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Local Area Connection doesn't have a valid IP configuration (W7)

Hi Experts,

I'm trying to connect my Desktop and Laptop using CAT5 cables and a network switch.

The laptop has Internet access via a wireless connection to a 4G wireless hotspot.

Both PCs are running Windows 7.

I'd be happy just to be able to share files, but ideally would like the Desktop to have Internet access.

I'm getting this error on the Laptop:

Local Area Connection 4 doesn't have a valid IP configuration

I'm getting this error on the Desktop:

Local Area Connection 6 doesn't have a valid IP configuration

Here's the ipconfig info from the Laptop:

Windows IP Configuration

   Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : samsung9
   Primary Dns Suffix  . . . . . . . : 
   Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
   IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
   WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection 4:

   Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . : 
   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft Virtual WiFi Miniport Adapter #2
   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : C8-F7-33-19-5B-0A
   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection 3:

   Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . : 
   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft Virtual WiFi Miniport Adapter
   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : C8-F7-33-19-5B-0A
   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection 2:

   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . : 
   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) Centrino(R) Advanced-N 6235
   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : C8-F7-33-19-5B-09
   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
   Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::39f0:7b58:5fc1:7539%26(Preferred) 
   IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.100(Preferred) 
   Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
   Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Monday, 14 September 2015 10:37:03 AM
   Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Tuesday, 15 September 2015 10:37:04 AM
   Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
   DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
   DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 768145203
   DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-18-38-DB-C3-90-E6-BA-D6-46-B9
   DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
   NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Ethernet adapter Bluetooth Network Connection:

   Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . : 
   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Bluetooth Device (Personal Area Network)
   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : C8-F7-33-19-5B-0D
   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 4:

   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . : 
   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller
   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 50-B7-C3-79-AA-CF
   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
   Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::5c39:d43b:7452:3356%22(Preferred) 
   Autoconfiguration IPv4 Address. . : 169.254.51.86(Preferred) 
   Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
   Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 
   DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 558938051
   DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-18-38-DB-C3-90-E6-BA-D6-46-B9
   DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : fec0:0:0:ffff::1%1
                                       fec0:0:0:ffff::2%1
                                       fec0:0:0:ffff::3%1
   NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Ethernet adapter VirtualBox Host-Only Network:

   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . : 
   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : VirtualBox Host-Only Ethernet Adapter
   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 08-00-27-00-AC-DE
   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
   Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::5cf1:b1d5:dafa:58a3%17(Preferred) 
   IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.56.1(Preferred) 
   Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
   Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 
   DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 638058535
   DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-18-38-DB-C3-90-E6-BA-D6-46-B9
   DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : fec0:0:0:ffff::1%1
                                       fec0:0:0:ffff::2%1
                                       fec0:0:0:ffff::3%1
   NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Tunnel adapter isatap.{5A01B261-29F3-4378-B4B3-2767D9F1E5D5}:

   Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . : 
   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter
   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 9:

   Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . : 
   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface
   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter isatap.{290D81B7-CFAE-4F24-BD38-ACA2564FD03B}:

   Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . : 
   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #2
   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter isatap.{BC2747A4-826E-4B57-8ED1-C6E85E087C43}:

   Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . : 
   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #5
   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

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Here's the ipconfig info from the Desktop:

Windows IP Configuration

   Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : potoroo7
   Primary Dns Suffix  . . . . . . . : 
   Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
   IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
   WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 7:

   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . : 
   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : VirtualBox Host-Only Ethernet Adapter
   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 08-00-27-00-70-13
   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
   Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::3cd8:6f54:79e3:9c7f%23(Preferred) 
   IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.137.1(Preferred) 
   Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
   Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 
   DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 386400295
   DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-1C-65-F8-42-64-51-06-3B-8F-57
   DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : fec0:0:0:ffff::1%1
                                       fec0:0:0:ffff::2%1
                                       fec0:0:0:ffff::3%1
   NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 6:

   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . : 
   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) Ethernet Connection I217-LM
   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 64-51-06-3B-8F-57
   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
   Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::a912:4b69:ba2d:5ff4%21(Preferred) 
   Autoconfiguration IPv4 Address. . : 169.254.95.244(Preferred) 
   Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
   Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 
   DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 660885766
   DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-1C-65-F8-42-64-51-06-3B-8F-57
   DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : fec0:0:0:ffff::1%1
                                       fec0:0:0:ffff::2%1
                                       fec0:0:0:ffff::3%1
   NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Ethernet adapter VirtualBox Host-Only Network:

   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . : 
   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : VirtualBox Host-Only Ethernet Adapter
   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 08-00-27-00-08-47
   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
   Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::6d70:b9e7:d9cc:efc8%19(Preferred) 
   IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.56.1(Preferred) 
   Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
   Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 
   DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 369623079
   DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-1C-65-F8-42-64-51-06-3B-8F-57
   DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : fec0:0:0:ffff::1%1
                                       fec0:0:0:ffff::2%1
                                       fec0:0:0:ffff::3%1
   NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Tunnel adapter Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface:

   Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . : 
   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface
   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter isatap.{11195898-C0A2-4100-8250-1B6608642CD7}:

   Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . : 
   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter
   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter isatap.{AEDAE89B-9990-42E4-AB2A-AF18DA890DD0}:

   Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . : 
   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #2
   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter isatap.{3CAB9CDE-63A1-41A8-B05D-F73CB4FB280C}:

   Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . : 
   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #3
   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

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Regards,
Leigh

John

Your laptop 4G is probably using a LAN connection to get to the internet - mine does. You can see this in the connection status in the system tray.

If that is the case, you need to disconnect the internet connection and allow the laptop to get a LAN connection on the network. That should work.

I do not think you can do both at the same time because the 4G thinks it is a LAN connection .

mbkitmgr

1.

Have you got internet connection sharing (ICS) enabled on the laptop

2.

Have you set up a home group in Windows 7
If ICS is enabled it wil turn your laptop into a type of server and issues addresses to any other PC's or laptop that you wish to share your connection with.

Setting up a homegroup among your machines will take some of the setup hassles out of sharing information/printers/internet out of getting it all to work

John

Homegroup needs a standard TCP/IP connection between computers. The 4G LAN is not part of that. I am not sure if ICS will work (worth a try), but the 4G still thinks it is the LAN connection (if like my 4G).

Matthew Demaree

Try disabling your Wireless connection to force your wired connection to connect, some computers can get confused if you are trying to use both the Wireless and the LAN to connect unless you do this properly. Usually only one connection type will be enabled and if you connect a different one the other may disable automatically. Ensure the switch has some kind of router connected to it with a DHCP server or you need to specify your IP address in the IP settings. I found some providers or router devices do not properly assign IPv6 addresses so you could untick IPv6 which would force IPv4 to be used.

CompProbSolv

You have two different "challenges" here: connecting the two computers together over a wired network and then sharing your 4G internet connection.

There are some ways you could approach this, but one seems to be by far the easiest. Purchase a USB Wireless Adapter for the desktop and have it connect to the WiFi hotspot. I prefer USB ones as they will allow you to use a short extension cable (many come with those) to let you move the device around to find an optimal position to communicate with the hotspot.

Otherwise, you will have to set up an appropriate IP addresses/netmasks/gateway/dns on the desktop (it is already set to 192.168.137.1) and on the laptop. Then you'll have to deal with ICS on the laptop. I think a wireless adapter for the desktop is a much more straightforward solution.

LeighWardle

ASKER

I've just plugged in a USB wireless adapter for the desktop - but cannot install the driver - see https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/28713571/Unable-to-install-driver-for-ASUS-USB-N10-802-11n-Wireless-USB-Adapter-on-Windows-7.html

Matthew Demaree

I would try switching the 4GB wireless USB from the laptop to the desktop and then use the wired connection on the laptop. Optionally sharing the 4GB wireless card on the desktop with the laptop to grant it access. Just reversing roles.

SOLUTION

CompProbSolv

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LeighWardle

ASKER

CompProbSolv posted:

>I think we're getting confused about the 4G connection. If I read the OP correctly, the only 4G is from >the wireless hotspot to the internet. The laptop connects to the hotspot with a standard WiFi >connection. I don't think there is any 4G adapter other than what is built into the hotspot.

That is correct.

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Matthew Demaree

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LeighWardle

ASKER

I've now got the USB wireless adapter working for the desktop.

I've unplugged the Ethernet LAN cables from both PCs.

Each PC now sees the other.

I'm happy with WiFi connection speed, as long as it works!

LeighWardle

ASKER

Thanks CompProbSolv & Matthew Demaree for your helpful suggestions.

Regards,
Leigh