Using DHCP with manual address

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Level 1

4 points

Using DHCP with manual address

My setup: Mac Pro, 10.5.4, connected to an Airport Extreme base station, model #A1034 (the white orb).

What I want: I want my Mac Pro to always have the same IP address assigned by the AEBS.

What I've tried:

*note - IPv6 is OFF on the AEBS and the Mac Pro; I haven't tried enabling it to solve this problem.

I cannot find any place in the AEBS where I can assign an IP address based on the Mac Pro's MAC address.

I have tried using the Network pane of System Preferences to set the involved ethernet port to "configure: Using DHCP with manual address" and setting an IP address in the range of the IP addresses used by the AEBS - but I get no internet access that way; the Mac never gets the Subnet mask and router IP address fields filled in after clicking Apply.

I have also tried Manually filling in an appropriate IP address, and the AEBS's subnet mask and IP address; still no internet.

I have tried setting the AEBS to assign IPs in the ranges 10.0.x.x, 192.168.x.x, and 172.16.x.x and then gone back to the Mac Pro and entering an appropriate IP - still can't get the internet.

There HAS to be a way to set either the AEBS or the Mac Pro so the Mac Pro always has the same IPv4 address!

Suggestions?

Thx,

Andrew

Message was edited by: gmmugman

Mac Pro, Mac OS X (10.5.4), AEBS (orb)

Posted on Aug 13, 2008 9:42 PM

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Answer 1

Kappy

Level 10

362,163 points

Aug 13, 2008 10:10 PM in response to gmmugman

Open Network preferences and select your Ethernet port (if that is the port you are setting up) and see what IP address has been assigned by the router's DHCP server. Select Manual from the Configure IPv4 drop down menu. You should see everything included that was provided with DHCP except now the IP address for the computer will read 0.0.0.0. Replace that with the DHCP assigned IP address (for example if the DHCP assigned address was 10.0.1.195, then enter that. You will also need to include a DNS address if one is not included. This should be the DNS assigned to you by your ISP. You will find it in the information listed in Airport Utility. Click on the Apply button.

I'm not sure why you want to do this since it's far more convenient to use DHCP. If you should change routers you will need to reconfigure Network preferences again. You will also need to remember not to assign the IP address to any other device on your network (such as a network printer.)

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Answer 2

Dogcow-Moof

Level 8

36,901 points

Aug 14, 2008 1:22 AM in response to gmmugman

If you want your system to always have the same IP address, why bother with DHCP at all?

There are four "pieces" to Internet access:

1) Your IP address
2) Your netmask
3) Your DNS server address
4) Your default router

To reach the Internet you need to specify all four.

As long as you manually specify an IP address out of the range of those assigned by your router, things should, at least in theory work just fine. (Note that some routers will not accept traffic from any IP address it did not assign, but those are usually high-end cimmercial routers, not home use units.)

So for example, if you're trying to reach the Internet through a router that typically assigns the addresses of 192.168.1.1 - 192.168.1.25, and that itself has an address of 192.168.1.253, you could do something like the following:

Manual IP address: 192.168.1.100
Netmask: 255.255.255.0
DNS Server: (Enter your ISP's DNS server addresses here, or say those of opendns.com)
Default Route: (IP address of your router or gateway, depending if your router is working in router or bridge mode.)

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