Computer Related > router - DHCP server settings Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Focusless Replies: 5
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New Tue 22 Jun 10 16:04 
 router - DHCP server settings - Focusless
Just looking at my router settings and noticed that under 'DHCP Server Parameters' the 'DHCP server' field is set to 'on' ('lease time' is 'half day'), and there's a 'DHCP Client List' that includes the names of a couple of other PCs in the house.

Can anyone tell me in simple terms what this means, and whether it's A Good Thing ie. would it be better to just set DHCP server to off?

EDIT: it's an old 3com wireless router if that makes any difference, although we use it wired (with powerline adapters)
Last edited by: Focus on Tue 22 Jun 10 at 16:05
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New Tue 22 Jun 10 16:28 
 router - DHCP server settings - rtj70
The clients in your house (like PC, laptop, iPhone, whatever) will need an IP address on your home network. They get this either by having a static/manually entered one or will get one via DHCP. So to avoid having to set IP addresses, default gateway and DNS entries on everything it is easier for the router to do this.

If you were to turn off DHCP, when the DHCP lease on the IP addresses in use runs out, nothing will be able to use the network and therefore wont connect to the Internet.

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New Tue 22 Jun 10 16:33 
 router - DHCP server settings - Focusless
>> If you were to turn off DHCP, when the DHCP lease on the IP addresses
>> in use runs out, nothing will be able to use the network and therefore wont
>> connect to the Internet.

Thanks. Sounds reasonable, but can't something at the ISP end do it? BTW we don't have a home network in the sense that we don't share anything between machines apart from the broadband connection.
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New Tue 22 Jun 10 16:59 
 router - DHCP server settings - Zero
Its nothing to do with the ISP. Everything on your side of the router is yours.

Anything that connects to the router needs an IP address. DCHP is just an automatic way of doing it. Its not causing an issue, so its best left alone.
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New Tue 22 Jun 10 17:02 
 router - DHCP server settings - Focusless
>> Anything that connects to the router needs an IP address. DCHP is just an automatic
>> way of doing it. Its not causing an issue, so its best left alone.

Thanks. I was just worried I might have turned something on that shouldn't be (although couldn't remember changing it).
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New Tue 22 Jun 10 20:57 
 router - DHCP server settings - rtj70
No it's on for a reason. You do have a home network. You just choose not to share anything.

If you plugged in a wireless media streamer for the TV and had a shared UPnP/DNLA service on a PC, you could for example be watching programmes across said network. Or another example would be sharing music libraries via iTunes or similar.
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