Dell laptop lost ip address

Hootie

Brother has a dell laptop with windows xp that lost its ip address. Windows is trying to acquire an ip address while connecting to the wireless newtwork. When you go into ipconfig the ip address and the subnet mask are zero. The laptop was riddles with malware and viruses that I finally cleaned, i was hoping that once the laptop was clean it would recoginise the ip address but its doing the same. Tried to do a windows repair for renewing ip address but not successful. the tcp settings are set to automatic ip address. What do i need to do?

Allyall

Heve you checked the TCP settings on all browsers? Mainly Internet Explorer?

resetting them just on Firefox/Opera/Safari etc.. might not fix it.

colm21

Check you TCP/IP properties, is the laptop getting its IP address automatically from the DNS Server or alternativly you go and manually assigned an IP address yourself on the laptop. If that doesn't work you could try assigning a static IP address via the command prompt/DOS there is a certain command that you have to enter to do this. If you type into Google "How to assign static IP address from command prompt" there are websites that will show you step by step how to do it.


Hope this helps....:)

Hootie

The laptop is set to get ip address automatically. I went into the command prompt and tried an ipconfig/renew but that didn't work. How would you check the tcp setting in internet explorer? How do i set up a manual ip address, I know where to put it in but where do i get the address from.

MunsterCycling

Most likely due to the Wireless Encryption on the network, remove that to test a see if it acquires an IP, TBH with an infected machine its best to get your files off and wipe.

Alanstrainor

MunsterCycling wrote: »

Most likely due to the Wireless Encryption on the network, remove that to test a see if it acquires an IP, TBH with an infected machine its best to get your files off and wipe.

+1. Backup your files, format the drive and reinstall the OS.

dilallio

Alanstrainor wrote: »

+1. Backup your files, format the drive and reinstall the OS.

This is the easiest and best option.

On most Dell laptops, you can easily re-install the operating system by pressing F8 when you reboot, and follow the options to do a factory install. You won't need to use a Windows CD - the Windows install files are stored on a separate partition on your drive.

Make sure you have all your user files backed up onto an external drive first.

Depending on what operating system you are running, I always find it better afterwards to download the service packs for Windows from the Microsoft site and install these manually afterwards - otherwise it could take a while for your system to catchup with all the latest patches using the inbuilt Microsoft Update.

It's also useful to download the latest important drivers for your system from the Dell Support site.

Hootie

Thanks for the replies folks, i will try it all, i was thinking of just reinstalling xp but wanted to try to figure it out first. Won't be able to try for a few days but hopefully it works.