Self-assigned IP Address on AirPort Extreme

What do you get for values when you Option-Click on the WiFi Icon on the MenuBar, like this:

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How many other networks do you see?

When you get the Self Assigned IP address it is not because of your router, Airport Extreme (Which is a router). It is a problem with the hardware or software in your Mac. When that happens the WiFi card and or Ethernet cable which connects your Mac to your internet router can't make a connection to it. So the WiFi and or Ethernet card in your Mac assigns a Private IP that is set aside specifically for that purpose. That IP is 169.x.x.x.

You need to have your Mac's hardware checked out.

That is a good strong signal in the wider 5GHz band. You radio connections looks fine.

Every Mac gets a Self-assigned IP Address in that 169.254.xxx.yyy range, every time it starts up. That address is immediately replaced with a "good" local IP Address if you establish a good connection to a Router that can give you a good Address.

Problems getting a good IP Address include:

• inabilty to connect due to radio issues (should not be a problem here).

• Bad password stored (you may have to access keychain, delete the old password, and enter a new one.

• Mis-configuration of a Multi-Router network such that you create a sub network that is not subordiate to the main Router, and is also stuck in Bridge mode. To work together, the secondary Router should have its WAN IP Address in the range of IP Addresses of the main Router's DHCP IP Addresses. Network segments should be using the exact same Network-name. The Router-address Reported by the secondary Router should be the local IP Address of the main Router.

Wi-Fi base stations: Extending the range of your wireless network by adding additional Wi-Fi base stations

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Are they ever gonna fix this issue?! Unbelievable. I never know when my macbook is gonna act up connecting to the internet. Whats worse i still have no idea why it does this...nor have i heard of any possible fix from apple. Just bandaid stuff from millions of ppl going through this same ordeal.

I don't use a Airport Extreme....i use a Linksys EA6500....but i assume the fix is the same. Usually i resort to deleting all my keychain passwords for connecting to my network, deleting all my saved networks in "network preferences", then turning off my wifi on my mac, then resetting my router, then turn back on my mac's wifi, connect to my network and re-input my passwords and its magically, 75% of the time, its fixed. I just shotgun it bc the quicker i get it fixed w/o (hopefully) any issues the quicker i can get over it and quit fuming...until it does it again.

I find it unbelievable that i'm seeing posts on this issue dating back 3+ years ago and this is still going on....

Are they ever gonna fix this issue?!

Any fixes that address the general problem have already been incorporated in the generally-released software updates.

That leaves a problem specific to YOUR Network setup.

Can you post what you get when you hold Option and click on the WiFi icon, as I showed above?

What do you see for Signal Strength RSSI?

What PHY mode?

What Channel?

What Transmit Rate?

And how many other networks do you see?

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I had the same problem and was desperately trying to fix it.

My Mac can connect to the internet via my iPhone hotspot so I'm sure it's not a hardware problem.

Then of course I've tried several methods including delete location / file permission repaired / delete keychain file....have done everything possible that I could know of.

Fortunately, I've came across a fix that is setting up my router to 11n and 20mhz, viola it works!

Hope it solves the case.

I was having the same problem, self-assigned IP address, on my MacBook Pro running Mountain Lion. Started suddenly a few days ago. My other computers and iOS devices were working fine. Using the advanced settings for networking in Systems Preferences and the TCP/IP tab I just changed from the 169.xxx etc IP address to a 192.xxx etc. number (last 2 digits) that was not being used by another device on my WiFi network (Apple Extreme) and now it is working fine, tried it with a couple of restarts. Obviously I am no expert (not even close) in these matters but thought I'd throw this out there since it is simple to do and might help someone. Thanks to Grant for all his expert advice that got me started on this fix.