DHCP - obtain an IP adress utomatically

[phether]

HI PPL
Using Wingate 4.3 / NT4 SP6
This has to be something stupid...but I can't see the wood for the trees....
Using this Wingate model, 5 workstations - 1 Server,
On Re-Installing WinME on 2 workstations, DHCP fails, - still works on the other three workstations....
Client fails - no servers found..
WinIPCfg reports ...
No DNS & DHCP Servers..

Internet connection fails on the re-installed workstations until I specify an IP address - ie 192.168.0.200 etc
Client picks up the server on 2080

Help...

PaulH

[erwin]

Hi there

Is tcp/ip configured properly on the ME computers?

There should be nothing that would stop these machines from receiving IP address details, youve obviously checked that the network settings on the ME clients network cards are set to obtain an address automatically?

Have you tried assigning the clients addresses manually and tested TCP/IP connectivity around the network, and check the DHCP scope/options on the WinGate server to make sure that there are no restrictions in IP address scope etc, that may be restricting allocation to these 2 workstations. (something like only three addresses configured to be allocated, so two miss out).

But I would also suggest to try UPGRADING to the most recent version of WinGate (5.2.3) as there has numerous fixes for DHCP since 4.3.

Erwin

[PaulH]

Hi Erwin
Sorry for the lack of a reply....
been digging deep on this one...
feel like an idiot...
should be a simple answer...
but no.....

Anyway....this is long...
1)
Yes.. TCPIP is configured to obtain a dhcp lease automatically.
but.. they dont... and so are allocated a LINKLOCAL IP address of 169.254.blah.blah..
also. the LINKLOCAL address is meant to be released when a DHCP lease is acquired...(not).
pinging the server (192.168.0.1) while the LINKLOCAL lease is active gives me
"destination host unreachable" - submask ??
Wingate client cannot pick up on the server....

2)
Setting the tcp address to 192.168.xx.xx
allows me access, but no dns etc, but server ping is ok and wingate client is happy.

3)
DHCP mode is fully automatic....
so no problems there...

4)
Upgraded to Version 5.23...
no change in dhcp.... but cant access anything now...
activity window shows http://(blank) instead of http://www.wingate.com... etc.

Restored the disk with Ghost...
[an aside..] now sensing daggers in the back of my neck from the wife....
the obsession is setting in....

OK...Uninstalls Wingate 4.3 and installs 5.23....
Same as before.....

Uninstalls Wingate 5.23 and installs 4.3...
same symptoms as the original 4.3...

Assuming this is a Windows problem....

Ghosts a working station and after coaxing its image to work on my station,
Initially it shows a dhcp lease but on reboot... fails...
On restoring the hard disk to its original workstation...
that dhcp lease fails as well...
could it be the lease duration of 60 days....
what ever is at fault - failed before the duration expired...now no lease is available...??

Installs winxp on a clean Hard disk.... no DHCP....
OK...Installs win98 SE on a clean Hard disk.... no DHCP....
Finally - hacks the registry to disable IPAutoconfigurationEnabled...
no ip address at all....
Restores Win ME...(tail between my legs...)

resetting back to auto dhcp lease and
setting Wingate DHCP logging to debug produces this...

03/16/04 22:22:32 Debug: Getting offer for 192.168.0.1, 0.0.0.0, PAUL, 0000B4B59D4B, 0.0.0.0
03/16/04 22:22:32 Debug: Offering the client PAUL IP address 192.168.0.2

Setting up 192.168.0.19 manually - So i can communicate...

So.. Stations cant pick up DHCP... but wingate is trying to respond...

Help.....I sense my dearly beloved with a pick axe behind me...

[erwin]

Hi Paul

This sounds awfully strange how your client machines cant even obtain an IP address from the WinGate server even after the reghost and fresh installs of 4.3 and 5.2.3. This would indicate possibly that there may be something up with the network cards on these machines that is stopping this from working as:
1. Youve tried different OSes
2. Youve tried different WinGate versions
3. Its only malfunctioning on these two machines

It appears from your post that you are doing everything correct.
As a suggestion have you manually entered the IP address of the WinGate server as gateway and dns entries on the client machines network properties.?

Along with entering a statically assigned IP address in the same range, this will allow the WinGate Internet client software to at least work on these two machines).

I am going to ask the team if they might have any clue as to why this might be happening and I will get back to you shortly. (before the pick axe :-)

Regards
Erwin