Need help configuring IP address?

amandavieau

So, I have just started study for the CCNA. I'm pretty much new to networking and I started with a networking basics book instead of a CCNA study guide first. There is an exercise in the book on configuring your IP and I have two issues besides the fact that I have never done this before. First, when I followed the instructions in the book....it didn't work, when I went to ipconfig the IP address hadn't changed. Here's the instructions from the book:
1. Access local area connection properties dialog box
2. Click Internet Protocol Version 4, then click properties. By default, the dialog box options will be configured as “Obtain an IP address automatically” and “Obtain DNS server address automatically
3. Click the Use the following IP address radio button. This enables the other fields soyou can type in the desired IP information. Enter the following:
• For the IP address, enter 192.168.1.1
• For the Subnet mask, enter 255.255.255.0
• Leave the Default gateway and the Preferred DNS server fields blank
5. Click OK. Then, in the Local Area Connection Properties dialog box, click OK. This will
complete and bind the configuration to the network adapter.
6. Test your configuration. We will do this in two ways, first with the ipconfig command,
and second with the ping command.

I did the above then I went to ipconfig to check if the IP address had changed and it didn't. When I went back into the Properties box for IP Version 4 I decided for some unknown reason to click on the "Validate settings upon exit". The second I hit OK my internet went out and the troubleshooter came up and said "DHCP is not enabled for Wi-Fi" and "Problem with wireless adapter or access point". So what exactly did I do when I clicked "Validate settings upon exit"? Also, I followed the directions above to configure the IP address and it didn't work, anyone know what I might be doing wrong? By the way, in case it wasn't completely obvious, I am only on chapter 1 of the networking basics book to bare with me when I have no idea what I'm talking about. I guess that's the problem with studying by yourself and not talking a class, I have no one to ask what I'm screwing up here.
I really appreciate any help.

Thanks,

Amanda

draught

While you don't need to get network+ certification if I were you I would buy a book like this: network + study guide because you are going need to understand the basics of networking before you can even think about the CCNA. I'd highly recommend looking at the network + subforums here until you are ready to start working with Cisco's devices.

To answer your question. All the validate settings on exit does is check if the DNS IP addresses have been set correctly. That's beyond what you need to know. What you did was change the IP address of your computer, we know that because you went offline. I'm guessing the next step was to ping 192.168.1.1? If you want to see your ip address you can easily do so by opening a command prompt and typing ipconfig.

That sounds like a poor exercise if that's all the explanation your book gives you. The address you were given was a poor one as well. Does it mention anything about ipconfig? I think your first step is to get a better networking book like the one I linked but I am curious to know what the book is.

For a better exercise do this: open up your the command prompt by going to all programs and then accessories, click command prompt. Type ipconfig this will show important network settings for your computer. What is your IP address and what is your default gateway? What happens when you type the address listed in the default gateway into your web browser? What do you think would happen if your IP address was the same as the default gateway?