Want to assign specific IPs to specific MAC addresses

[cellini]

Hi
I have a Wireless Box II, and would like to assign specific addresses to each of the devices on my internal LAN.
This was straightforward on my old Netgear router, but cannot see how to do it on the Thomson router.....
Any help appreciated.
Cheers

[Tony1044]

I haven't used my O2 box for some time, but I imagine it's still static IP address that you're looking for.

[Tony1044]

Sorry - got over eager with the click there. Usually under DHCP on Thomson boxes.

[cellini]

No (but thanks).
I can't remember the precise terminology, but what I want to do is to assign specific internal IP addresses to specific bits of kit on MY side of the router, eg:
- to printer #1, assign 192.168.0.3
- to printer #2, assign 192.168.0.7
- to laptop #1, assign 192.168.0.15
etc. So, that I always know the IP address of each of the bits of hardware on my side of the router.
This was simple (and well documented) on the Netgear DG834G v2 router, but with WirelessBox..... well, I still don't know how to do it.

[Tony1044]

Erm yes.

DHCP = Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol. In other words a server or router can hand out IP addresses within a DHCP scope to any kit that is part of the network and requests one.

DHCP Scope = A range of IP addresses that a DHCP server (in this case the router) that will be handed out, sequentially, to kit as it is requested.

DHCP Reservation = A specific IP Address within a DHCP scope that will ensure that the same piece of kit always gets the same address. It is reserved to the machine based on its MAC address.

So - you need to edit the DHCP settings and configure the box to have a reserved IP address.

[Tony1044]

I am told that it should be here:

Home network -> interfaces -> local network (link just under interfaces heading) -> configure

But that's from a colleague with one he's not sat in front of.

[Undecided adrian]

Another possible solution is to limit the DCHP pool to 192.168.0.1 to 192.168.0.100 and then assign static IP's to the devices you want and make sure that they are start from 192.168.0.101 onwards.

Network printers and laptops can then be configured to a static IP to whatever you assign them.

I have done this with some devices on my network although I am using my own router and now sure how to do it on the O2 supplied router.

[Tony1044]

Sorry mate but that's bad advice.

It's ok(ish) if you only have a few bits of kit but even then it can be difficult to remember what address is in use - especially if it has been a while since last assigning one.

Better to teach good practice from the offset than to have to "un-teach" bad practice later.

Reserved IP addresses are the best solution every time - especially since, if you do forget which IP was last assigned, you have to log into the router to find it anyway, you may as well use that time to assign a reservation.

[grepnik]

I have the identical problem to Cellini. Router type II, need to assign a static IP address to a device.

This is because assigning a game or application attaches to an IP address not a device.

I fondly assumed that setting 'Always use the same IP address' and seeing an infinite DHCP lease time would do this, but each morning the address is different.

I can follow Tony's instructions and have set myself a static IP address 192.168.1.60.

But I can't see how to associate a MAC address to the static IP address.

Also - should I be seeing 403 forbidden pages and router dis/reconnects while doing this sort of config?

Thanks in advance.

[grepnik]

Cellini and I may be jumping to conclusions by assuming that we can or should associate a MAC address with an IP address. Maybe, having created a static IP address, we can just switch off the device's DHCP client and set it to have that static address. Would the router, seeing traffic from that address, simply accept it?