DHCP Timeout

There is definitely a problem with DHCP timeouts in Tiger 10.4.8.

I have verified this using two different MacBook Pro's, as well as an older iMac that has been updated to 10.4.8. On the same network, all Windows machines, as well as several Linux machines can get DHCP addresses just fine. All 10.4.8 macs will never get a DHCP address from this router.

The router used for DHCP is a Linksys WRT54GS with firmware version 1.50.9.

This is something that should be addressed in the next system update. At a minimum, there should be a way to adjust the timeout setting of the DHCP request.

I am a network engineer for a living so I am 100% sure there is nothing wrong with the setup of the MacBooks or the router.

Comments? Anybody have similar issues?

MacBook Pro 15" Mac OS X (10.4.8)

Posted on Oct 29, 2006 10:14 AM

21 replies

Nov 28, 2006 7:00 AM in response to donjefe

I am sure Mac OS X 10.4.8 does not cause the issue. The implementation provided by your router to support DHCP relay mechanism is most likely not functioning properly to Ethernet interface. Here is DHCP protocol; http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2131.txt .

Message was edited by: Fumiaki Kawashima

N3orun

Level 1

0 points

Nov 28, 2006 9:24 AM in response to Fumiaki Kawashima

I solved it with downgrading the Linksys Firmware...

MBP 15", 2,16, 2gb Ram Mac OS X (10.4.7)

donjefe Author

Level 1

0 points

Nov 28, 2006 9:29 AM in response to Fumiaki Kawashima

I don't know if I agree with that one. In cases where I have seen this, Windows and Linux machines work correctly with the same router.

Nov 30, 2006 1:33 AM in response to donjefe

I recently have emailed a proof-debug on a bug that lies in firmware implemented for a Buffalo (http://www.buffalotech.com/) broadband router that causes a DHCP timeout to Intel PRO/1000 MT Network Connection interface while the Windows machine's boot process. On Oct. 27th, I requested the vendor tech support staff to provide an update. This issue never occurs on another Windows machine and three other Macintosh computers.

Feb 11, 2007 10:20 AM in response to donjefe

I cannot get a macbook or powermac to connect in several situations involving "powerline access points". These are units that have a transmitter that plugs into the powerline and connects to the router with an ethernet cable, and a remote that plugs into the powerline somewhere else and does 802.11 wireless. It's great for extending a wireless network like from the house to the garage, and they are sometimes used in hotels from floor to floor.

I strongly suspect it's a DHCP timeout of some kind. Of course the powerline pair has to pickup the request, relay it to the router, and get the answer back, so there's a lot of "handling". I'm going to try the command line referred to earlier in this thread.

It's also an irritation that everytime the mac wakes up, it immediately decides all your email is off-line and you can't get the to web, because it tries to connect before the wireless connection is restored. This seems like it should be easy to fix. for apple anyway.

512K running system 1.1

ibaley

Level 1

0 points

Feb 11, 2007 11:00 AM in response to John Springer

Add me to the list.
I had the same problem with my connection, just me (PBG4), because other mac's and pc's could connect. I endded up connecting to another open network that I happen to get on my room, but even now that I can connect every half an hour or so I have to renew my DHCP lease so I can keep browsing (note that it's not that I loose the IP, y just have to renew I dont know why), and it is not an issue of the DCHP configuration because it is setup to last for 1 month.

Do you know how can I fix this, is very frustrating since I cant download any large files.

Thanx

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DHCP Timeout