DHCP classless static routing support

I'm attempting to supply a network with link-local routes for multiple disjoint subnets via DHCP, by using the DHCP classless static routing option as specified in RFC 3442 (code 121 and/or 249).

This works fine with both windows and linux clients, but OS X appears to ignore the option entirely. There is very little information about OS X support for RFC3442 on google, but what I've seen suggests that it should be working - what am I doing wrong?

The routing table isn't affected at all. route monitor shows no indications that the client notices the option. I did notice that the Leopard DHCP client supplies an explicit list of option requests, CSR not being among them, so I had to force dhcpd to return it; by inspection, the returned option is exactly the same as for OSs for which it does work.

Various, Other OS, I don't use a single computer, so much as a network

Posted on Oct 18, 2008 2:36 PM

Reply
9 replies
Sort By: 

Oct 19, 2008 5:13 AM in response to Baughn

It doesn't; that's rather the point.

This is a six-year-old standard, supported and used on many other systems - I would have expected better from Apple, which is why I was wondering whether there might be some way to turn it on. Meanwhile, I'm writing a daemon to handle it.
Reply

Oct 21, 2008 12:46 AM in response to Baughn

Hi Baughn,

I was just trying to achieve the very same thing and came to the same conclusions as you did. Irrespective of whether you use code 121 or 249, Mac OSX appears to ignore the option. It seems strange that Apple haven't got round to fixing that yet.

Time for a 'report' to Apple, I think.

Rgds,

Guy
Reply

Oct 21, 2008 12:40 PM in response to Dogcow-Moof

Nah, not much point; we only had one macintosh computer to begin with, and we've decided it's easier to get rid of it. If Apple can't be bothered to implement the entire standard, that's now their problem.

Whether it's a feature request or a bug is more of a philosophical discussion, really; yes, it's an optional feature, but it's one that every other OS we use supports.
Reply

Oct 26, 2008 12:52 PM in response to Dogcow-Moof

Unlike Baughn I do care enough to create the feature request. However, I consider this to be a significant deficiency that is bordering on a bug, particularly if Apple wishes the Mac to be taken seriously as an enterprise machine.

I also have to say that Apple's feature request mechanism is horrendously opaque with absolutely zero feedback (and it's not even obvious that the "feedback" link is the appropriate mechanism to make feature requests).

Rgds,

Guy
Reply

This thread has been closed by the system or the community team. You may vote for any posts you find helpful, or search the Community for additional answers.

DHCP classless static routing support

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.