wireless router DHCP problem

This is driving me insane. My laptop has a wireles adapter in addition to a wired connection. Originally both worked. I then tried to set up file sharing (didn't really know what I was doing), and in the process made a network bridge.
Making the bridge caused the wireless adapter to stop working. No problem, I thought, so I deleted the bridge. Still no joy. Since I didn't have anything realy installed, I then reformatted and reinstalled XP, thinking that would remove any settings I messed up. Nothing. I went back to the factory image, exactly how it was when I got it, but still nothing.
Plugging in an ethernet cable gives an ipaddress, and the internet works no problems.
ipconfig shows that the wired adapter is getting an ip address in the LAN (192.168.0.xxx), using subnet 255.255.255.0 with default gateway 192.168.0.1. The wireless adapter has something called an "autoconfiguration ipaddress" (169.254.41.15), the subnet mask is 255.255.0.0, with no default gateway.
Trying ipconfig /renew gives "an error occurred while renewing interface Wireless Network connection: unable to contact your DHCP server. Request has timed out"
All the examples I've seen of similar problems were fixed when they got rid of the network bridge. This isn't my area, anyone have some suggestions?
Thanks

Karsh your wireless card is not conecting to you router. Therefore it can not see the DHCP server and it is giving itself an IP address. You have to figure out the wireless connection issues first. Are you using a wireless utility that came with the laptop or the one built into windows?

All I've been doing is in the connection properties and such in windows. It says it is connected, gives a good signal strength, and sends a few packets, but doesnt accomplish anything

Sounds like its connecting then, are you using wep? Is the ICF turned on.Are you using any kind of third party firewall? Something is not right if your not getting an IP.When Did you last cyle power on your router or AP.Did you check the Laptop site to see if they have a driver update posted? I used to have a Dell laptop at work and if I didnt disconect the Wired network and release the IP before I changed to wireless It acted all screwy.Eventually a driver update fixed it.Took them a long time to post it however.

sporky your a genius! I had exactly the same problem thats been described, and your comment jogged my memory that the security settings must be incorrect. I had done a refresh install of Windows XP and it didn't have any service packs, from what I know the wireless features in the original XP were pretty crap. Once I did the updates I was able to set WEP security settings which I configured on my netgear router (older versions of XP had could not provide 128 bit WEP encryption).

thanks again, your a lifesaver

I've got a very similar problem. Running Win2k on a Tecra 9000 laptop. Wired connection works fine. Wireless, connects but status shows packets are being sent but not recieved. If I use a static IP it works. the problem is I am at a hotel that doesn't have onsite IT support, local Puerto Rican resort. So I can't connect to the wireless highspeed internet connection.

I pretty sure I have the latest drivers and SP's installed. Is there way to get dynamic addressing to work, or identify a static IP that will work?

TIA

==>Eric