Windows Forum

Ask something
Discussion Locked

Setting a default or primary DHCP

0 helpful
3 replies

by dgiles

Closed to new repliesThis discussion is closed. It stays readable, but it takes no new replies.
I have 3 DHCP servers capable of handing out IP addresses to clients. How can I set a primary and secondary DHCP for certain clients. Sometimes a client will get an IP address from a DHCP outside of their domain and it can really slow them down.

3 replies

by timwalsh

I'm assuming that all 3 DHCP servers are on the same physical subnet.

You cannot set primary and alternat DHCP servers for clients. Clients will accept an IP address from the first DHCP server to answer its request for an IP address.

The onlyway to accomplish what you want to do (partially anyway) is to set the scopes on each server only large enough to support the clients that are supposed to access it. Then set up reservations for every client on the appropriate DHCP server, leaving no available spare IP addresses.

This effectively gives every client a fixed IP address while still allowing you the benefits of DHCP for distributing other DNS information.

When a client broadcasts for an IP address when it is turned on, whileother DHCP servers may answer first, they will have no available addresses to offer. Only the DHCP server the hosts that clients reservation (based on the clients MAC address) will be able to offer an IP address - the one reserved for that client.
Hope this makes sense.

This discussion is closed to new replies.