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and the other main adapter that I use has a static IP set in order to communicate with my networked DVD player.


Does the network DVD player support uPnP? (IE, will it set a 169.254 address if it can't find a DHCP server?) Honestly, I find this to be the easiest way to deal with a quick LAN setup these days between computers, since both XP and Windows XP know not to try and route over 169.254, even if the interface is a gigabit link and the internet is using a slower wireless connection.

Windows will pop up warning that the connection has "limited or no connectivity", but you can turn that off in the network properties of the connection at the bottom of the first properties page.