Every device on a network needs its own address to talk to other devices, kind of like every house needs its own street address for mail to arrive. DHCP is the service that hands out those addresses automatically, so nobody has to type one in by hand.
How to tell if DHCP is the problem
- Open the command prompt and type ipconfig, then press enter.
- Look at the address next to IPv4 Address. If it starts with 169.254, the computer never got a proper address from the network, and that points to a DHCP problem.
- Check if only one device has the problem, or if several devices on the same network are affected.
How to fix a DHCP problem
- Unplug the network cable and plug it back in, or turn wireless internet off and back on.
- Open the command prompt and type ipconfig slash release, press enter, then type ipconfig slash renew and press enter.
- Restart the computer if the steps above do not fix it.
- If several devices on the same network have the same problem, this is likely a bigger network issue, and it should be passed along instead of fixed one computer at a time.
A single computer with a 169.254 address is usually a quick fix. Many computers with the same problem at the same time almost always means the shared network equipment needs attention, not the computers themselves.