computer sleuth required

[k73]

so i've returned home to see a warning dialogue on my desktop that tells me (with a big red exclamation point)


IP CONFIGURATION

192.168.xxxx in use by 00:11:xxx, DHCP
Server 192.168.1xxxx

and asks me to click OK.

i didn't want to. but the finder wasn't giving me any options so I rebooted.
as i was not facing that message when i was at my computer last and am on a shared wireless network..

..i think someone has been monkeying with my axe.

can anyone tell me specifically what the message meant?

[hayne]

The "IP address" is a numerical address that identifies your computer on a network. Your computer is usually assigned an IP address by a DHCP server - software that usually runs on your router.

The message was telling you that some other computer on your local network was using the same IP address that was being used by your computer.
Since DHCP servers take care never to assign the same IP address to more than one computer at a time, this sort of message usually means that someone has manually configured their computer to use that IP address.

Please tell us more details about your networking setup. You say it is a "shared wireless network".
Shared with whom? Who manages this network? Is the network protected by a password (WEP or WPA)?

[UncleJohn]

It can also mean (at least with my ancient Linksys) that the router was rebooted, started assigning DHCP addresses over again, and gave you one that was already in use by another machine on the network. I suspect (hope) that newer routers are a little smarter in this regard.

[tbsingleton73]

Sounds like an IP error that occurs when the IP address is the same as another computer on your network.
You say you are on a shared wireless network, I assume you mean there are other people using the same wireless network that you are one.
It possible that either you or the other computer (more likely) as configured a static IP address. So when your computer was assigned an IP Address of say 192.168.1.101, then the other guy turned on his computer and had an IP Address the same already assigned there was a conflight.
When you rebooted you were reassigned a new unassigned IP Address from the wireless router.

Base on your info, I don't believe someone was "monkeying with your axe"

What you could have tried instread of rebooting would have been to open the Network settings in System Preferences and select Configure for your type of connection (Ethernet or Wireless). Check out the TCP/IP tab that shows your current IP Address and click the Renew DHCP Lease button.
This would have assigned you a new unassigned IP Address.

I hope this helps.

[trevor]

Yes, this problem can take place when someone has manually configured an IP address. However, it also happens when there is more than one DHCP server on a network. This happens way too often, usually when someone turns on "Internet Sharing" on their laptop while at home then doesn't reconfigure when they come into the office. Or maybe someone doesn't know what "Internet Sharing" means and figures that they will be nice and share their connection.

Trevor

[themphill]

It could be that somebody has installed another device on your network which is serving DHCP. Typically, consumer routers act DHCP servers, so a new one added to the network could be trying to serve out addresses which the original one has already handed out.