Same issue. Netgear router set to broadcast SSID, with WPA password protection, latest firmware. Macbook connects intermittently and completely randomly. I was on the phone with Applecare about the discoloration issue, and they suggested putting X0 (zero) in front of the password. No joy. I get intermittent connections if I erase the password in the keychain and the airport control panel. Other computers in the house (ibook, G5, my dad's PC, all connect fine, so it is obviously some sort of software issue. The password also always become hex even though I have entered a plaintext password.

Macbook 2Ghz, 2 Gig mem Mac OS X (10.4.7)

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Answer 14

Jul 6, 2006 5:21 AM in response to Rohit Malhotra

Yep, my short-term resolution was to:

1. Select an alternate access point
2. Remove network from my Preferred Network list
3. Disable 'automatically join preferred networks'
3. Disable 'remember password in my keychain'
4. Delete the network password from my keychain.

Now whenever I reboot, or come back from sleep, I manually select the network and type the WPA key. It's hardly ideal though! This hasn't always happened so I presume it's some kind of update (10.4.5 or 10.4.6 perhaps?). It's been happening for while now and still happens in 10.4.7.

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Answer 15

Jul 8, 2006 7:53 PM in response to nicktaylor

I have the same problem and fixed few minutes ago. Pls try to change the channel of your access point to '5' instead of the default 6 or 7.

Here is the link I found

http://forums.macnn.com/showthread.php?t=288435

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