Static Vs dynamic IP address in XP SP2

[HKM]

What is preferred way of selecting IP address and subnet
masks on XP & SP2. We (myself & my son) have 2 Pc (one
having XP Pro and other XP HM). One system has a Deskjet
while other a laserjet printer. Besides, we share files as
well. On my both the PCs Windows Firewall is enabled. My
son's Pc has zonealarm (free version) also installed.

What is the best way to define the network configuration in
this scenerio? Shall I go with static or dynamic IP
address so as to keep Firewall enabled on both the ends? (I
tried with default dynamic IP address but probably SP2 did
not like it). Works fine with static IP address (just run
ipconfig and got my IP address. incremented the IP address
by 1 and entered on my son's PC. The subnet mask got was
255.255.0.0. No entry for the default gateway.)

Any suggestion for the best way to handle it.

Thanks in advance.

-HKM

 

[Cari \(MS MVP\)]

If you have a dynamic IP, what hardware is assigning the DHCP? A router?

 

[Guest]

No, I do not have a router.

Pardon my ignoance but I have been under the impression
that DHCP is a feature of XP and is automatically coupled
to the network card.

I want to have settings that only my 2 PCs should share
resources and firewall should allow only this much.

-HKM

 

[Hans-Georg Michna]

What is preferred way of selecting IP address and subnet
masks on XP & SP2. We (myself & my son) have 2 Pc (one
having XP Pro and other XP HM). One system has a Deskjet
while other a laserjet printer. Besides, we share files as
well. On my both the PCs Windows Firewall is enabled. My
son's Pc has zonealarm (free version) also installed.

What is the best way to define the network configuration in
this scenerio? Shall I go with static or dynamic IP
address so as to keep Firewall enabled on both the ends? (I
tried with default dynamic IP address but probably SP2 did
not like it). Works fine with static IP address (just run
ipconfig and got my IP address. incremented the IP address
by 1 and entered on my son's PC. The subnet mask got was
255.255.0.0. No entry for the default gateway.)

Any suggestion for the best way to handle it.

It is usually best and easiest to leave the IP addresses to
automatic.

With Service Pack 2 you will get a limited or no connectivity
warning if you don't have an Internet connection, but the
warning is harmless and can also be disabled. Please see
http://www.michna.com/kb/WxSP2.htm for details.

Hans-Georg

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

What is preferred way of selecting IP address and subnet
masks on XP & SP2. We (myself & my son) have 2 Pc (one
having XP Pro and other XP HM). One system has a Deskjet
while other a laserjet printer. Besides, we share files as
well. On my both the PCs Windows Firewall is enabled. My
son's Pc has zonealarm (free version) also installed.

What is the best way to define the network configuration in
this scenerio? Shall I go with static or dynamic IP
address so as to keep Firewall enabled on both the ends? (I
tried with default dynamic IP address but probably SP2 did
not like it). Works fine with static IP address (just run
ipconfig and got my IP address. incremented the IP address
by 1 and entered on my son's PC. The subnet mask got was
255.255.0.0. No entry for the default gateway.)

Any suggestion for the best way to handle it.

Thanks in advance.

-HKM

If there's a DHCP server (e.g. a broadband router) on the network, let
it assign dynamic addresses.

If there's no DHCP server, dynamic will work (assigning 169.254.x.x
addresses), but it will have these disadvantages:

1. There will be a delay of approximately one minute at startup time
while the network connection tires (and fails) to find a DHCP server.

2. XP SP2 will give a message about "limited or no connectivity".

For those reasons, with no DHCP server, assign static IP addresses in
one of the ranges reserved for that purpose:

10.0.0.0 - 10.255.255.255
172.16.0.0 - 172.31.255.255
192.168.0.0 - 192.168.255.255
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

 

[HKM]

Hello Steve,

thanks for ur suggestion. What should be the subnet mask?
I vaguely remember reading somewhere that the PCs on the
same subnet can access others. Since both of us share
file & print services, I do not want anybody from the
internet (probably having their IP address in the same
segment as ours) touch them.

Thanks in advance,
HKM

 

[HKM]

My problem started with Zonealarm on my sons PC. Using a
static IP address, I could configure so that other PC is
allowed some access. In the absence of it, the other PC
was not pinging from my PC.

-HKM

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

Hello Steve,

thanks for ur suggestion. What should be the subnet mask?
I vaguely remember reading somewhere that the PCs on the
same subnet can access others. Since both of us share
file & print services, I do not want anybody from the
internet (probably having their IP address in the same
segment as ours) touch them.

Thanks in advance,
HKM

You're welcome. Examples of pairs of private IP addresses are:

10.0.0.1 and 10.0.0.2, subnet mask 255.0.0.0
172.16.0.1 and 172.16.0.2, subnet mask 255.240.0.0
192.168.0.1 and 192.168.0.2, subnet mask 255.255.255.0

Using private IP addresses guarantees that no one on the Internet can
access your computers.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com