Question : Problem: LAN connection can't acquire IP address. WAP working fine.

I have bellsouth DSL connected to a Westell 6100 modem. This is connected to linksys router. Router ethernet port to main pc ethernet port. Laptop has linksys USB WAP, works fine. Main PC->LAN connection always says can't acquire IP address. I used the linksys easy connect software, and it set up the WAP and ethernet to main pc without error. Yet I can only access internet from the laptop. I have tried repairing, disabling/reenabling the LAN connection without effect. How do I configure the main PC to work?

Answer : Problem: LAN connection can't acquire IP address. WAP working fine.

Have you tried disabling the firewall software on your PC to see if, for some really strange reason, it's blocking the DHCP requests?

You can also try setting the IP address in the adapter on the PC to be a static IP.

The way to do this is look at the settings in the router.  Find out what IP address range is being provided to the DHCP lease pool - such as '192.168.0.100-150'.

Pick a number outside of that, generally the 20-40 range is always free.

For 'normal' routers, this might be

IP: 192.168.1.21
Netmask: 255.255.255.0
Gateway: 192.168.1.1
DNS:  192.168.1.1

(Control panel, network connections, right click on local area connection, properties)

This is actually a preferred way to do it anyway, especially if you need to port forward from the outside to your machine, such as for games or remote access.

Once you've set the address  in the network card, go ahead and reboot to make sure it takes effect.

Look at the light on the front of the router that corresponds to the port you've plugged into your PC.  Make sure it's lit up.  

Oh - also check your device manager for issues.  Start, settings, control panel (or however you get to control panel) (i'm assuming XP or 2000).   Go to System, then the 'Hardware' tab, and click 'device manager'.  Look for anything with a red X or a yellow exclamation mark.  

(You can also right click on my computer and select 'properties', then 'hardware', and so forth)

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If you plug your laptop into the router by a physical cable, does it get an IP address automatically?  There's a very small chance that the router may be set to only provide DHCP to wireless.  (I've never seen it, but it's possible)

Let me know if any of those help.