Checking the IP address in Windows XP/2000

To begin, click start and select Run.  The view shown is for Windows XP but you will find run in windows 2000 when you click start.  Wheen the run box pops up, type cmd in it and click  the OK button.

The DOS box comes up.  To see what IP address the computer has, type ipconfig at the prompt and press enter.  You should get a display like the top portion in the picture above.  For various connections you will get various IP's

Direct to Sun Country   64.141.X.X   - All of Sun Country's IP's are in a range covered by 64.141.X.X
Through a router           192.168.X.X  - Router IP's are generally this though I've seen some others
iBox - Voip box            172.20.20.X   - The iBox acts as a router.  This is the IP you will get
Bad IP                          169.X.X.X      - This IP is the computer complaining that it cannot find the DHCP server.
Docsis non-auth.            10.0.0.X         - The Docsis modem has not been setup in the DHCP server.

As you can see, my computer is behind a router.

The bottom portion uses ipconfig /release to  release the IP address.  Windows 2000 will normally release it's IP address.  With Windows XP, if you have a 169.X.X.X IP address, when you release the IP, you may get the same IP address or 0.0.0.0 for the IP address.  Either way, when you have released the IP address, do a shutdown of the computer and then a restart after a few seconds. 

If, when you do an ipconfig, you get Windows IP Configuration with the command prompt following immediately, the network card may be disabled or the drivers for it may not be installed.

Enabling the network card

Click on Start - Control Panel for Windows XP or Start - Settings - Control Panel for Windows 2000.  If you get Catagory view (seen below), click on Switch to Classic View.


In Classic View, Double click on Network Connections.



You should see a local area connection.  If not, the network settings are damaged or the drivers have not been installed for the network card.  Either way, this needs to be seen by a technician.  If you see Disabled beside the Local Area Connection, right click on it's icon and select Enable.  This should enable the network connection and get an IP address.  Try your internet.