If internet is not working then...CHECK FOR APIPA

This is the most common scenario that we generally face when we use internet in our homes. Sometime it creates problem and sometime it is helpful...as per the situation. The main concern is how to rectify and resolve the problem. But i will tell you about the problem first, sometimes our computer gets the wrong INTERNET PROTOCOL (IP) address by the (DHCP) server, it happens automatically if a DHCP server is not available. A Windows-based computer that is configured to use DHCP can automatically assign itself an Internet Protocol (IP) address known as Automatic Private IP Assignment (APIPA). The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) has reserved 169.254.0.0-169.254.255.255 for APIPA.

You can easily find in your computer that whether is has been assigned with APIPA by using the Winipcfg tool in Windows Millennium Edition, Windows 98, or Windows 98 Second Edition:

Click Start, click Run, type "winipcfg" (without the quotation marks), and then click OK. Click More Info. If the IP Autoconfiguration Address box contains an IP address within the 169.254.x.x range, Automatic Private IP Addressing is enabled. If the IP Address box exists, automatic private IP addressing is not currently enabled.

For Windows 2000, Windows XP, or Windows Server 2003, you can determine whether your computer is using APIPA by using the IPconfig command at a command prompt:

Click Start, click Run, type "cmd" (without the quotation marks), and then click OK to open a MS-DOS command line window. Type "ipconfig /all" (without the quotation marks), and then hit the ENTER key. If the 'Autoconfiguration Enabled' line says "Yes", and the 'Autoconfiguration IP Address' is 169.254.x.y (where x.y would be any valid number), then the computer is using APIPA. If the 'Autoconfiguration Enabled' line says "No", then the computer is not currently using APIPA.

But if you are normal user of internet and in case if your computer is assigned with the APIPA you need not to worry about this you can get rid of this easily...

1.The first step that you need to take is get turned on your computer and see whether you see any msg in the system tray (right bottom corner on the desktop) like "LIMITED OR NO CONNECTIVITY" in the form of yellow exclamation mark. If yes then try to shutdown your computer as well as your router/hub or modem that you use in your home and keep it turned off for 10 minutes and then turn it back on...in case if you find the same problem again then try to do the same it will get resolved....

2.In case you dont find "limited or no connectivity" error msg try to check it from the "NETWORK CONNECTIONS" window by typing "ncpa.cpl" shortcut in the run box in windows XP and start search box in windows Vista and move your mouse on the LAN/Wireless Netwok connections...

3.Make sure that there is no any other interfering electronic device near the router/hub or modem sometimes this might resolve the problem.

This will resolve the problem that you are facing...