Win 2k3 DHCP server does not give automatic IP Address to a Windows 7 Client.
Hi all,I have a Windows 2k3 SP2- DHCP server - and a laptop client in Windows 7 RC1 - that cannot connect to the domain if the NICs arein "automatic", it only connects if i assign a fixed IP address from the "DHCP pool". All the rest of the clients - in XP and Vista - are capable to connect to the domain/or to get an IP Address from the DHCP server...but "Win 7 RC1" cannot.Does DHCP server will need a "patch"? or do i have to "upgrade" the server to 2008...???Thanks!Ed.Ed
June 29th, 2009 7:27pm

Do you have your Windows 7 machine set to use the server as the DHCP server?
Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
June 29th, 2009 7:35pm

Hi Adam,the NIC adapter is in"automatic" for DNS/IP/Wins ....so, do i have to "setup" it to "point" to the DHCP server?Thanks,Ed.Ed
June 29th, 2009 8:09pm

Well how does your machine connect to the server? If you are using a router, you will need to ensure that your server is what is assigning IPs instead of the router. In this case you will likely need to manually point your Windows 7 machine to the server as its DHCP server.
Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
June 29th, 2009 8:17pm

Adam M MCP,You cannot configure a DHCP server on a client. The client broadcasts a DHCP request on the network and then receives an offer from a DHCP server on the network.Ed,Windows Server 2003 with SP2 is perfectly capable of providing DHCP configurations to Windows 7 clients. You do not need any patches or other customizations compared to Wiindows XP or Vista.Have you changed settings in Windows Firewall? Can you disable the firewall and see what happens?Ray
June 29th, 2009 10:47pm

The server is on the server, not the client. You can, however, tell the client where the DHCP server is.
Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
June 29th, 2009 11:08pm

Let me explain myself better....our DHCP server is in an IBM Server... it has "Windows 2003 Server SP2" configured as a "DHCP server only".... that server is "serving" 200 clients already, with OS' as Windows XP and Vista.My "testing laptop" is in "Windows 7 RC1", but, there's no way i can "reach" the Domain with "Automatic settings" on laptop's NIC. The only way i can "see the domain/network" is if i assign a fixed IP to the laptop's NIC card - manual settingsi entered as part of the same "vlan" where i am conneted to.The Windows Firewall in the laptop status is "Connected" for the "Domain networks" but at least is "recognizing" my domain (with manual settings on NIC), but unable to determine any IP with "automatic settings".....I don't know why DHCP Server is not "giving" it an automatic IP Address - if the DHCP Server is already "serving" some other clients, but not to my "Windows 7 RC1 client"...???Thanks!Ed.Ed
June 29th, 2009 11:30pm

No you cannot tell the client where the DHCP server is. You can only tell the client to automatically configure its IP settings (using DHCP). Just check the IPv4 settings of your NIC on your system.Ray
Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
June 29th, 2009 11:36pm

There are also MANUAL settings. *edit: I was thinking DNS instead of DHCP. I do that sometimes*
June 29th, 2009 11:39pm

Ed,When you use DHCP on the client, does it get any information from the DHCP server at all?To check this, can you start CMD.exe on the system and check the output for the command "ipconfig /all". Do you get a 169.254.x..y address or another address on the NIC?Did you try to disable Windows Firewall when using DHCP? When improperly configured, Windows Firewall can block the incoming traffic from the DHCP server. This will also cause the issues you describe.Ray
Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
June 29th, 2009 11:41pm

There must be a disconnect somewhere, that is not letting Windows 7 communicate with the server. Can your Windows 7 machine at least see the server and vice versa (i.e file sharing etc?)
June 29th, 2009 11:41pm

The MANUAL settings allow you to define the IP address, subnet mask, default gateway, DNS and WINS settings.There is no way to manually configure the DHCP server on the client.Ray
Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
June 29th, 2009 11:57pm

Hi Adam,that's the "weird" part of all this.... if i assign a fixed IP, with our DNS', mask, gateway, etc, I do have connectivity to our domain and the servers/shares, etc...but - ofcourse -i lose connectivity if i just leave the NIC settings as "automatic".i think that maybe the "DHCP Server" is not "seeing" computers with "Windows 7 RC1" and that's preventing the Server to assign an IP Address from the pool...Regards, Ed.Ed
June 30th, 2009 12:30am

Of course Ray, there is no way to manually configure the DHCP server/services on the client... that's supposedly configured by the "Automatic settings" on the NIC.That's not a solution, my initial question is about that the "automatic settings" on my laptop are not "getting any IP" from the DHCP Server... the laptop is "seeing" the network and domain objects only if i assign a fixed IP, and configuring the "DNS, Wins, gateway, etc, manually.Regards,Ed.Ed
Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
June 30th, 2009 12:33am

Ed,Iunderstand there must be some issue preventing DHCP packets from travelling between the client and the DHCP server. Now let's try to find out what is going wrong...The process for a client configured to use DHCP is that the cient requests a DHCP configuration from the server using a broadcast packet on the network. When I simplify a little bit, the client then receives the IP configuration from the server in a broadcast packet from server.Can you tell me please:1. Whatare the IP address and other IP settings on the client when you configure it to use DHCP?2. What happens when you disable Windows Firewall and configure the client to use DHCP?3. Are there any routers between your client and the DHCP server? Are these correctly configured for DHCP forwarding?4. Did you connect the Windows Vista and XP clients to the same switch you are now using for the Windows 7 system?Ray
June 30th, 2009 1:07am

Disable your firewall wether your useing windows or your antiviurs firewall. I have it set up with a group policy to have all firewall disabled so i can remote intoany machine when i need to and so all the antivirus gets updated on all the machines with my enterprise software. This was a problem for vista (firewall) and it appartently is for windows 7 because i had to disable my firwall other wise the service starts up and says its on. I did it for different reasons then dhcp but that should fix your problem.
Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
July 1st, 2009 4:53pm

Are you doing any restrictions/reservations on the DHCP server? Is the system joined to the domain? What messages are in the logs on the DHCP server? Is this Win7 system new to the environment? Or a rebuild of an old XP/Vista/etc box?"Fear disturbs your concentration"
July 1st, 2009 6:41pm

Thank you all, computer was joined into the domain, but the domain had a policy about PC's/Laptops with "windows 7 RC1", and besides Laptop's firewall was enable and i was unable to change it due to GPO's too.Nice to "play-around" with this test laptop...nowI know more about "Windows 7"Regards and many thanks to everyone!Ed.Ed
Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
July 1st, 2009 9:16pm

So did you solve this issue or not? Was it the firewall that was causing the issue? Also what exactly was the group policy regarding windows 7?
November 20th, 2009 6:07pm

According to one of our Domain Admins, the Domain/PDC server itself- must be patched/updated - in order to "receive" Windows 7 Machines into the domain and DCHP server as well.... so, until finishing those tasks we will be able to connect any "Win 7 " machine into the domain and the DCHP to give automatic addresses.Thank you all,Regards,Ed.Ed Benav.
Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
November 22nd, 2009 6:51pm

How DHCP works is the client requests an ip address. The server with then either supply it one or deny that machine. if you are within the scope and are not out of addresses then the server will lease it. This has nothing to do with the server if all other machines are getting an ip address. Check the nic on the windows 7 client and rebuild your tcpip stack.At the command prompt, Type the following command and then press ENTER: netsh int ip reset c:\resetlog.txtIf you dont get an ipaddress then try a different nic.
November 27th, 2009 10:32pm

This topic is archived. No further replies will be accepted.

Other recent topics Other recent topics