Question

The 169.254.78.9 ip address is an example of what type of ip address

Answer 1

The IP address 169.254.78.9 is an APIPA address used by Windows when no DHCP server is available to assign an IP address. This range is meant for local network communication and is non-routable. It suggests temporary network setup or issues with DHCP configuration.

Step-by-step explanation:

The IP address 169.254.78.9 is an example of an Automatic Private Internet Protocol Addressing (APIPA) address.

APIPA is a feature of Microsoft Windows operating systems, designed to allow a network interface to automatically assign itself an IP address when there is no Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server available to perform that task. The range for APIPA is from 169.254.0.1 to 169.254.255.254, and it allows a device to communicate with other devices on the same local network, but not beyond it, as APIPA addresses are non-routable.

Generally, when a device is assigned an APIPA address, it indicates network configuration issues or problems with the DHCP server. It serves as a temporary solution enabling minimal network connectivity among local devices. To fully participate in broader network communications, a device would need an address assigned by a DHCP server or a statically assigned IP outside the APIPA range.

Answer 2

As specified in RFC5735, this is an address from the "link local" block. It is assigned to a network interface as a temporary address, for instance if no static address is configured and the DHCP server is not found.

If you boot your PC without a network cable, you'll probably end up with a 169.254.*.* address.