Summary: 169.254.x.x IP addresses are self-assigned when your computer can't get an address any other way. It's an almost sure sign of a problem.
My IP address was 192.168.x.xx, and somehow it was changed to 169.254.xx.xx. Because of this I can't access the internet. Any ideas?
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Your IP address wasn't "changed" so much as it was broken.
If you end up with an IP in the 169.254.x.x address range, then something is definitely wrong.
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For most folks, the IP address of your computer is assigned when you boot your machine. Using DHCP, your computer asks for an IP address, and a DHCP server responds by assigning one:
If you're behind a NAT router it'll be the one handing out IP addresses and you'll most commonly get an address in the 192.168.x.x range. If you're directly connected to the internet your IP address could be almost anything. Exactly what range it'll be in is defined by which IP address ranges have been assigned to your ISP.
169.254.x.x, however, is special.
Consider: what happens when your computer asks for an IP address and no one responds? Due to a network problem, or maybe not being on a network at all, perhaps there's no DHCP server to hand out IP addresses.
What happens is this: your machine waits for a while and then gives up. But when it gives up it invokes Automatic Private IP Addressing, or APIPA, and makes up its own IP address. And those "made up" IP addresses are in the 169.254.x.x range.
Now, a 169.254.x.x IP address is pretty close to useless. The reason that IP addresses are assigned is so that the upstream networking equipment knows where to send or how to route packets that are destined to reach a machine at a particular address. In other words, when things work that equipment knows that your machine has this address. If your machine makes up its own address, no one else knows. As a result, there's no way to know how to get to your machine.
It's like having an unlisted phone number that's so unlisted that even the phone company doesn't know it. No one can call you.
Even connecting "out" to visit, say, a web site or other server doesn't work because there's no way to know where to send the response.
In fact, the only utility I've ever found with a 169.254.x.x address is if machines are connected directly to each other, then some protocols can be made to work machine-to-machine using the IP addresses. Most, however, do not.
It's frustrating enough that I consider a 169.254.x.x the same as "it's broken" and move on to resolving the underlying cause.
About all you can really say from getting one of those addresses is simply that the machine cannot reach the DHCP server over the network.
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If you're connected via a NAT router, then either your computer is not actually connected on the network to that router, or the router itself isn't responding to the DHCP request. I typically triple-check my cabling, and perhaps reboot the router.
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If you're connected to the internet directly then there's something about that that isn't working. Check the cabling to your broadband modem, and check the cabling from your broadband modem to your telephone or cable line. And, if all else fails, call your ISP - it may be their DHCP server or some other item they control that's at fault.
Bottom line: if you're getting a 169.254.x.x IP address then something about your network setup isn't working, and you probably want to investigate what and why.
Related:
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Ask Leo! - What is DHCP?
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Ask Leo! - Why doesn't my machine's IP address match what I'm told on the internet?
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Ask Leo! - Why does my home network only work with one computer at a time?
Article C3090 - July 18, 2007
who said WEP? DON'T USE IT!!!!! Use WPA (WiFi Protected Access). it's MUCH more secure.
Posted by: herman greenstein at May 26, 2008 3:09 PMI RUN A INTERNET CAFE SOME TIMES MY COMPUTERS THEY GET APIPA.MOST OF THE TIME IT IS RESOLVED BY DISABLING & ENABLING THE NIC>A RELEASE RENEW>WINSOCK RESET>SWAPPING OF LAN CABLE> HARD RESET OF ROUTER.ALSO I DO CHECK THE LAN ADAPTOR BY PINGGING 127.0.0.1 . AM I FOLLOWING THE CORRECT TROUBLESHOOTING STEPS?IF NOT THEN WHAT ARE THE STEPS I SHOULD PERFORM?PLEASE REPLY.MY EMAIL ADDRESSS IS [email address removed]
Posted by: MD.ARAFAT QUARISHI at October 12, 2008 9:00 PMusing router and switch connect with 6 pc with wired,3pc have ip:169.254.x.x why,
Posted by: Indy at December 2, 2008 3:13 PMI did power cycle, winsock, ipconfig/release/renew, ...etc. still don't fix.
Please help me out.
Indy - I got 169.254 on Dec 1 2008 on my 3rd day down - Im connected wired from the cable modem to the computer - when I remove the coax to the modem I get the IP for the modem - when I connect the coax back in the modem I get 169.254 again - using Charter internet - Thanks
Posted by: Stumpper at December 3, 2008 4:26 AMI have now experienced this problem with two clients and its the same problem with both wireless and wired pc and laptops. Something strange is going on here. I have tried every possible solution on google. I got so pissed I finally just reload XP on the computer and all was good. But I still haven't come up with a solution. But I'm on the job and I will post the solution here on this site.
Posted by: armetra at December 16, 2008 8:53 AMWell I guess I was wrong. To get my client back on the net. I looked up his Ip address via his router then I regedit the registry and I searched for 169.254.16.119, his current stuck address and replaced it with and ip address in the real range of addresses and default gateway of 255.255.255.0 and ran winsockfix. I found on google and I am writing this fix on right know on his computer and he is very happy. It worked! I will do more research on this cause I want to know why this is happening.
Posted by: armetra at December 16, 2008 10:46 AMI am trying to recocnise a Vivotex PT 7137 PTZ camera usung supplier install software.
All is fine, with an IP Address of 10.0.0.8 from a router DHCP server, in ipconfig until I run the discover program, then I end up with the following ipconfig
Windows IP Configuration
Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 169.254.19.220
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.0.8
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.0.2
Is this a standard problem for the discover programs?
Thanks
Posted by: Rod at February 3, 2009 4:47 AMRod
I solved the problem pretty easily (I have vista though). The only thing I did is clicked ''diagnostic and repair'' on the connection menu and chose ''get an ip address for the connection''. I actually tried it a couple of time yesterday night and it didn't work. I just waited until this morning and it worked the first time I tried. It's probably because I left my laptop closed for several hours. Good luck to all!
Posted by: mathieu at April 13, 2009 9:55 AMThe best way I have found this issue to be resolved if all wlse fails like
Posted by: Mark H at June 23, 2009 11:11 AMnetsh winsock reset catalog (vista)
or netsh winsock reset (XP)
try resetting the TCP/IP Stack in cmd prompt which is netsh int ip reset resetlog.txt
see if that works. Sometimes as i have learnt Winsock does not always repair the issue even though it's a last resort cmd. but resetting the tcp/ip stack can sometimes resolve this issue.
Hello
Posted by: vikram at July 24, 2009 4:25 AMI have the same problem, But this occur in my phone
recently i updated the software then after i cant access WIFI in my phone . Strange thing is I can access other Wireless network & My own Pc internet is working fine . I req everybodu plz help me . My OS is vista home
big thanks in advance