When the client computer cannot contact the DHCP server for IP address configuration, Windows XP uses APIPA (Automatic Private IP Address) for IP configuration. This allows the client computer to communicate with other computers and printers on a single subnet. APIPA uses the private IP address range of 169.254.0.1 through 169.254.255.254 and a subnet mask of 255.255.0.0. 169.254.96.107 is thus an APIPA address that was assigned by Windows because the computer did not receive an IP configuration from a DHCP server. By running the Ipconfig /renew command we will force the computer to attempt to contact the DHCP server again so that it renew the client IP configuration.