Ip Error In Windows (1 Viewer)

[Steven Simon]

For some reason yesterday, my CPU started popping up a message in the lower right task bar by the volume controls...

It's a yellow triangle "Windows system Error", with an excamation point in it. The error says. "There is an IP conflict with another system on this Netwrok"

I am running a Wireless Router, my main system has only one wired connection. My brother in the same houshold is using a Wireless card to get into my network, but he is on only once a day... I also have a wired connection running into my XBOX, but it hasn't been in use while since this error started popping up??

Any ideas on how I can fix this, and what it is??

 

[Chun Lam]

Chances are, there is indeed a IP address conflict. DHCP assigned IP address can take awhile to expire - or perhaps something it screwing up the expiration of the IP address.

Or, it could be someone is piggy-backing on your wireless access point. Do you have some sort of WEP security key enabled?

The next time this happens, I'd go into the interface of your wireless router and see what machines are connected to it.

 

[Kelvin Tucker]

Yes, pretty good bet that it's a duplicate. Should not happen with DHCP, since Windows will renegotiate every time you reboot at a minimum. Makes you wonder about the piggy-backing... Scary thought!

A couple of questions -

1. The machine with the error, does it use a Wired or Wireless connection?
2. Are you using DHCP for all of the machines?
3. Can you get the list of addresses from your Router?

 

[Max Leung]

All machines on your network should have the "Obtain IP address automatically" checkbox checked on each respective machine's network TCP/IP properties.

 

[Steven Simon]

The machine I'm using is wired to the router... CPU downstairs is wireless, but it only goes on for maybe 1 hour a night. I get the error messages all day....

The 2 cpu's in the network, 1 wired, 1 wireless both are working, so I assume they IP's assigned....

 

[SethH]

If you're still having trouble you could just assign static addresses to all your computers. Do this by going into the wireless router's interface and disabling DHCP. Let's assume your router's internal IP address is 192.168.0.1. Then you'd go to each machine and type in addresses within that range such as 192.168.0.2, etc. This should solve your problem and also help in preventing piggy-backing on your network.

 

[Steven Simon]

Have had this router for over 1 year. Never had this IP conflict error message pop in the taskbar....

 

[Patrick Sun]

Find out the IP address for each PC, if they are different, then you might have something else going on (some spambot stuff being run on your PC).

 

[Steven Simon]

Patrick,

My machine has an ip of 192.168.1.100 , then my brothers wireless is .101 . When I go wireless in my laptop which hasn't been in well over 30 days, I think I get .102

 

[Patrick Sun]

Another possibility:

Someone nearby your residence is tapping off your wireless connection (you'll need to make sure you have WEP active and shut down other people piggybacking off your wireless connection).

 

[Steven Simon]

As of this morning, when I hit the DHCP Table of Ip's it says I only have 2 Ethernet Ip's on there, but I'm still getting the Pop Up Error....

I have 2 wired connections running out of the Router, One to my main CPU, and one to my XBOX. Thought I haven't used the XBOX in 2 weeks plus....


What is the range of the wireless... Could someone next door to me be getting signal from me?? The houses next to me would be about 200-300 feet away.... The router is on a second floor, so it's up high....

????

 

[StephenL]

Try unplugging the router for a minute, then plug it back in to reboot it. If that doesn't work, run the network setup wizard on your computers.

 

[Tim Markley]

I started getting the same exact error message a month or so ago. I also use DHCP and have WEP active. I thought that maybe someone was trying to piggyback but I had a friend over with a laptop a couple of weeks ago and he couldn't get access. I figure that it's some type of spyware program that's causing the problems. I use Spybot regularly but always seem to get more crap from surfing the net.

 

[Patrick Sun]

Perhaps it's time to do a scan for pop-ups and adware and spam. (That was my inclination now that it appears that there aren't any other IP addresses being attached to the router).

 

[Steven Simon]

Patrick,

Will do tonight... Thanks for the advice.

 

[Dave.P]

Yay! First post in my area of expertise.




If he's getting a duplicate IP error message, then another computer somewhere has the same ip address so it shouldn't show up on the router. One sure fire way to check would be to shut down the PC in question's NIC, then check the router's status or logs and see what MAC address is getting 192.160.1.100 or if it's even in use. Some network cards are active due to WOL so they still may be getting assigned an IP address even though they aren't on. Fire up your machine and check your MAC address versus the one that your router says is getting the IP. If you determine that it's a piggy-backer, keep the MAC address handy, it's a completely unique identifier for computer hardware. Next step would be to get the MAC filters setup on your router. WEP is crap and can be cracked by anyone that's determined and has the right program in a matter of days. There are some people out there that can spoof a MAC address, but it's alot tougher than spoofing an IP.

Now, onto the fun stuff. Go to your neighbor's houses and ask them if they have or their children have computers with wireless connections. Grab the MAC addresses off the PC Cards or lay hands on the actual PC and check it there. If any of them match, you've found your thief.

If you need more assistance feel free to PM...

Dave

 

[Kelvin Tucker]

I've found the Wireless range (802.11b)is normally < 100 feet, but strange things happen with radio waves.

If the Spam checker does not find anything, I have a slightly easier way to see if someone is hijacking you. Dave's approach will work also, but could be spoofed by some rogue s/w on your machine.

Only works when you get the duplicate error on your PC. Then -
1) Shutdown this PC
2) Start up one of the laptops
3) Go to a command prompt (Start -> Run -> "cmd")
4) Type Ping 192.168.1.100
5) You should get 3 "timeout" messages.

If not, then you have a lurker so ..
6) Type arp -a
7) Copy down the Physical Address that is next to the .100 IP

Post back the results and we should be able to determine what type of Ethernet card is associated with it.

 

[Steven Simon]

Ok,

The popups seem to have gone away. Listed now are my Ip addy, and my brothers .101

The other day when I checked the table, the Ip's were out of order for some reason. My brothers Ip had .103?? So Ip's were missing in the middle...

Anyways,

I am 192.168.1.100
Brother is 192.168.1.101

Seems to be ok ....

Thanks for the help guys!!!

 

[Steven Simon]

Look at thsi guys... I do a site survey, and there are 2 unkowns on there. One of them is my brothers Wireless... But the other 2???

DHCP Active IP Table
DHCP Server IP Address: 192.168.1.1
Client Hostname IP Address MAC Address Interface
192.168.1.100 00-30-BD-22-2C-DD Ethernet
USNYCJROTHMAN1 192.168.1.101 00-04-23-6E-7D-7C Wireless
192.168.1.102 00-06-25-22-27-71 Wireless
192.168.1.103 00-06-25-22-27-71 Wireless




That name in there doesn't seem right???

 

[Dave.P]

Looks like you might have some moochers....

Setup the MAC filters and lock them out!

Weird that two IP's are being assigned to the same MAC address