Is it working with static IP?
Just to ensure you have no IRQ problem...

No configured as dhcp tried static with dame result though

If you don't get any ping with TCP/IP it either may be wrong selected cable type (BNC=COAX=RG58/AUI=DB9/TP=RJ45) or wrong IRQ.
Use the card's jumpers or configuration tool.

Aokiji wrote on 2024-01-01, 15:51:

Problem is its refusing to get a dhcp lease it gets offered by my dhcp server but the system does not take it .

How do you know this? A lease appearing on the server? Or more hardcore, watching the DHCP traffic?

The tests I'd do are:
ping 127.0.0.1
ping localhost

If these work, TCPIP should be installed properly.

If you give a static IP to the NIC (eg 192.168.1.2), can you then ping that IP from the same computer? You should be able to. If not, then there is probably a problem with the card, or drivers.

One thing I suspect is the DHCP server is new, the DHCP client old, and subtle changes with time have piled up.

From stuff on my home LAN, modern DHCP clients seem to use some kind of UUID to identify themselves, not just the MAC. I had to change my DHCP server to force it do things the older way, using just a MAC to differentiate computers. Your DHCP server might be saying something to the DOS client that it doesn't understand, so just sits there, not setting you up the internets 😀

The usual problem with WFW is wrong drivers, like they said. I never use DHCP for my computers, everything has static info, filed into a spreadsheet.

To test the IP address I usually ping my main router or 127.0.0.1 .

Oldwr network cards have configuration programs for DOS.
So the boot socket, transceiver type, resources etc can be set.
That might still be needed for WfW 3.11, too.
While WfW has auto detection for NICs, it doesn't automagically configure everything on its own.
It rather assumes that the NIC is ready to go.

Edit: I never had trouble with DHCP of the TCP/IP-32 network stack.
I just made sure the sub net mask was correctly set.