Same IP address detected. What's up ?

[Frog]

So, for the last day or two, I've been seeing this message sometimes, on different computers, along with a lag time getting online.
Only change is adding a range extender, which created a second network as a choice. However, the problem did not pop up up right after that, but took a week or so.
Of the two computers that have displayed this, one is wired directly, and one is on the new WiFi network.

Besides, don't computers on the same network always have the same IP?

[ebscreen]

Second network/range extender designating ip's already being used on the first network.

Set one or the other to being their dynamic range further up the line than the number
of devices you have. IE 192.168.1.10

Yep, been there.

[Admiral]

Extenders are definitely not an ideal piece of equipment in a network setup, but it should be able to work out fine.  I would definitely disable the new network it is creating and have everything on the same network, just extend the current network.

It sounds like the extender gave out an IP address on the 'new' network that was already assigned and the router that should be assigning IP addresses didn't like that.

Bringing up a command prompt and typing:
ipconfig /all

and viewing the ipv4 address on each machine will tell you if do have repeats (better to view from the router - look at the devices on the network)

ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew

should hopefully assign it a workable IP address.

[Frog]

Why is the issue sporadic? For instance, it seems fine now, on two machines, two networks.
And, it doesn't seem to depend on how many machines are online at the time, as this morning, only my main box was in use, but got the message (first time on this particular computer)

[Admiral]

How many computers are on the network?

It's sporadic because it is happening by chance, the extender assigning an IP it shouldn't have in the first place. 

If you do like Ebscreen said and set the DHCP ranges so they don't overlap you won't have that issue.

I think it's best to only have one piece of equipment assigning IP addresses though.

[ebscreen]

Luck of the draw really. Dynamic IP assignment is just that.


FWIW I'm not a big fan of range extenders. Apparently I'm the IT guy for my folks and after dealing
with one too many service calls I convinced my pops to run new cable. Luckily there was already old phone wiring
from point to point, so yours truly didn't have to crawl through the attic.

[Frog]

How many computers are on the network?

It's sporadic because it is happening by chance, the extender assigning an IP it shouldn't have in the first place. 

If you do like Ebscreen said and set the DHCP ranges so they don't overlap you won't have that issue.

I think it's best to only have one piece of equipment assigning IP addresses though.

All together, there two computers on the first, and 2 TV's and one computer and an ipad on the second network.

[Frog]

Luck of the draw really. Dynamic IP assignment is just that.


FWIW I'm not a big fan of range extenders. Apparently I'm the IT guy for my folks and after dealing
with one too many service calls I convinced my pops to run new cable. Luckily there was already old phone wiring
from point to point, so yours truly didn't have to crawl through the attic.

First range extender I tried a couple of years back did not work, but this guy really did give me a signal where before, it was really poor.
Stuck using the Wave Gateway rather than a classy router, and it is less than ideal, and in a less than ideal location.

[Admiral]

Luck of the draw really. Dynamic IP assignment is just that.


FWIW I'm not a big fan of range extenders. Apparently I'm the IT guy for my folks and after dealing
with one too many service calls I convinced my pops to run new cable. Luckily there was already old phone wiring
from point to point, so yours truly didn't have to crawl through the attic.

First range extender I tried a couple of years back did not work, but this guy really did give me a signal where before, it was really poor.
Stuck using the Wave Gateway rather than a classy router, and it is less than ideal, and in a less than ideal location.

It might have a signal but it's still a much less than ideal device for getting WiFi further away from your gateway.

I would seriously consider running an Ethernet line to an access point where you need it - you can probably get a used one on Ebay pretty cheap that will work better.

Nothing beats an Ethernet connection, but I do have 3 access points spread over the warehouse without overlapping bands for our WiFi network.  Haven't had any issues with it but it did cost over $600 for those.

[Frog]

To bring in another variable. DHCP lease time. Currently set at 1 hour (3600 seconds)

[Squeegie]

Why not just set each device to use a static IP address?
You will never have any conflicts if set up this way.

[Gilligan]

You really only want ONE DHCP server on the network.  Your router should handle all of that.  Let anything else just supply access.

So your range extender should have an option to do DHCP... tell it not to and just to pass DHCP to the router.  That's how most AP's work.

I do have a few interesting Almond boxes (I forget the exact name), they are range extenders and when you set them up you have a few options.  I don't find them ideal, but they are touch screen interfaces and that makes setting them up really easy.  I've got a few in service and so far I've been doing ok with them.

I also recommend running ethernet to the place where you want to setup your access point and putting it in there.  I'm a big fan of the Ubiquity stuff for things like that.  We use the little UFO type disc in various places and EVERY now and then we have to power cycle them.  But they have really good range.

[Squeegie]

So your range extender should have an option to do DHCP... tell it not to and just to pass DHCP to the router.  That's how most AP's work

^^^^ This too!

[ebscreen]

I don't find them ideal, but they are touch screen interfaces and that makes setting them up really easy. 

That would be key. Having to change comp. setting to log into extender wifi to change extender settings to have extender login to
router wifi every time you reset was the deal breaker for me. I look at wireless internet like I look at everything else they tried to make
wireless; mouses and keyboards etc. Change batteries on a mouse? Nope.

[Gilligan]

Here is the unit I have.  It's 2.4ghz, I'd like to get the 5ghz, but for what I needed, I needed like 6 of them, so every $ was X 6 and for what I needed 2.4 was fine at the time.

Now they are just utility devices that I have laying around if I ever need them.  In-laws got a smart tv and the coverage wasn't good enough... so I just dropped this in on the other side of the room and it's done.  That's a slick way to operate for a repeater like this (touch screen was a winner there).