My iMac keeps changing IP addresses and I get an error message saying, "Another device on the network is using your computer's IP address (10.0.1.19)." The problem seems system wide effecting iMacs (we have 2), iPads, and iPhones. It has happened many times over the past 4 days.
I have no idea why this is happening but suspect it is a software issue or something else ???
Thanks, Charlie Calhoun
A
Most likely, the computer is getting a network address from a router. The address assignment ("lease") expires, and has to be renewed, after a certain amount of time, which might be one hour or one day. The lease expired without being renewed because the device was offline at the time. Meanwhile, the address was leased to another device on the network, or maybe the router hasn't updated its list of address leases. When the offline device comes back online, a conflict results. Depending on what kind of router you have, the conflict may resolve itself automatically. If not, then from the menu bar, please select
▹ System Preferences ▹ Network
If the preference pane is locked, click the lock icon in the lower left corner and enter your password to unlock it. Then click the Advanced button and select the TCP/IP tab in the sheet that drops down. Look at the menu labeled
Configure IPv4
If the selection in that menu is
Using DHCP
click the button labeled
Renew DHCP Lease
Test.
Make sure you don't have more than one DHCP server on the network. That could happen if you have more than one Wi-Fi access point, or if you have both a router and a separate broadband device in connection-sharing mode.
B
Less likely, you have a network address that you assigned yourself, and another device is assigning itself the same address. In that case, the selection in the Configure IPv4 menu will be either Manually or Using DHCP with manual address. This kind of conflict won't be resolved automatically. You have the following options to resolve it:
Which of these options you should choose depends on the details of why you're using a static IP address. Any change you make to the network settings must be applied before it takes effect. To do that, click OK and then Apply.
If the router is also your broadband device, then it may be operating in bridge mode. In that case, only one client at a time will be able to connect to the Internet. Refer to the manufacturer's or ISP's documentation to find out how to reconfigure the device in connection-sharing mode.
C
According to a report a "DirectTV" receiver can cause the problem. If applicable, disconnect the device from the network, or power it off, and test. Refer to the service provider for support.
Forgot to mention that in addition to the error message, WIFI is out intermittently. That has never happened before.
Hi,
Makes sense. But this is new..just the last few days.
Any idea how I can fix it?
What happened when you did what I suggested?
My computer keeps changing IP addresses and dropping wi fi . Why?
