Can't Shake NFS Automount, please HELP!

Question

Mac connects directly to cable modem.
Problem? Something keeps grabbing me when I go online... my Mac cannot change it's IP address.
Folder called automount gets created upon reboot.
Network icon - get info - shows the following: Kind of file is Alias. It is located at /Network. Server is nfs://automount%20-nsl%20%5B197.
I've been getting this forever - If I get rid of it, it reappers.
I have no network here, I'm a home user.
My Windoze doesn't have this automount and gets a new IP each time... but my Mac is locked.
Can anyone please help me?
PS - I've tried DHCP renew, it doesn't work at all, nothing happens. My ISP is clueless about this. I believe it is locking onto a static IP but I'm not the one making it do it!

Answer 1

You report that you're connecting the Mac directly to a Motorola Surfboard without a router. What model Surfboard? (There should be a sticker on the bottom) How is the Windows PC connected to the internet? I have a Mottorola Surfboard at home driving a Mac and Pc, but through an Airport Basestation / router. I suspect that putting a basic four-port US$30 router between the modem and the Mac would help. Note that the Motorola Surfboard FAQ notes that multiple computer support requires a separate router. If you just switch the Ethernet cable from the modem between the PC and the Mac, or connect the Mac via Ethernet and the PC via USB, the modem doesn't accept the Mac's MAC (heardware-specific Media Access Code) after grabbing the PC's MAC code on power up. Putting a router between modem and computers and resetting the modem along with restarting the computers will force the modem to grab the router's MAC, and the router will then serve private-network IPs to the attached computers. Any router currrently on the market will also give you a NAT firewall as well; this hardware firewall can safely be used along with the OS X and Windows software firewalls and can greatly increase the security of your computers (especially the Windows one).
Also from the Motorola FAQ:My computer keeps pulling a 169.254.x.x IP address, the modem has been reset and power cycled and the computer is still getting the same IP address, how do I correct this?
Disconnect the Coax cable from the modem and restart it. Once the "Receive" light begins flashing reboot your computer. If the modem and the computer are communicating, the computer will get a 192.168.100.11 IP address (192.168.0.x with the SBG900) from the cable modem. Shut down your computer. Connect the Coax cable to the cable modem, restart it, and wait for the modem to sync up with the cable company. Once the modem is in sync (Power, Receive, Send, On-line are all illuminated) restart the computer. Once the computer has restarted check the IP address. The computer should have a valid IP address from the cable company. Computers attached to the SBG900 will always get a private (192.168.0.x) address regardless of whether or not the SBG900 is registered on the cable system.