Mac suddenly cannot communicate!

[andrefrancis]

I have a home network with a router, connected to an ASDL line, feeding a desktop PC, 2 laptop PCs (using one of these currently) and a desktop Mac (G4 466mhz upgraded to 1ghz; 2 MB L3 cache; 512MB SDRAM; OSX 10.3.9).

Suddenly, my Mac refuses to see the other two PCs or connect to the internet. Previously, it was working well, and I have never had this problem before.

The 3 PCs PCs can connect to the internet and see each other, but they can't see the Mac.

The connection from the Mac to the shared router is standard ethernet cable, and when connected, a light shows on the router. I have tried swapping cables, but to no avail. It seems the problem is with the Mac. I have checked System Prefs / Network software and the top setting is Location: Automatic. Show: Network Status gives this note against a yellow-marked Built-in Ethernet button ... "Built-in Ethernet is currently active. Built-in Ethernet has a self-assigned IP address and may not be able to connect to the internet". Show: Built-in Ethernet displays Configure IPv4: Using DHCP; IP Address 169.254.118.6; Subnet Mask: 255.255.0.0; Other fields are blank.

I occasionally have had a minor problem with either the internet (but this has always been for ALL computers on the network) or the network (I use DAVE), but these normally have been relatively easy to sort. This new situation has stumped me.

Can anybody help?

Thank you.

 

[barhar]

The 'IP Address 169.254.118.6' is the reason for the ''yellow-marked Built-i Ethernet button'.
'169.x.x.x' means the Mac has not associated itself with a router's assign port number - such as '192.x.x.x'.

There are various ways to consider - I will provide only one.
01. Turn OFF the dsl modem, router, and Mac; and, wait 30+ seconds.
02. Turn ON the dsl modem, and wait 5+ seconds.
03. Turn ON the router, and wait 5+ seconds.
04. Turn ON the Mac.
05. Try to establish an internet connection, via the Mac.

 

[andrefrancis]

The second laptop pc (which originally had had an ip of 10.0.0.30), had returned (via my daughter) from Bham Univ with ip address 10.0.0.9, which coincidentally was my Mac's ip address.

Changing my Mac to a different ip address sorted the problem out.

 

[andrefrancis]

The 'IP Address 169.254.118.6' is the reason for the ''yellow-marked Built-i Ethernet button'.
'169.x.x.x' means the Mac has not associated itself with a router's assign port number - such as '192.x.x.x'.

There are various ways to consider - I will provide only one.
01. Turn OFF the dsl modem, router, and Mac; and, wait 30+ seconds.
02. Turn ON the dsl modem, and wait 5+ seconds.
03. Turn ON the router, and wait 5+ seconds.
04. Turn ON the Mac.
05. Try to establish an internet connection, via the Mac.

Thanks BarHar, but as you can see above, the problem was sorted fairly simply. Thanks again.

Andre