Techie network question

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Peter Aitken

I just solved a problem with connecting my wireless laptop to a home wifi
network. The "solution" tells me that I do not understand something about
how this all works and I hope someone can enlighten me.

Before this problem started I was viewing the configuration page of my
Linksys wireless router. On the setup page there's an entry that says
"Maximum number of DHCP users." It was set to 50. Since there are only 4
computers that connect through this router (2 wired and 2 wireless) it
seemed that 50 was way too many, so I changed it to 5. Then the problems
began. In despiration I changed this setting to 10 and all of a suddern all
the connections work perfectly.

Clearly I do not know what a DHCP user is. How does this number relate to
the connected computers?
 
"Peter Aitken" said:
I just solved a problem with connecting my wireless laptop to a home wifi
network. The "solution" tells me that I do not understand something about
how this all works and I hope someone can enlighten me.

Before this problem started I was viewing the configuration page of my
Linksys wireless router. On the setup page there's an entry that says
"Maximum number of DHCP users." It was set to 50. Since there are only 4
computers that connect through this router (2 wired and 2 wireless) it
seemed that 50 was way too many, so I changed it to 5. Then the problems
began. In despiration I changed this setting to 10 and all of a suddern all
the connections work perfectly.

Clearly I do not know what a DHCP user is. How does this number relate to
the connected computers?
Click to expand...

In this context, a DHCP user is a computer that:

1. Has a network connection configured to obtain an IP address
automatically, and:

2. Connects to the router to obtain the address.

Typically, each computer obtains an address (via a limited-time DHCP
lease) when it turns on, and releases the address when it turns off.
So, setting the number to 5 should be OK for your 4-computer setup.
However, it's possible that one or more of the computers obtained a
new address without releasing the old address, so that the router
thought that there were more than 5 computers.

The router's web-based configuration program should have a setting for
how long a DHCP lease lasts, and a way to view the current DHCP leases
for connected 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
 
[email protected],
Peter Aitken said:
I just solved a problem with connecting my wireless laptop
to a home wifi network. The "solution" tells me that I do
not understand something about how this all works and I hope
someone can enlighten me.
Before this problem started I was viewing the configuration
page of my Linksys wireless router. On the setup page
there's an entry that says "Maximum number of DHCP users."
It was set to 50. Since there are only 4 computers that
connect through this router (2 wired and 2 wireless) it
seemed that 50 was way too many, so I changed it to 5. Then
the problems began. In despiration I changed this setting to
10 and all of a suddern all the connections work perfectly.
Clearly I do not know what a DHCP user is. How does this
number relate to the connected computers?
Click to expand...

Check to see if your Linksys router has a page that lists
active connections. If your network is unsecured you may find
that some of your neighbors are taking advantage of this and
using your connection to access the internet.

Good luck

Nepatsfan
 
Also consider running AirSnare to see if someone is on the wireless
segment...

http://home.comcast.net/~jay.deboer/airsnare/

If someone is make sure you secure the wireless side using WPA or at a bare
minimum 128-bit WEP...

--
Al Jarvi (MS-MVP Windows Networking)

Please post *ALL* questions and replies to the news group for the
mutual benefit of all of us...
The MS-MVP Program - http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights...
 
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