Laptops unable to pick up IP address over wireless

[LeMarchand]

Been getting this odd problem on random computers across various sites. The wireless cards can see the network, but are not able to get an IP address.

Tried: new drivers, resetting the TCP/IP stack and much more. Sometimes the problem just rights itself. Anybody had this, and how did you resolve it?

[Dom_]

Are they all using the same wireless card? What kind of wireless setup do you have?

[LeMarchand]

Nope - different cards, different brand/model machines and different networks ranging from bodged together APs up to Cisco managed.

[Dom_]

Strange.. any errors in event log? DNS + DHCP working ok?

[cpjitservices]

It's not your AP's is it blocking the MAC for whatever reason ? I try and power down all your nearby AP's and then reset the TCP / IP Stack on said laptops it may rectify your problem.

[LeMarchand]

Couldn't find anything obvious in the logs, and DNS/DHCP seems fine (certainly other machines of same - and different - brands/models can connect). No MAC filtering installed at any of my sites and I've even tried reserving address for the wireless MACs. Will try the power down option ASAP just off to another site where there will likely be too many problems to look at this one!

Thanks for all the replies.

[RyanBTBizDirect]

I had the same problem a few days ago and then came into work and my computer had a message reading no hard drive. Had to open it from the bottom and make sure everything was intact. Once I put it back together it was working perfectly - although I'm sure your problem will be related to the DNS/DHCP. Did that above advice work?

[cpjitservices]

WE had the problem of Laptops not getting an IP through DHCP, we searched around checked the servers and AP settings and routers and switches - nothing worked! so I went around pulling the power on the local nearby AP's as soon as they started talking to the network again bang there was IP's on the laptops - mst of just been a trip somewhere in the AP's and they needed a good ole kick up the back bottom.

Don't really know why this happened, we use Linksys AP's.

[LeMarchand]

Thanks for the suggestions - not had time to try the AP rebooting yet (the main switch at one of my sites failed). Did try the "uninstall wireless card and reboot" trick on one machine and it seems to have worked, though did try this a while back on different machines with no luck. Very odd.