XP; unable to connect to DSL Router or Internet

[videobruce]

Running XP w/sp1 I can't get to my DSL Router let alone connect to the internet.
My system has 2 bootable HDD's; XP on one and 2k on the other. The 2k HDD is fine and has been.
I just started expermenting with FP, er.....XP and I get 0.0.0.0 for both the IP address and the Subnet Mask when I check the Status tab under Network Connections or using ipconfig at a command prompt.
There are only 2 boxes on the Network, nothing fancy. No firewalls and that XP Firewall is disabled.
All the settings are on auto as they are on the other O/S as far as the NIC goes. I am using the Administartor account.

[rik148755]

I may be missing something here, but I connect through a router and my NIC.

Do you use the TCP/IP settings?
Have you inserted them manually? IP address/subnet mask etc....?

:)

[videobruce]

I had DHCP Client disabled!

[deddard]

The easiest way to ensure you're getting the correct IP address is to assign it manually.
Go into the dsl router and set it's LAN address statically (usually something like 192.168.2.1), then set your PC's address to compliment this - something like 192.168.2.2. subnet masks should be 255.255.255.0
ensure that the default gateway on the PC is set to your router's address.
see if this works. You may need to set the DNS server settings on your pc to use the router as a dns server (just use the router's lan address) but this isn't always necessary.

[videobruce]

I use to set the IP addresses manually, but got lazy and left it set to 'auto'.
I don't like all those unnecessary services running at startup, I just went one too many..................