Windows 7 First Time Problem: Acer Aspire AO532H, Win7 Starter,Cox Cable,"No Valid IP Connection."

frnk1492

New Member
Joined
Aug 10, 2010
"Local area connection has no valid IP configuration" after "Reset local area connection adapter." Have checked configuration using:

http://ww2.cox.com/residential/oklahomacity/support/internet/article.cox?articleId={5ba9c9f0-6441-11df-ccef-000000000000}

and checked other articles. Two other XP computers connect properly.
Have spent several hours on this. What am I missing???
The Acer is new and this is a first-time connection attempt. When replying, please note that I am not good at acronyms/abbreviations.
Thanks.
Frank
 
If you're connected to internet directly through the cox cable (not via router), then in your network adapter properties you need to enter IPv4 (subnet mask and default gateway) and DNS server address (preferred and alternative). You can get IPv4 and DNS data from your internet provider, phone them, or you can look up in your xp machines' network properties.

http://ww2.cox.com/residential/oklahomacity/support/internet/article.cox?articleId={5ba9c9f0-6441-11df-ccef-000000000000}

Just what the link shows but enter ipv4 and dns values instead of 'obtain automatically.'
 
Thanks very much. I will do. But why does everyone seem to suggest automatic choosing of values, as I think I will find on my other computers? And doesn't inputting specific values affect "universality?" For example, I plan to try the Acer with Verizon DSL and 3G over the weekend, and later with Wi-fi in Europe. Won't I have to go back to automatic choice again or input other values? (The Wi-Fi case worries me most.)
Your reply would be very much appreciated.
Thanks again.
Frank
 
Hey...I have the same model...well my father does and guess who configures it lol?

Open an elevated command prompt. Copy/paste these commands one at a time, then hit enter after each:

Code:
netsh int ip reset c:\resetlog.txt
Code:
netsh winsock reset
Reboot and test.

Use device manager to disable the wired network adapter if you're not going to ever use that.
 
May I ask if your father had the same issue?
Also, is this accomplishing the same thing Cybercore suggested but without the need to manually input DNS/IP values?
Thanks very much for your help. (I do know how to get to the elevated command prompt.)
Will post outcome.
Frank
 
No, the same issue doesn't exist of course, since I admin everything here. If there's a problem ever, I get to it quickly.

The commands shown will reset the network configuration on the machine to brand new. Quite often, 3rd party software installs lsps that mess up networking. This will remedy that automatically.

After the commands and a reboot, you can go ahead and connect precisely the same way as your other machines do.
 
...but the machine *is* brand new and we haven't changed anything (yet). All we did was verify the existing setup from the Cox site.
 
Let's start with the basics here because there's something I don't understand about your setup.

Do you have a router? I'm assuming so, since you have other machines that connect.

If this is the case, forget about the Cox site as that will not apply to you.

If you have a router, you probably have to configure it to accept the new machine's wireless mac address.

In an elevated command prompt, run this command:

Code:
ipconfig /all
It will tell you the physical address of the wireless adapter (which is the mac address.)

Then visit the router configuration page and add it to the whitelist of allowed addresses.
 
No router. We just switched machines to see if the others (XP) were OK. They connected immediately.
 
Ah, alright.

I wouldn't be surprised if Cox themselves have some kind of limit on the amount of machines tied to your account that can connect. It is probably them physically blocking your new machine.

I would contact them to see if that's true and if they're willing to do something for you or not.

But what I still don't understand is how are you connecting wirelessly without a router?
 
My incorrect assumption I guess: I thought one would assume that because I didn't mention the router or wireless that I had no router and was hard-wired. Very sorry to have wasted some of your time. It's really the most basic of connections, that's why I am so puzzled by the issues. Brand new out of the box netbook and this.
 
Cool. Ya, what I said about Cox possibly blocking is the most likely thing to look at still.

It's very common for isps to do this. Your new machine is not being allowed by them for whatever policy reasons. You'd have to contact them in hopes of sorting it.
 
Thanks very much TorrentG for all your help. I got home, tried your IP reset and immediately connected!!! I still wonder why this was necessary in a virgin computer, but the following article (which seems to propose a different method for accomplishing the same thing) suggests it is a common Win 7 issue:
How to renew IP Address in Windows 7 | eHow.com
Nice chatting with you!
Best wishes!
Frank
P.S. Am I supposed to do a "solved" notice somewhere? Please advise.
 
.....but unfortunately her XP computers won't connect now. I would think doing an IP reset on them would make the Acer not connect again, no?
There seems to be a sharing option "Allow other computers to connect through this network." If that had been enabled on the XP computers *before* we tried to connect the Acer, would that have eliminated the need to reset the IP for the Acer?
I'm sure you can clear this up. We will probably never want to have more than one computer connected and running at a time.
Thanks.
Frank
 
The problem is still with the isp.

It (the isp) is sensing the hardware change and "locking" into the current machine connected.

I recommend buying a cheap router and connecting all the pcs to it. This way, there will never be any changes to "sense" by the isp. Your isp and their equipment/software will always think you only have one computer connected, ever - no matter what.
 
You have been 100% correct all along. So maybe the router would have solved the problem without the need to reset anything? Sorry I was so thick!!
BTW I found it costs $10/mo for additional IP addresses from Cox.
What router do you like?
This has been a great learning experience!
Frank
 
Not a problem. Glad to help.

Depending on the network adapters of the XP machines you have, that's what I would base a router purchase on. Since they are XP and older, most likely they have 100 mbps (and not 1 gbps which is 10x faster) adapters.

If that's all true, then there would be no need to purchase a Gigabit router since that would be wasteful.

Any 100 mbps router would do really well for you. Just make sure you also purchase enough Cat5 cables to connect all the pcs to the router .... and an additional Cat5 cable to connect the router to the existing modem. Depending on where the computers are going to be, make sure the cables are long enough to reach.

I personally like D-Link routers.
 
Thanks. I think we'll use the wireless capability this time. Is this good?:
Link Removed - Invalid URL
 
Yes, sure it's good but you'd only need a G type router since the machines can't send/receive any faster than that anyhow.

On the other hand, this N type router will be much more future proof for you, where you will not have to upgrade for a really long time.

If you do go the wireless router way, then you'll still need a single Cat5 cable so the router can connect to the modem. A short length about 2 feet will be great.
 
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