Vista home keeps identifying network, and cannot access the internet

169.254.*.* ips are autoconfig ips generated by Windows when it cannot locate a DHCP server on the network to get an ip address from. Sounds like a problem with your network connectivity which is stopping it from communicating.

Check the cable and you may need to reload the drivers for the NIC. You could also try uninstalling the NIC and restarting the comp.

If wireless has the same issue, it definitely points to there being no DHCP server

The 169.254.*.* is a Windows Auto Configuration default IP v4 address and therefore is on a different subnet to the one which the router you are trying to connect to is on whether wired or wireless.

This type of fault usually indicates that the IP configuration on the adapter is somehow incorrect.

Please open the Command Console (Start>Run>cmd) and type ipconfig /all. Right click inside the console and select Mark then click and drag to select all the text then right click again to copy to clipboard before pasting into Notepad and/or into the Experts Exchange comments box so I can examine the output in order that I may assist you further.

Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection:

   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . :
   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : NETGEAR RangeMax(TM) Wireless USB 2.0 Ada
pter WPN111
   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-1E-2A-E0-EB-AF
   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
   Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::bd55:dd14:9f90:604f%13(Preferred)
   Autoconfiguration IPv4 Address. . : 169.254.96.79(Preferred)
   Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
   Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :
   DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : fec0:0:0:ffff::1%1
                                       fec0:0:0:ffff::2%1
                                       fec0:0:0:ffff::3%1
   NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

OK, your wireless is trying to get an IP address via DHCP, but failing to find a DHCP server.

2 options to try:

1. Enable a DHCP server - There should be one in your wireless router if you can get to the web management console.....this is the prefered solution
2. Set a Static IP on the wireless (or wired) adapter. to do this you will need to know your routers IP address.

Try (1) and if you're struggling let me know

My desktop and my laptop here obtain IP addresses from my router just fine. It has a static IP address assigned to the router. http://192.168.1.1/

Also keep in mind that the first network where the problem begin is in a completely different location. So different network, but pretty much the same setup.

Try setting up a static ip address of say 192.168.1.100, subnet 255.255.255.0, DNS and Gateway both to 192.168.1.1.

I would favour trying this on the wired connection first to rule out any issue with wireless network keys.

If the static IP works, it could be that the router has been configured with a limit of 2 ip address leases, one for you laptop and 1 for the desktop (although this would be a little odd).

It was on a wired network originally. Its not limited to two computers because I use additional computer here all the time. I input the IP address as prescribed, but it still cannot get out to the internet.

It sounds like a driver/ hardware fault then, but it's odd that you get the same problem both wired and wireless.

I'm clutching at straws a little, but try re-installing /updating the network card drivers.

I did, I uninstalled and re-installed ect. I did that on both wired, and wireless. I even tried this.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/928233

Network Discovery is set to custom, and the turn off network discovery i grayed out...

Completely frustrated!

Well I believe I solved my own problem. The workstation had webroot firewall installed. They did a clean up with hijack this, and removed it from the startup. The firewall was starting up, but blocking traffic ect!

One of those garbage can programs.