I have rebooted the cable modem and performed ipconfig /release & ipconfig /renew and it still assigns an ip address of 169.xxx.xxx.xxx. I have even pulled and reinstalled the Netgear WN311B PCI Adapter. What else can I try?

That's a private IP LAN address. Many people have that address. It's not your WAN, public or Internet IP address.

Go to WhatIsMyIP.com to find that. Rebooting your modem usually changes it. This will be the IP address your internet provider assigns.

DHCP and NAT allow many computers to share an address going out, but not coming in. This statement is not 100% correct, but it's close enough. In order to use the public address to access a computer on your LAN you must forward a particular port/service to a particular LAN address. If a LAN address is set to to be a DMZ (Demiliterized zone) in your router all incoming traffic goes to that computer.

Are you unable to get an internet connection to your computer or are you just asking about the IP address?

If your IP is defaulting to that, then its not picking it up from the router. So your PC is not seeing the router. Not sure why though.

1. What kind of router?
2. Is it set to DHCP to issue addresses to devices on this LAN? Or is your computer set to use a static address?
3. IF DHCP how many addresses can it issue (usually 50 by default)
4. Wired or wireless? If wired, try a different port on your router and re-seat your cables.

The router is supplied by Verizon and is a ActionTec M1424WR. It is set to auto assign addresses and I do have the capability to have 50 addresses. The connection that could not be renewed is a wireless connection and I could recognize the signal through my wireless software.

After I sent out this request ,I made a wired connection to the router and went on line and reset the modem. I then repeated the ipconfig /renew and was able to gain an address.

Thanks to all for your responses.