"Lease obtained; lease expires" - can someone explain these?

For himself, not for the friend's father

--
PeeGee

The reply address is a spam trap. All mail is reported as spam.
"Nothing should be able to load itself onto a computer without the
knowledge or consent of the computer user. Software should also be able
to be removed from a computer easily."
Peter Cullen, Microsoft Chief Privacy Strategist (Computing 18 Aug 05)

 

And I have seen cards not work at all using the built in drivers which
burst into life once they are deinstalled and the vendors software
applied first.

 

Thanks to everyone for their comments. To answer the specific questions
above, it's a wireless router; and he uses XP(SP2).

I think the best solution is to get back to see him as soon as I'm able,
armed with the extra info you've all provided me with, and take it from
there.

It did cross my mind that as he does get a bit confused, he might be like
that character in the "Lost" TV series who had to push a button on a
computer every few hours to stop the island self-destructing, without ever
knowing for sure what, if anything, would happen if he failed to press the
button on time.

 

You're determined to win this argument aren't you ;-)

 

Actually it doesn't, entirely. I could conceive some scenarios involving
ICS etc. where a USB modem could be used, but I concede these
would be unlikely here.

 

A 92-year old computer illiterate with a personal LAN?

He's clearly been talked through fixing some problem with his PC getting
an IP from the ISP. And in any events I wasn't suggesting /changing/ his
ISP, but obliquely suggesting that if he kept getting disconnected then
he should speak to his ISP.

 

If all he has is a router and a PC with wired or wirless connection,
then he has a LAN.

 

I read the Op as him having a modem plugged directly into his PC. ICBW,
the OP would need to clarify the exact config, and the exact nature of
the problem, if any, that the owner is suffering.