IP address conflict

[rburtnick]

My system keeps repeating this message in a Windows 98 error popup window:


The system has detected a conflict for IP address XXX.168.2.XXX with the system having hardware address 00:90:4B:85:78:XX




Is it internal? Does it mean I have an intruder in my network? Could it be an accidental cross addressing? (I have replaced some of the characters: All X's were originally numeric characters.)

[rburtnick]

of course after posting this it refers me to similar posts ... I tried to search for the same topic but received no matches

[Landon]

I am assuming that you are on a network or there would not be another computer to conflict with...

Go to the other computers on your network, computers with Win95 to WinMe click START, RUN, then type WINIPCFG then press [ENTER], put the adapter on what ever your network card is.

Computers with WinNT to WinXP click START, RUN, then type CMD then press [ENTER], in the DOS window type IPCONFIG then press [ENTER].
(to get out of the window type EXIT then press [ENTER]).

It should display some information including your /MAC address/adapter address/hardware address/ (it will be listed as one of the three).

When you find the one that has the matching address (and IP address) of the error you are getting you will have found the computer that is causing this.

When you find it post back with which version of Windows it has.

[rburtnick]

Just checked the other PC. It's a Compaq laptop running XP Home on Celeron. Both this unit (Celeron running Win98) and the laptop have Obtain IP Address Automatically settings. The conflict message is only on the Win98 PC.


The IP addresses are close but not exact. The default gateway, which looks like the IP Address with the last two characters truncated, is exactly the same.

The IPCONFIG result on the laptop running XP Home edition is:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix:

IP Address XXX.168.2.103

Subnet Mask 255.255.255.0

Default Gateway XXX.168.2.1

As partially noted above the IP address on this machine is XXX.168.2.101

(XXX Characters have replaced actual numeric characters.)

[rburtnick]

OK In addition to the above, I tested my theory that it might not be a conflict with the other (known) PC on the network. I turned the other PC off. The conflicts continue. This brings me back to the possibility that I have security leakage. Maybe even unintentional on the other party's part.

Now I am not even currently connected using the wireless (with either PC) but when I do (with other PC's) I see there are other linksys wireless networks apparently also being as stupid as I am by continuing to use the default linksys settings and not using WEP.

Wotdyathink? Am I trying too hard?

[Landon]

You have two different postings going for what is basically the same problem, which one do you want to keep?

[rburtnick]

I will quit adding to this one or the other one if you like. I joined the other when it seemed that it was offering more substantive fixes than I was able to come up with here.

Actually I would not have started this thread had I found the other when I searched topics prior to starting this thread.

So far, there have been a few suggestions but nothing I have tried has worked.

[bAdWaYz]

I wouldn't think what is causing your ip conflict is a person snagging your signal but rather one of your own computers trying to use the same ip address or rather an adaptor that is trying to use an ip address thats already in use. If you want to see how many people might be using your router go to the routers setup via a web browser and look at the "DHCP client table" you should see listed ip's, mac address, and so on for devices that have leased an ip address from the router.

[z1p]

bAdWaYz -
If it truly is a conflict caused by a rogue connection, then it is likely that it would have a fixed IP because if it was using DHCP from the router it wouldn't get an IP already inuse. The router should have a page that shows what machines are connected wirelessly I believe.