DHCP auto-configure works once, fails at second attempt??

This may be a stretch to be asking here, but I don't know where else to look.

I'm setting up Debian on the free space of my new NP5796, the first try goes great. But after finalizing the installation I decided there were a few things I wanted changed (partitioning, swap size, forgot to select/add "Laptop" at the package installation menu", etc).

I figured it would be easier to just go through the installation process again, this time with my desired configurations. I know, should have payed more attention the first time, but... oh well I guess.

Anyway, on the first run, the network auto-configuration utility automatically setup everything via DHCP. No problem.

However the second time, under the exact same circumstances... Network Auto-configuration failed. Typical "Your network is probably not using DHCP" message...

I plugged the cable back into another machine, just to make sure everything was operating smoothly... it was. Plugged it back into the laptop and tried again. Same thing.

I've been working at this, completely puzzled for the last hour. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated... I know I can just configure it manually, but I'd prefer to let DHCP do it for me. Not only that, but now I just want to know why this is happening in the first place.

Thanks in advance!!


P.s. I've gone as far as to do a hard reset of my router, thinking it may reset DHCP leasings if something was going wrong there. Still no go. What gives?

 

So, you haven't restarted your computer between attempts?
try 'ifconfig eth0 down'
or whatever interface is being use

 

I have. I have to restart it every time I re-attempt the installation process. I have tried taking the interface down from within the existing installation (from the first time) and restarting. No luck.... this is weird.

 

Hrm, that is weird. But if the network is already setup (you can ping google?), Debian still allows you to skip steps, doesn't it? If the network isn't up yet, can you bring it up manually with ifconfig and dhcpcd or whatever's supplied?