Local area connection failure.

[#1]

My old desktop XP computer has suddenly lost its connection and "repair local area connection" says the following action cannot be completed - Renewing your IP address.
Can anyone assist please?  (I have of course tried rebooting)

[#2]

have you tried rebooting the router

[#3]

Have now clicked Disconnect then Reconnect but no help.
I have now got as far as "unable to contact your DHCP server. Request has timed out"

[#4]

Switch off the router...... then switch off the computer....... leave for a few minutes..... switch on the router... when it shows connection to the net... switch on the computer.... ( may work... may not... just guessing ! )

[#5]

@ Shutter - I think you may have guessed right.  I switched off router, then back on and it has come back to life. In the meantime, this laptop had also lost connectivity.  Now both are running again but with the router showing bandwidth up/down 446/283. 
Guess I'll have to phone for help in the morning - maybe a reset is called for?

[#6]

Just leave it to settle over night.. and see what the speed is in the morning..... it may have thought there was a fault on the line, and needs to reset itself...

[#7]

Just to tidy up any loose ends - There was no change on Sunday morning so I phoned tech help in Sheffield and (after quite  long wait) spoke to a very helpful and sympathetic gent who, after some discussion with a colleague  on the faults desk, confirmed that they would reset the connection.
My bandwidth is now showing as a shade over 2Mbs with  d/l speed of 1.6 Mbps.(not at all bad for this connection)
Thanks to all concerned for your help.