DHCP stops responding...I think

[PeTEk91]

Im having a bit of an issue. At work when I am configing machines (mostly NT 4.0 SP6) I frequently lose the ability to contact the DHCP server. After several hours everything is fine again, but if Im doing different machines it eventually happens again. The last time I had joined 8 windows 2000 new machines to the domain. I took a break, returned and hooked up two more and could not hit DHCP.
By the time I can get one of the Network team there..the issue is corrected and gets written off as user error. Im certainly not a genious but its not user error when nothing has changed...or gets changed and suddenly Im back on.
Now for the real kicker. My PC that is on the same switch..never has an issue. Even when the others fail out. It stays on and I can release/renew and never miss a beat.
Anyone got any good ideas...Im thinking somehow Im tripping a setting by the configs and being locked out.
Thanks for any ideas!! PeTEK91

 

[mattjurado]

The computers you are adding, are they on the main switch, or have you added switches to install them on. How many computers are on the network? I've often seen people try to save time and money by not adding cable drops, rather using one existing drop, and throw a hub on it. This can lead to communications problems like the one you are seeing.

Matt J.

 

[PeTEk91]

Hi,
I cant tell ya the total number of machines/users on the switch without doing some digging it shouldn't be anywhere near capacity though. I can tell ya the main switch is 50 feet from my area and in my work room I have a hub that they put in for my work.
Today I configured a couple older machines for new users and they were all fine with the exception of 1, but its driver related.
I thought the hub was questionable, but with my PC never having problems its throwing me off. It seems like one problem which points to a good answer, is cancelled out by the fact that my PC is fine...I can change ports and its still good. I can unplug mine and plug a machine into the same port and it WON'T work...something odd is happening. I can bypass the hub, plug straight to the patch panel and it will fail out.
Thats what I have for now, Thanks! Petek91

 

[oaklea2000]

It is possable that the New systems are taking a few min's to find network devices via Broadcast.

Try creating a network boot disk configured for DHCP and see if this connects you from problematic pc's. If not it may be the max number of DHCP clients has been reached and need's to be increased.

Network Boot disk creator's are readily available
Bart's Boot Disk:-

http://www.nu2.nu/bootdisk

is quite a good example.