Windows 7 unidentified network on LAN

sdkyron · Jun 23, 2012

Hi, this is my first post here.

I have a serious issue with my network.

I have my wireless router that gives internet to all my computers (4), each one having their own usb wifi adaptor. This part works fine, never had any issue with internet.

Each of the computers also have its own GBE adapter but i wasn't really using them. Until now, i bought a switch and connected all 4 computers through rj-45 to the switch just so i could transfer files easier and especially much faster than through the wireless.

This is where my problem is, the network works, i can see and transfer files just fine, the issue being, on each and every computer, the lan is considered as unidentified public network. I've tried everything i could think of, yet, nothing, i can't change the status of the lan connection.

Oh yeah, and, the ips on the lan are all error ips (169.xx.xx.xx).

Anyone can help ?

Emerald · Jun 24, 2012

have you tried assigning static IPs to the LAN cards but no gateway IP

sdkyron · Jun 24, 2012

Yes i did, with or without gateway, didn't make any difference, still unidentified.

Saga Lout · Jun 24, 2012

Are you by any chance running McAfee? If so, even turning off the firewall does nothing because it remains on and blocking Internet access when you think it's off. I had to uninstall it from a system yesterday just to get Net access back. Sometimes, if McAfee isn't present, stopping the Bonjour Service running at boottime does the trick.

sdkyron · Jun 24, 2012

I'm not using McAfee, i'm using Symantec Endpoint Protection, i've tried it enabled and disabled.

Besides, this isn't about internet access, i'm not supposed to get internet access through my LAN, it's only there to connect the 4 computers together, i get my internet from the wireless.

It's only about the unidentified status of the LAN.

sdkyron · Jun 24, 2012

Here's a shot of my network, the first connection (Wifi) is just fine, it's the second one that isn't.

sdkyron · Jun 24, 2012

Just incase this could help, here's an ipconfig /all (this is while as suggested above, i specify an ip for the lan card without gateway)

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : JOBE-LAPTOP-01
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : Home

Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : Home
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) Centrino(R) Wireless-N 130
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : DC-A9-71-C0-28-A3
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::f048:b42:f121:b791%10(Preferred)
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.2(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : dimanche 24 juin 2012 10:08:50
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : lundi 25 juin 2012 10:08:50
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 182233457
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-16-E4-4A-AA-DC-A9-71-C0-28-A3

DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 6C-62-6D-36-F6-EB
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::b8fd:fb8:d9ba:5268%12(Preferred)
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.200.10(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 359424621
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-16-E4-4A-AA-DC-A9-71-C0-28-A3

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.Home:

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

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.{E07E7274-3A70-469B-8584-E13B3E4AB877}:

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

eibgrad · Jun 24, 2012

For the record, the 169.254.x.x IPs are not errors. Those are perfectly valid IPs and will work under the right circumstances. They occur when a client’s DHCP request does not receive a response from a DHCP server (usually running on your router). So the client takes a fallback position and assigns itself a randomly generated IP in the 169.254.x.x. network. The theory being, in the absence of a DHCP server, at least all the computers will have unique IPs and be able to communicate w/ each other. A clever idea, but not always a practical one.

Anyway, so we know that attempts to contact the DHCP server are failing. The reason you have an unidentified network at that point is because the network gets its name from the domain name provided by the (you guessed it) DHCP server!

So from everything I’m seeing, it appears the fundamental problem is the lack of a response from the DHCP server, presumably the same one that works fine w/ your wireless adapters. All I can assume is that you don’t have that same switch connected to the router (further suggested by the fact the unidentified network says no internet access). IOW, it’s just hanging out there as an island, with the four computers connected to it. As I said, if the computers are all configured w/ DHCP and (in this case) the DHCP server is literally inaccessible, it should still work due to the way the 169.254.x.x network works. But again, because there’s no DHCP server to provide a domain name, so there’s no named network. It’s just a bookkeeping issue. It doesn’t affect connectivity in any way.

If it bothers you, I suppose you could manually update the domain name on each computer’s IP configuration. But then you might as well manually configure their respective IP configurations too. Just use a different network from the primary router, so if the primary network is 192.168.1.x, perhaps make it 10.0.0.x.

sdkyron · Jun 24, 2012

I did assign an ip to the 4 gbe adapters in the range of 10, actually it's 10.205.215.1-2-3-4 (IP and subnet, no gateway or dns) but that didn't change anything, the network is still unidentified.

I don't have a switch connected to the router

A. Computer 1, 2, 3, 4 are connected together through their wired adapter and to a switch.

B. Computer 1, 2, 3, 4 all have their wireless adapters connected to the router and to the internet.

As you can see, the switch isn't connected to the router at all. they're independant.

And the problem i'm having only concerns point A.

Anyway could you give me more details about your last point please ? (the part about assigning a domain name, how do i do that, since assigning the 10.x IP didn't help) ?

eibgrad · Jun 24, 2012

The network is still unidentified because you didn't also configure the domain name in that same TCP/IP configuration. You mostly likely left it blank. Again, it's not strictly necessary and thus why it's under the advanced settings, specifically General->Advanced->DNS->"DNS suffix for this connection".

sdkyron · Jun 24, 2012

eibgrad :

I understand this is strictly not necessary but i really would like to do it so

I just did assign a name, or well i think i did:

But nothing changed. What did i do wrong ?

eibgrad · Jun 24, 2012

You may need to refresh the network adapters (e.g., pull and reinsert the cables, or else reboot).

sdkyron · Jun 24, 2012

Well, i just did, unplug, reboot, replug, still unidentified

Oh yeah, and something quite funny, whatever i do, when i close the network page, the network troubleshooter opens up, but obviously doesn't find anything.

eibgrad · Jun 24, 2012

Hmm, should have worked, go to Network Connections (Start->Run, type "ncpa.cpl" (no quotes), and hit enter). Select the connection, right-click, and hit disable. Then right-click again and enable. You should see the named network updated right there on that screen.

sdkyron · Jun 24, 2012

Did that too, more often than not actually, still no joy, i really don't understand

eibgrad · Jun 24, 2012

Go to a command prompt and issue the ipconfig /all command again, let's see if the DNS suffix (domain name) is now at least filled in, it should be.

sdkyron · Jun 24, 2012

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : JOBE-LAPTOP-01
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : Home
Test

Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : Home
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) Centrino(R) Wireless-N 130
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : DC-A9-71-C0-28-A3
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::f048:b42:f121:b791%10(Preferred)
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.2(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : dimanche 24 juin 2012 15:45:45
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : lundi 25 juin 2012 15:45:44
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 182233457
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-16-E4-4A-AA-DC-A9-71-C0-28-A3

DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : Test
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 6C-62-6D-36-F6-EB
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::b8fd:fb8:d9ba:5268%12(Preferred)
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 10.205.215.1(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.0.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 359424621
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-16-E4-4A-AA-DC-A9-71-C0-28-A3

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:

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
IPv6 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 2001:0:5ef5:79fd:84f:11e6:3f57:fefd(Prefe
rred)
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::84f:11e6:3f57:fefd%11(Preferred)
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : ::
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled

Tunnel adapter isatap.Home:

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

Tunnel adapter isatap.Test:

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

eibgrad · Jun 24, 2012

Well, I can see it there, "Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : Test"

Notice that the same line on the wireless connection shows Home, which does appear on Network Sharing Center screen. Might just be a quirk in how the Network Sharing Center works. Perhaps once the network is named on that particular screen, it remains fixed, no matter if it changes underneath as the protocol level. You may have to manually rename it on that same screen, or perhaps delete the connection and have it created again. If you click on the "little house" on that screen, you'll find you can manually rename it, or even delete it (the deletion will only work if not in use, so you'd either have to delete from the wireless connection, or disable it first).

Can you believe all this hassle for a name change?

sdkyron · Jun 24, 2012

What, what screen are you talking about, i'm confused now, the only screen with a "house" i can think of is this one:

what should i rename and where now then ?

eibgrad · Jun 24, 2012

LOL, ok, well in this case, it's the one w/ the park bench (icons vary according to whether they're public or private). Click on that bench, you can rename it there.

sdkyron · Jun 24, 2012

eibgrad :

Well, i wish it was that easy, no you can't rename by clicking it, no matter what you type, it won't print.

I've even modified the security policies to be able to change it from public to private, but i still wasn't able to rename it.

This is actually the root of the problem, i'm unable to change it from unidentified to home network.

eibgrad · Jun 24, 2012

Well then it sounds like a privileges problem. Are you logged in as an Admin? I am, and I can change the name, no problem.

sdkyron · Jun 24, 2012

eibgrad :

I believe this is where it's becoming funny... yes i am

eibgrad · Jun 24, 2012

Then I don't what else to tell ya, it should work, it doesn't, beats me. Sorry.

sdkyron · Jun 24, 2012

eibgrad :

That's just my everyday's luck

Windows 7 unidentified network on LAN

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