Creating static IP address in Vista

[choralc]

I've seen references of RM users having their internet turned off and  using their laptop for their handheld device which requires RM operating from a PC with a static IP address.

 

I've got a Vista laptop for RM and AnyRail use (installed).

 

Not being MS-DOS-wise is their anyone who can:

1. give me a link, or

2. a talk-through;

to teach me how to set up a static IP address for use with RM and an iPad (RM installed on that too) and back to use internet, or

3. should I just ask RM Support to remotely do this (knowing that as soon as they do this the internet connection will stop) and then I use my preferred laptop to download any new versions onto a portable device to upgrade RM on the Vista machine?

[Augustus Caesar]

Your first paragraph to me reads as a long winded way to achieve nothing really. Don't read that the wrong way though... :-)

If you want static IP addresses let your router take care of it. You need not set any addresses up on any PC or laptop afterward. Why? Simple. The router should offer up a facility (the vast majority do nowadays) to set up these fixed IP's within the router's own settings. All you do is find the MAC address of your network card/adaptor (whether wireless or cable - it doesn't matter which) on the PC/laptop you are going to use and then within the router type that into the relative area and give a fixed IP like 192.168.1.10 (it's the last number here that is important... if you have a router that uses the following: 10.0.0.10 then use that IP range).

Once you have setup all network cards in your network on the router this way the router will, via DHCP, allocate those IP addresses to each specific card it is matched to every time you log in.

If you want to turn off DHCP then simply add the IP address to the laptop/PC to match that in the router.

Setting IP's is the same in Vista as XP, Win 7 and Win 8 so no need to get in a flurry with this one. An iPad is used the same way with a router allocating the addresses to ANY form of addressed hardware.

There is no need to turn the Internet off to achieve any of this (how would you get updates???).

The only other way to actually setup IP's as static is use 'IP binding' within the router where you strictly bind an IP address to a network card AND set it in the PC/laptop too. You need not worry about this side of things. If a SERVER is involved, like mine, then the server, NOT the router, allocates IP addresses although binding can still be done.

If you want more info I will try and answer any questions you have. Good luck...

[choralc]

 

If you want more info I will try and answer any questions you have. Good luck...

I was under the impression that my tablet device needed a static IP address to use with RailMaster.

Ah well. I have a screen dump of my router info. Let's say it's 10.0.0.10 and it says my laptop is connected using 10.0.0.1. When I start up Railmaster 1.21 on my iPad it says conecting to the default, say, 192.168.1.10 can't recall because I've become brain dead trying to find the window described in the RailMaster Handheld pdf to make the laptop's address always be the same.

 

When I try to change the address the iPad should look for the laptop on (10.0.0.1) and press back the app closes.

 

Sigh. I will reinstall the app and try again.

[cliveg]

 

If you want more info I will try and answer any questions you have. Good luck...

I was under the impression that my tablet device needed a static IP address to use with RailMaster.

Ah well. I have a screen dump of my router info. Let's say it's 10.0.0.10 and it says my laptop is connected using 10.0.0.1. When I start up Railmaster 1.21 on my iPad it says conecting to the default, say, 192.168.1.10 can't recall because I've become brain dead trying to find the window described in the RailMaster Handheld pdf to make the laptop's address always be the same.

 

When I try to change the address the iPad should look for the laptop on (10.0.0.1) and press back the app closes.

 

Sigh. I will reinstall the app and try again.

Coral Sea?,

Tablet device doesn't need static IP address to run Railmaster. I run the handheld app (v1.21) on an Android tablet, it's IP address is allocated by my router's DHCP server. I do have a static IP address set on my PC running Railmaster. This means the handheld app can always find this PC to run Railmaster.

I do recall, ages ago, that I had a similar experience, the app closing, when trying to connect to the server. Reinstalling the app fixed this. Good luck.

[choralc]

Re-installed 1.21 and told it to connect to laptop's IP address (which seems to be fairly consistent) and it eventually connects at (say) 10.0.0.1 but instead of Port 30 (the default) it seems to be connecting to a higher port number. The app opens with two throttles and a blank/black screen. My selected layout and loco list does not appear.

 

I have requested help from with RM on the laptop and have received the automated response and will wait for my turn.

 

Will check the device addresses allocated by my router again tomorrow after restarts and see what happens.

[Fishmanoz]

CS, do a forum search on static IP address and then follow my advice in the 2nd topic that comes up. 

 

You can set your iDevice to static in Settings.

[96RAF]

If you right click your router icon (normally in the system tray - bottom right hand corner of your screen or via my-network) it should give you the option to view device web page. This may require you to login using either the defaults given by the kit manufacturer (typically ADMIN, admin for name and password) or those values you may have changed them to. This page will list all the kit active on your network and tell you its IP address. Some routers will offer to fix an address others (like mine) will allocate the next free address available on startup of the laptop, other pc, tablet, etc. Aright pest in my case.

[Fishmanoz]

Easy to find IP addresses without having to get into your router setup - just run IPCONFIG in a command window and all is revealed.

[choralc]

Fish, I had to question RM support about why in a world of GUI the average home computer user would need to use a command prompt :).

Since this problem I have spent more time running through Windows 6 (VISTA) than I thought I would ever want to!

I interrogated the router because I knew that worked and gave me all the addresses of devices on the home wireless network. I have now learned that my ACER's floating 'dock' has a 'Settings summary' with a network tab that tells me what address I have faster than me going to the Command Prompt.

Also being told by RM Support that this is novice knowledge making me feel that I was stupid (or that they thought I was possibly a troll) because I did not know that I had to run IPCONFIG from the command prompt, also added to the frustration and then I had to find out how to get to the command prompt in the first place by myself. I started computing with GUI so having my disclaimer that I was a Windows novice being ignored did not lead to a satisfactory customer experience.

Yes I know that there is help in the pdfs (which are sometimes written for a generic Windows OS and certainly not a specific one) but when examples and advice do not match what the person with the problem actually sees on their screen is not very helpful.

Then something said by RM Support about my reply to, "by hovering the mouse over one of the remote device indicator lights or by double-clicking on the first one"

"The only indicator lights I can see are on my wireless router and not on my computer's screen" (or words to that effect) and Support came back with on the RM screen and then it clicked. Some advice that matched what I could see! Entered 10.0.0.x:50 into RM on the iPad and up came the warning about evaluation copy and on the laptop the opportunity to pay for the fully-enabled app. Paid and 10 minutes later full version and running a selection of Gadwell's sounds from my iPad. A very happy camper and RM Support thanked for this useful help.

Now to go to the specific topic about finding where and how to change my laptop's IP address took me an hour the first time. My VISTA OS ACER laptop's Control Panel was useless for this and I found some way of doing it but on restart it had not stuck. The next time took me half an hour, the next 10 min then 30 secs. It was interesting to note that although the change didn't 'stick' on restart the allocated number was increasing by one. This I can easily cope with. Check when opening RM what info is there in the first green box (which reminds me to change the colour scheme from the green one as that hid vital info from this luddite) and when opening RM on the iPad click the settings button and change the last IP number!

But of course by making the laptop's IP address static I shouldn't have to do that. I have opened up

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-assign-a-static-local-ip-address-in-windows.html

because it has pictures that look like my OS and I will report back. BTW it's interesting how searches can come up with results in different order. Oh, Forum search. Will do.

[choralc]

Well I thought I 'told' the router to not assign a dynamic address. It even said that my Railmaster laptop had a static address. Went back to IV4-whatever properties and put in an address that I thought would be nice and clicked OK, closed, restarted but lo and behold address is not what I wrote and RM says that I do not have a static IP address for stable communications.

Restart the handheld put in the new IP address and it does load the loco list and the layout and throttle works so I give up for now. My neck has seized, my ulcer is twitching - ulcers are , would be closer - :) - but I am still pleased that I have a handheld working even if RM will nag me about static addressing and I have to do a further step when I start it up.

 

Thank you all as always for advice.

[Fishmanoz]

The static address that you put in should be the one that ipconfig found it to be on in IPV4 when it was dynamic.  Don't think up a completely new one.

 

If it is like mine, and you seemed to confirm earlier that it is, your router is on 10.0.0.0 and all the devices connected to it, like your laptop, are on addresses like 10.0.0.1 and 10.0.0.2 etc.  make sure the subnet mask is also as showing under ipconfig.

[choralc]

[PJR_slo]

ChoralC

Information: I have been working with computers for over 40 years now and I NEVER open a command prompt and run IPConfig.

 

For those of us who use the GUI, there is a simple 4-click method to find the IP address of the PC.

 

1.  Look in the system tray (bottom-right of the screen) and right-click on the networking icon

2.  Left-click on "Open Network and Sharing Centre"

3.  On the right near the top under "View your active networks", left-click on "Local Area Connection"

4.  Left-click on the "Details" button.

 

Your IP address, sub-net mask and gateway will be displayed.

 

To change you PCs IP address, you will need to make a note of the IPv4 DNS Server from the network connection details window and go back to the window opened in step 2. above, selecting "Change Adapter Settings".

Right-click on the "Local Area Connection" and select "Properties", then double-click on the "Internet Protocol Version 4" within the list.

 

The window which opens will allow you to change your IP address/Subnet/Gateway/DNS Server.

 

Peter

[PJR_slo]

The static address that you put in should be the one that ipconfig found it to be on in IPV4 when it was dynamic.  Don't think up a completely new one.

 

If it is like mine, and you seemed to confirm earlier that it is, your router is on 10.0.0.0 and all the devices connected to it, like your laptop, are on addresses like 10.0.0.1 and 10.0.0.2 etc.  make sure the subnet mask is also as showing under ipconfig.

Hi Fishman

You should not use an IP address which the router can issue dynamically, as it would then be possible to get IP address conflicts (2 items on the network with the same IP address).

It is better to have a look within the router to find the range of addresses the router can issue and then allocate an address outside that range.

Peter

[Teedoubleudee]

Or just tell the router to "reserve" the dhcp address it has allocated to that device. DHCP should then not re-isue the same address.

[PJR_slo]

Or just tell the router to "reserve" the dhcp address it has allocated to that device. DHCP should then not re-isue the same address.

Yes, that's another option if your router supports it.

Peter

[choralc]

This is the funny part though. I can say that because I have a workable although not ideal arrangement. No matter howm many times I go to my connection (which is wireless) and do the right click and go to the IPv4 properties and put in a new address and put in my subnet and gateway/DNS server, on restart it's back to a dynamic allocated address.

 

I will pesevere until the penny drops. There is something I am obviously not doing or my router is playing with my mind and if I want to anthropomorphise (whatever the spelling) my equipment it's my perogative! It knows I'm a Mac user and it hates me. Paranoid? Me? Who says so? I know ... my VISTA laptop!

 

One thing though. I know people are helpful. If one more person tells me how to find out my IP address, subnet, gateway and DNS Server I will stop smiling about it.

 

[choralc]

I've gone into the router and found a task called "Assign the public IP address of a connection to a LAN device."

Information on the page: Assign the public IP address of a connection to a LAN device.

 

Is this where I should start to make the router stop giving my Vista Laptop a dynamic IP address or should I forget the router and concentrate on the laptop?

   

[choralc]

Pic to follow. Please wait for it to pass through moderation before posting any other comments.

[choralc]

Okay I may have have told the router want I want or am I just dreaming?

 

/media/tinymce_upload/Send_to_forum.jpg

[Teedoubleudee]

Okay I may have have told the router want I want or am I just dreaming?

 

/media/tinymce_upload/Send_to_forum.jpg

That's what I meant by "reserving". Did you click on Apply or Save to keep this setting?  If so you should be OK now

[PJR_slo]

Pic to follow. Please wait for it to pass through moderation before posting any other comments.

Hi ChoralC

I have seen this before with Vista, although I have never used it (XP -> 7)...

I can't remember the cause, but here are a couple of things:

 

1.  When turning on the PC, do you log in with a password?  Some versions of Windows disallow changes where no password is used.

2.  I found this link which I think describes your problem: http://www.vistax64.com/vista-networking-sharing/150734-vista-ip-wont-stay-static.html

 

This link does suggest that you may be attempting to assign a static IP address which the router can also assign dynamically.

 

To check this in the router (I have looked at the manual and it's not much help here...), find the window which has the setting: "DHCP Server: Yes/No" and there will also be an entry "DHCP Range" (or similar).  The range will either be from/to values or a from value with the number of clients allowed.

This will give you the range of IP addresses which should not be set as static, so choose one outside this range.

 

Peter

[choralc]

Okay I may have have told the router want I want or am I just dreaming?

 

/media/tinymce_upload/Send_to_forum.jpg

That's what I meant by "reserving". Did you click on Apply or Save to keep this setting?  If so you should be OK now

This is what dispalyed when I went back to Basic View and then double clicked on my laptop name,

[choralc]

Okay I may have have told the router want I want or am I just dreaming?

That's what I meant by "reserving". Did you click on Apply or Save to keep this setting?  If so you should be OK now

I hope this doesn't come through with the pic more than once because it's being held for moderation.

This is what was displayed after choosing basic view and double clicking on my laptop. I don't think the words Apply or Save appeared as choices. IIRC it was after selecting Edit. But I'm still not sure as I only used the address that was allocated. I don't think I saw a way of putting in my own unique address.

 

[choralc]

Hi ChoralC

I have seen this before with Vista, although I have never used it (XP -> 7)...I can't remember the cause, but here are a couple of things:

1.  When turning on the PC, do you log in with a password?  Some versions of Windows disallow changes where no password is used.

 

Yes I do log in with password.

 

2.  I found this link which I think describes your problem: http://www.vistax64.com/vista-networking-sharing/150734-vista-ip-wont-stay-static.html

This link does suggest that you may be attempting to assign a static IP address which the router can also assign dynamically.

I'm glad you summarised as when I looked at the link I went for my sharpened stake! I'm beginning to think that I am always using what has been set dynamically.

To check this in the router (I have looked at the manual and it's not much help here...), find the window which has the setting: "DHCP Server: Yes/No" and there will also be an entry "DHCP Range" (or similar).  The range will either be from/to values or a from value with the number of clients allowed.

This will give you the range of IP addresses which should not be set as static, so choose one outside this range.

Peter

 

And this is where I'm going to spend a few hours trying to find it. Thanks, Peter for this information. It gives me something more specific to look for.