Number 217 - June 2001

I Lost My Cool! Cool Static IP That Is!
By Bob Thomson, Tacoma Open Group
AT&T Broadband has taken away my static IP. I didn't know there was a distinction between a static and an "assignable IP", or whatever it's called, until Dan Medeiros asked a question about it at TAPCUG's Linux SIG. When TCI first offered cable Iternet access in Tacoma, they issued static IPs--unique addresses--to their original customers. AT&T (who bought out TCI) has taken back those static IPs, so now when we connect to the Internet, we have an IP assigned automatically from a pool of rotating IPs assigned to local AT&T Cable customers. When you log off, the assigned IP is released for reuse. The switchover, occurred in mid-to-late April, and was supposed to be simple--but it wasn't for me. I spent two or three hours on the phone with AT&T Techs, at two levels of expertise, trying to get my system back on line. My connection now seems to work about the same as	before, although it seems there is a noticeable delay in first getting online.     Yesterday I couldn't get on line at all! After hours of fooling around--trying this, trying that, including a System Restore to my April 19th configuration--it dawned on me that I should look at my IP address. Lo and behold, it was set back to my static IP address. Maybe the System Restore to April 19th set my IP up as my old Static IP address which is no longer valid.     The solution? Right click on My Network Places on the desktop, Left click Properties / TCP/IP Properties / IP Address. Left Click the box to Obtain IP address automatically. I did that, rebooted to reassign system parameters, and now I'm back online.
Number 217 - June 2001