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Published on December 16th, 2016 📆 | 5541 Views ⚑

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Microsoft Breaks Network Connectivity For Windows 8 & 10 Users

TTS
Microsoft breaks network connectivity for many Windows 8 and 10 users just in time for Christmas – what a lovely gift.

It’s related to the network stack (obviously) but seems to be specific to DHCP, so if you statically assign your LAN addresses (like most of us probably do) then you’ll be alright. And if this happens to you, just manually assign your IP/gateway/DNS servers etc and you should be fine.

A broken software update for Windows 8 and 10 is knackering internet connectivity for users of several ISPs in the UK, Europe and quite likely beyond.

Virgin Media in Blighty is the latest provider to confirm the dodgy code is knocking a number of its customers offline. Proximus in Belgium also says a Windows 10 update is breaking network access.

The problem emerged last week, when BT and Plusnet in the UK admitted that computers running Microsoft’s latest patches are losing network connectivity due to what appears to be a problem with their Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) clients.

Essentially, the PCs cannot automatically pick up their LAN-side IP address, router address and DNS settings from their broadband routers, causing them to drop off the internet and disappear from other devices on their network.

This happens regardless of ISP and broadband box, and is understood to be caused by a bad automatically installed Windows Update patch.

Microsoft do seem to be aware of it, and the volume of users seems to be relatively small (but not insignificant) – so I don’t think they’ll rush out a hotfix for this. And well even if they do, how are the people who can’t connect to the Internet supposed to get it?

Tricky situation you’ve gotten yourself into again Microsoft.

In a message to subscribers on Sunday, Virgin Media advised that some Windows 10 users were experiencing difficulty connecting to the internet after installing the latest update.

“Microsoft are aware and investigating,” it said.

One reader, Adam Comben, got in touch with The Register to report: “We run a retail repair shop and have seen around 25 instances of this since Thursday. It doesn’t matter what ISP or router they’ve been using – we’ve had TalkTalk, BT, Plusnet, Sky, you name it. All with the same problem, they will not obtain an IP via DHCP.”

He said the issue is definitely a DHCP problem caused by a broken Windows Update, “although we’ve not been able to identify the cause, it’s an extremely quick fix.”

He added: “It’s caused a great deal of disruption for our business customers as it required a site visit for those we couldn’t talk through it on the phone.”

At least they are investigating it, which means it will most likely be fixed at some point.

So if you know someone suffering from this problem, you know what to do.

Source: The Register