I second that, especially if you have multiple computers behind the router. Turning off DHCP should only be done when you know *exactly* what you're doing and what the implications are (which quite often means that the other computers on the network can't get at the internet unless you set them up with static IPs too).


If you want to view the current IP settings, then under Windows 95/98/ME run winipcfg. Under Windows 2k/XP, run "ipconfig /all" from a command prompt (start > run > "cmd"). Both will show you details of all adapters in your computer, so check you're looking at the right information.

If you want to change the IP settings, then under Windows 95/98/ME go to Control Panel and then Network, then modify the settings for TCP/IP with the network card you use. Under 2000/XP, go to Network and Dialup Connections, then right-click on the network connection you use and pick Properties.


Nowadays, most routers (and for that matter, most dedicated DHCP servers) will give the same IP to the same computer each time if they can. I'll bet that when I head home at the end of term, my PC gets the same address it had when I left two months ago. DHCP should not normally be an issue. If it is, then instead of disabling DHCP manually configure your computer with a static IP somewhere out of the way of DHCP (e.g. x.x.x.200). Valid IP numbers, BTW, are from 1 to 254. The router usually sits on x.x.x.1. Generally you should set the defualt gateway and the DNS server to the address of your router, but do check first as some are set up differently. The subnet mask should usually be whatever windows suggests. If in doubt, try 255.255.255.0, then 255.255.0.0, then 255.0.0.0. If none of those work then either you got something wrong earlier or you have an odd network setup.

Note that this is unlikely to help except when your DHCP server is assigning you different IP addresses every time you start your computer. If you always get the same IP address every time, then this will not help.


Errors and omissions excepted, YMMV, do at your own risk, blah blah blah...
If in doubt, find someone who *knows* about networking (and doesn't merely think they know because they bought a fancy do-it-all-for-you router system and left it at the defualts), and tell them what's going on.