Brightbox oddities

I've just set one of these up for neighbour (i.e plugged it in.)

What is going on with the DHCP server on it? It isn't ending the DHCP process properly, and it assigns the IP addresses randomly?

The first client got .66 and then his wireless laptop got .44 - or something like that.

Is this normal? Since when did DHCP servers allocate IP addresses randomly?

Good Q! I noticed that but didn't question it.

What do you mean by "It isn't ending the DHCP process properly"?

In reply to a post by Pipexer:

I've just set one of these up for neighbour (i.e plugged it in.)

What is going on with the DHCP server on it? It isn't ending the DHCP process properly, and it assigns the IP addresses randomly?

The first client got .66 and then his wireless laptop got .44 - or something like that.

Is this normal? Since when did DHCP servers allocate IP addresses randomly?

Yes this is quite normal, which is why I prefer to set up reserved IP addresses for my devices, helps me keep track of any events.

Also if the IP Address (of a wireless priner) keeps on changing it can also present a problem with some wireless printer drivers at the PC end. Reserved IP Address solves this too.

I didn't have time to look further but I noticed clients would stay "acquiring IP address" for a long time/indefinately despite having got the IP address settings. Wild guess the DHCPACK wasn't being sent or something, the process wasn't ending properly and it was being held open. No doubt a network capture would confirm. This is aside from the fact it takes too long to get an IP address, AND it is random, suggests the DHCP implementation is either borked or they let some eejit code it.

In reply to a post by Mike_Williams:

Yes this is quite normal

Normal for the brightbox perhaps!

In reply to a post by Mike_Williams:

Yes this is quite normal, which is why I prefer to set up reserved IP addresses for my devices, helps me keep track of any events.

Also if the IP Address (of a wireless priner) keeps on changing it can also present a problem with some wireless printer drivers at the PC end. Reserved IP Address solves this too.

Sorry, let me clarify.

DHCP servers usually give out IP addresses consecutively, by that it's predictable, range starts at .10, first client gets .10, next client gets .11. This was just giving out any random IP address from the pool.

This is unneccessary for home routers, first one I've come across which does this, and causes great confusion such as when you connect a device to your network.

I agree I was also shocked when i noticed this.

In reply to a post by Pipexer:

Normal for the brightbox perhaps!

Yeah! My experience of routers may not be wide, but never seen it happening with Netgear, DLink, Siemens & O2 Box. Not what I'd call normal.

DHCP = "Take what you're given". You have no control over the address, which makes life much simpler for the "average" consumer. Unless you're assigning static IP addresses, why does it matter how the DHCP server assigns, and whether or not they are sequential?

That might make it "within spec" but doesn't make it normal, which is the point of this thread.

Post deleted by glossywhite

Edited by glossywhite (Mon 20-Feb-12 22:06:21)