"Ethernet" doesn't have a valid IP configuration

[Xuzuno]

Hi,

I'm using an ethernet cord to connect to my internet and it has been working well until Thursday morning when I turned on my laptop (Windows 8) to see a yellow triangle sign in the bottom right hand corner, in front of the ethernet connected symbol. Since then I haven't been able been able to access the internet from my computer. When I hover over it, it says that it is an "Unidentified network" and there is "No internet access". I've run the Windows 8 troubleshooting and it says that the problem found was ""Ethernet" doesn't have a valid IP configuration", but I'm unsure how to fix it.

I'm thinking that the problem is to do with my computer rather than my network, because I've tried another laptop (Windows 7) through the same ethernet cable and connection and the internet works fine on the other laptop. I've tried so many fixes that I've found online, with none of them actually working. Yesterday I even tried a full system reset, where I reinstalled Windows 8, repartitioned and wiped everything off the hard drive, but it still appears have the exact same problem.

Today I also purchased and tried a new ethernet cable which didn't work, so I then purchased a USB to Ethernet adapter, to make sure that it wasn't my ethernet port on my laptop that was faulty. That didn't work either, and the same problem still remains.

I feel like I've tried everything, so can someone please help me?

Thanks in advance,
Xuzuno

 

[Mark R]

can you open a command prompt window.
Open an explorer window. Click on C drive. The click File menu...open command prompt

In the command window type the following:
ipconfig /all

Please post what it says after you type that.

 

[Xuzuno]

Hi Mark, thanks for the reply. Here are the results from ipconfig /all:

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : Jeremy-ThinkPad
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Wireless LAN adapter Local Area Connection* 13:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft Hosted Network Virtual Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 20-16-D8-42-27-DF
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Ethernet adapter Bluetooth Network Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Bluetooth Device (Personal Area Network)
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 20-68-9D-2B-25-CE
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Wireless LAN adapter Local Area Connection* 11:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft Wi-Fi Direct Virtual Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 22-16-D8-42-27-DF
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Ethernet adapter Ethernet:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : B8-88-E3-E6-98-B6
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::69a5:1f7b:6539:3fb8%13(Preferred)
Autoconfiguration IPv4 Address. . : 169.254.63.184(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 230197475
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-18-4E-E8-62-20-16-D8-42-27-DF
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : fec0:0:0:ffff::1%1
fec0:0:0:ffff::2%1
fec0:0:0:ffff::3%1
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Wireless LAN adapter Wi-Fi:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : 2x2 11a/b/g/n Wireless LAN PCI Express Half Mini Card Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 20-16-D8-42-27-DF
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 14:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft 6to4 Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter isatap.{2DD2010E-EDE0-4995-A3B2-8CF0F4799521}:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #2
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

 

[mammador]

It seems it's set to a public IP address. It should be showing a private IP, as assigned by your router.

On the NIC itself in Windows, set it to pick up an IP address automatically.

 

[kevnich2]

It seems it's set to a public IP address. It should be showing a private IP, as assigned by your router.

On the NIC itself in Windows, set it to pick up an IP address automatically.

Might I ask where you see a public IP address? I see a 169.x.x.x IP address. This is NOT a public IP address but rather a microsoft auto assigned IP which happens when it doesn't obtain a DHCP address. DHCP is enabled.

 

[kevnich2]

OP - go into your network and sharing center, then click on change adapter settings. Right click on "Network" and click on diagnose. Let it run through things and see if that fixes it. Looks like something got corrupted and this should take care of clearing things out and resetting them.

 

[Xuzuno]

It seems it's set to a public IP address. It should be showing a private IP, as assigned by your router.

On the NIC itself in Windows, set it to pick up an IP address automatically.

Hi mammador, it's already set to obtaining an IP address automatically.

OP - go into your network and sharing center, then click on change adapter settings. Right click on "Network" and click on diagnose. Let it run through things and see if that fixes it. Looks like something got corrupted and this should take care of clearing things out and resetting them.

Hi kevnich, I don't see "Network" but I see "Ethernet" which is the one that's having the problems. After I click diagnose, it runs through troubleshooting and ""Ethernet" doesn't have a valid IP configuration" appears again.

 

[JackMDS]

Op you have there a collection of Wireless Network Cards that seems to be Not connected anywhere.

There one connection.
---------------------
Ethernet adapter Ethernet:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : B8-88-E3-E6-98-B6
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::69a5:1f7b:6539:3fb8%13(Preferred)
Autoconfiguration IPv4 Address. . : 169.254.63.184(Preferred)

----------------------
This connection is a valid wire/cable Ethernet connection

This connection needs to be connected to a Router that has DHCP On in-order to obtain an IP and allow the Network traffic to flow.

Since it can not obtain a valid IP it is assigned to Windows Default (none functional) IP number, seen above as 169.254.63.184(Preferred).

For your info Ethernet adapter Ethernet (as seen above): is also called Network Card or NIC.

A system that includes one or more computers connected to the Interment is called Network (LAN).

The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer Networks

 

[kevnich2]

Hi mammador, it's already set to obtaining an IP address automatically.



Hi kevnich, I don't see "Network" but I see "Ethernet" which is the one that's having the problems. After I click diagnose, it runs through troubleshooting and ""Ethernet" doesn't have a valid IP configuration" appears again.

Are you sure your routernhas dhcp enabled? Do you have any security/virus programs installed? Does your wireless work on the laptop or is that having the same issue? You mentioned another laptop does work through the router? Try copying the ip info it gets to the windows 8 laptop as a static ip address and see if that works for internet. Try and narrow down what works and doesnt work.

 

[Xuzuno]

Hi kevnich2, I'm not too sure about the first thing you mentioned, because I'm actually living in a student accommodation, so the internet is provided through the university network. I just connect an ethernet cable from my laptop to the ethernet port on the wall. It usually works just fine, except since three days ago when this problem started happening.

I have Windows Defender installed. Wireless isn't available on the network I'm trying to connect to, but wireless does work on the laptop with another network.

I'll be sure to try that last thing you mentioned when I have access to the other laptop. So I can all the IP information I need through "ipconfig /all"?

 

[JackMDS]

On the Network that you are on the IP assignment is controlled by IT.

Either you are violating the rules (like using two computers when you are allowed to use only one), or something is wrong with the Network.

Best thing to do is to contact the institution IT help-desk.

 

[Xuzuno]

On the Network that you are on the IP assignment is controlled by IT.

Either you are violating the rules (like using two computers when you are allowed to use only one), or something is wrong with the Network.

Best thing to do is to contact the institution IT help-desk.

Hi JackMDS. Would that be the case though since I'm able to connect to the internet with a different laptop, through the same port on the wall and ethernet cable? No username or password is required to connect to the network, by the way.

 

[kevnich2]

Hi kevnich2, I'm not too sure about the first thing you mentioned, because I'm actually living in a student accommodation, so the internet is provided through the university network. I just connect an ethernet cable from my laptop to the ethernet port on the wall. It usually works just fine, except since three days ago when this problem started happening.

I have Windows Defender installed. Wireless isn't available on the network I'm trying to connect to, but wireless does work on the laptop with another network.

I'll be sure to try that last thing you mentioned when I have access to the other laptop. So I can all the IP information I need through "ipconfig /all"?

Ah ha.... That explains alot. University systems are different. They usually grant access based on mac addy as Jack pointed out. Best to contact their IT dept and ask them whats going on. Theres a reason theyre not allowing you on their network. Its not likely an issue with your NIC in your laptop.

 

[kevnich2]

Hi JackMDS. Would that be the case though since I'm able to connect to the internet with a different laptop, through the same port on the wall and ethernet cable? No username or password is required to connect to the network, by the way.

Different universities use different systems. Some do port based authentication, others use mac based authentication which seems to be your case. Just contact the university IT support number, let them know you cant get online with your laptop and they will ask you a few questions. I would have the mac address of your laptop handy. Its in the ipconfig /all under ethernet where it says physical address.

 

[Xuzuno]

Alright, thanks kevnich2. I'll have a talk to IT tomorrow and let you know how it goes.

 

[imagoon]

Ah ha.... That explains alot. University systems are different. They usually grant access based on mac addy as Jack pointed out. Best to contact their IT dept and ask them whats going on. Theres a reason theyre not allowing you on their network. Its not likely an issue with your NIC in your laptop.

They also use MAC blocking as a method to kick people off that are torrenting, have a virus etc.