How do you assign a static IP to an MVP?

[davephan]

I would like to assign a static IP address to an MVP. Unfortuately, the MVP only can use DHCP. Since the MVP is DHCP only, the IP address changes periodically. I then have to re-open up the ports on the new IP address. My router does not have the ability to assign a static IP address to the MVP's MAC address.

Ideally, I would like to put my MVP on a static IP address, so I don't have to keep changing the router's configuration. I have other computers on my LAN that I could like to leave DHCP.

Does anyone have a solution how to force the MVP to be assigned a static IP so that the ports don't have to be re-opened every time the MVP's IP changes?


Dave

[mattdcknsn]

If your router doesn't support static DHCP then the only option I see is to setup a server to provide IP addresses. I haven't done this in a long time but I think most DHCP programs provide static DHCP.

I have not heard of a way to setup a static IP on a MVP, without going through the static DHCP route.

[mayamaniac]

Are you 100% sure your router can't save or reserve IPs for specified MAC addresses? What brand and model is it? Every Linksys, D-link, Netgear, and Belkin router I've worked with have this capability.

[Yooper]

I have a gateway server and a video server. The gateway server is built around the FreeBSD operating system while the video server is Windows. I have the gateway server set up so that 1) an IP is reserved for the video server and will not be given to anyone else 2) the gateway server recognizes the MAC of the video server and assigns the fixed IP to the video server and 3) the necessary ports are all open for remote access to the video server.

The Linux and BSD systems have tons of flexibility to do this it takes one or two text lines in a coinfig file.

I'm not sure how this would work if the gateway server is Windows based, or if you have a hardware based server.

I have an MVP but I leave that at DHCP - it doesn't matter for my configuration. The MVP finds the video server without a problem.

[navels]

My Linksys WRT54G also does not support static IP by MAC (stock firmware).

What I have done is make everything else on my network static and then set the DHCP range on the router to a single IP. Sounds like you would prefer not to do this but it may be better than the alternative.

Lee

[hemicuda]

maybe check out "dd-wrt" 3rd party firmware? it unlocks hidden features and adds a few goodies.

[stevech]

Originally Posted by hemicuda

maybe check out "dd-wrt" 3rd party firmware? it unlocks hidden features and adds a few goodies.

DD-WRT is great. I use it.
But for Linksys, I believe runs only on WRG54G v2 and older, and the WRT54GL.

[Taddeusz]

Originally Posted by davephan

I would like to assign a static IP address to an MVP. Unfortuately, the MVP only can use DHCP. Since the MVP is DHCP only, the IP address changes periodically. I then have to re-open up the ports on the new IP address. My router does not have the ability to assign a static IP address to the MVP's MAC address.

Why do you have to reopen ports when the IP address changes? Do you have a software firewall on your SageTV server? That would be your main problem right there if that is the case. Of course, my Sage server is headless and has no security on it whatsoever. No need when my broadband router provides enough protection.

My only real issue is that I need to segment my network to split the network traffic between SageTV and everything else.

[stevech]

Originally Posted by Taddeusz

My only real issue is that I need to segment my network to split the network traffic between SageTV and everything else.

Couldn't Sage traffic be isolated by a simple layer 2 switch?
I have a $28 gig-E switch independent of my home router.

I've never been sure if the router has a real switch in it or, as I suspect, every packet must flow through the (WRT54G) router's microprocessor.

[wvpolekat]

The problems is that without a bootp/dhcp relay agent dhcp packets will not leave the subnet they are on.

There are 2 ways to do the "dead net" thing, both of which will work with an MVP.

In both of these examples, your normal network and MVP network are different subnets. Say 192.168.1.0 and 192.168.2.0

1) Use a switch that supports vlans. Create a seperate vlan for the MVP and one of the NICs in the Sage box. You will need either a switch/router that supports bootp/dhcp relay OR a DHCP server on that network.

2) Use a completely seperate switch for the MVP network and have a DHCP server or relay on it.

NOW, even with a bootp/dhcp relay, most home router DHCP servers don't support multiple subnets. So, you will have to get a "real" DHCP server that supports multiple subnets.

The reason the 2 different subnets are important is that if you have a Sage machine with 2 or more network cards that are on the same subnet but not on the same physical network, it will get VERY confused about which interface to use since it thinks they are both on the same network.

If you are wondering what this rant has to do with this thread, it is that DHCP reservations ARE NOT the same as static IP addresses. Static IP addresses will let you just use a $20 Wal-Mart switch to put your MVPs on their own network.

I also suspect this is not really a Sage issue, but a Hauppauge issue, since this portion of the boot process happens before it can even contact Sage to download the application.