DHCP Server Setup

[Tom_05]

Hey guys, i want to set up a DHCP server for my network, how would i do that? I have tried OpenDHCP but couldn't get it to work! My network is not connected to the internet but is for LAN games only, using a simple gigabit network switch. Also i do not want to add a router to the network. I am sort of new to this type of network setup.

 

[PhilFrisbie]

Adding a cheap router would be the easiest solution; why not do that?

 

[Tom_05]

I don't have any extra ports in the switch
1 is for Web server
2 is for Game server
3+ is for gaming pcs and laptops.

 

[Hawkeye22]

You didn't specify the OS, but this forum post makes it sound like enabling ICS (internet connection sharing) turns your computer into a DHCP server.

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-networking/make-windows-7-act-as-a-dhcp-server/8ff345f2-99b5-4670-bb6f-32d7bb63de3c

 

[eibgrad]

I don't have any extra ports in the switch
1 is for Web server
2 is for Game server
3+ is for gaming pcs and laptops.

But if you have the router, and patch it to the switch, you can now use either device for your LAN ports. Logically, it's all one big switch, only now it has a DHCP server.

 

[Hawkeye22]

Personally, I'd rather use a router instead of ICS. With ICS, your computer has to be on all the time since it's acting as a DHCP server. The router is already an always on device. Also, ICS will use some computer resources where a router does not.

 

[PhilFrisbie]

But if you have the router, and patch it to the switch, you can now use either device for your LAN ports. Logically, it's all one big switch, only now it has a DHCP server.

Exactly! But you beat me to it

 

[Tom_05]

But if you have the router, and patch it to the switch, you can now use either device for your LAN ports. Logically, it's all one big switch, only now it has a DHCP server.

Ill try that but most cheap routers don't have Gigabit ports on the back

 

[Tom_05]

You didn't specify the OS, but this forum post makes it sound like enabling ICS (internet connection sharing) turns your computer into a DHCP server.

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-networking/make-windows-7-act-as-a-dhcp-server/8ff345f2-99b5-4670-bb6f-32d7bb63de3c

My OS on the web server machine is a win2000 advanced server edition that i bought from E-Bay.

 

[eibgrad]

Ill try that but most cheap routers don't have Gigabit ports on the back

Oh, well you never mentioned the requirement/desire for gigabit. Perhaps not all devices need gigabit.

We might be back to ICS. But that's only going to work if you have a second network adapter (even if it leads to nowhere), and share it w/ the working network adapter, the one connected to the switch. That would make the ICS DHCP server available. The PC w/ ICS would receive an IP address of 192.168.0.1 and become the gateway IP (not that it would serve any purpose), while the rest of your devices would receive 192.168.0.2-254. ICS is normally used to share an internet connection, but as long as you have a second network adapter, I suppose you could leverage it to get your DHCP server.

Frankly, I’m surprised your attempts w/ OpenDHCP failed (never used it myself). A DHCP server is a pretty basic service, not much to it. I suppose it could be blocked by a firewall (although it works at the ethernet level, not IP). Maybe you just need to solve your problem w/ OpenDHCP.

 

[Tom_05]

Oh, well you never mentioned the requirement/desire for gigabit. Perhaps not all devices need gigabit.

We might be back to ICS. But that's only going to work if you have a second network adapter (even if it leads to nowhere), and share it w/ the working network adapter, the one connected to the switch. That would make the ICS DHCP server available. The PC w/ ICS would receive an IP address of 192.168.0.1 and become the gateway IP (not that it would serve any purpose), while the rest of your devices would receive 192.168.0.2-254. ICS is normally used to share an internet connection, but as long as you have a second network adapter, I suppose you could leverage it to get your DHCP server.

Frankly, I’m surprised your attempts w/ OpenDHCP failed (never used it myself). A DHCP server is a pretty basic service, not much to it. I suppose it could be blocked by a firewall (although it works at the ethernet level, not IP). Maybe you just need to solve your problem w/ OpenDHCP.

Yes, sorry for not mentioning about the gigabit requirement. Also i don't have 2 network adaptors Ill try turning off all firewalls and trying again.