DHCP broken after software update 10.6.8

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Level 1

4 points

DHCP broken after software update 10.6.8

After doing software update for 10.6.8, my Mac Mini Server is no longer accepting an IP address from external DHCP server. Our configuration is supposed to use DHCP to receive its (static) IP address, and has happily done so for quite some time. But after the recent update, the Mac no longer accepts the IP lease on offer. We are able to work around this by assigning the address manually, but that doesn't fix the problem.

This is what we're getting now from the DHCP server (MAC address has been X'd out). It shows that an IP address is offered but not accepted. This is an excerpt of a repeated log message:

Jul 28 19:37:45 srvr7 dhcpd: DHCPDISCOVER from 60:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX via 141.212.141.1

Jul 28 19:37:45 srvr7 dhcpd: DHCPOFFER on 141.212.141.99 to 60:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX via 141.212.141.1

Jul 28 19:37:45 srvr8 dhcpd: DHCPDISCOVER from 60:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX via 141.212.141.1

Jul 28 19:37:45 srvr8 dhcpd: DHCPOFFER on 141.212.141.99 to 60:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX via 141.212.141.1

(and repeat...)

This is what things looked like prior to software update. Notice that the IP is lease is accepted and used correctly:

Jul 28 19:20:07 srvr7 dhcpd: DHCPDISCOVER from 60:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX via 141.212.141.1

Jul 28 19:20:07 srvr7 dhcpd: DHCPOFFER on 141.212.141.99 to 60:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX via 141.212.141.1

Jul 28 19:20:14 srvr7 dhcpd: DHCPREQUEST for 141.212.141.99 from 60:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX via 141.212.141.1

Jul 28 19:20:14 srvr7 dhcpd: DHCPACK on 141.212.141.99 to 60:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX via 141.212.141.1

Any advice on how to get things working again with the external DHCP server? Thanks.

Mac mini, Mac OS X (10.6.8), Snow Leopard Server 10.6.8

Posted on Jul 29, 2011 10:43 AM

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Answer 1

apo38382 Author

Level 1

4 points

Jul 29, 2011 10:45 AM in response to apo38382

By the way, I should note that we have tried things like restarting the router, restarting the Mac, renewing the lease. These do not fix the problem. With the IP set manually, the machine connects to internet correctly. The problem seems to be isolated to DHCP communication.

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Answer 2

timoto

Level 1

9 points

Nov 3, 2011 4:30 AM in response to apo38382

Hello apo38382

I wondered if you came across a solution to your issue ?

I notice many responses to other similar threads that hark back several years related to Snow and DHCP.

What I would like to know is what is a fairly defacto solutoin to resolving DHCP for Mac Snow clients to an AirPort base station via LAN ?

My clients are in constant turmoil with DHCP.

The first thing I noticed about the upgrade was that the firewall settings were changed from "off" to the default "Automatically allow signed software..."

I went through the clients and changed the firewall to "off", but the DHCP issue remained.

There are posts that suggest something like:

1. Trashing the firewall preferences file "com.apple.alf.plist" in /Library/Preferences/

2. Restart

3. Change firewall to "off"

4. Restart

and if you want to go back to "Automatically allow signed software..." you can but do another restart.

I've not gone through this process yet, but if there is a more definitive method of resolving this issue I'm all ears.

Cheers

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