On Demand IP Conflict?

[Bytes2u]

Help.....

We have DSL going into a Net Gear 4 port switch. Then one cat5 goes to the laptop and the other goes to one of the HR20's. Light up the Netgear and everything is fine. We can down load VOD on the HR20 and the internet functions fine on the laptop.

But...if we turn off the laptop VOD still works but turning on the laptop it then prompts a conflict that states two devices have the same IP address and does not connect unless I pull the power from the netgear and and reset. Then all is well untill I shut it off again. The cyle repeats.

Help.....

 

[grydlok]

To make it simple you need a router.
Unless you plan on putting another device in front of switch to handle IP addressing.

 

[rkicklighter]

Your laptop and something else on the network have the same IP address. This must not be! The same IP address can not be active on the same network but once. If your setup is using static addressing, change the last number of one of the offending addresses. If you're using dynamic addressing, something is wrong in whatever device is serving up the addresses. Could be that the device is setup to serve only one address. Check all of your configurations, write down the IP addresses and try to determine which devices have the same address.

 

[TheCableguy]

I noticed the same thing with my netgear router as well.... I had to give the receiver a static address or it would randomly pick up an address already in use.... I have a block set aside outside of dhcp for other devices on the network. once i did that it worked great, there must be something going on with the dhcp client on the receivers.

 

[charper1]

Static IP should also be the norm too; assign IPs yourself, do not allow dynamic.

 

[rkicklighter]

Static IP should also be the norm too; assign IPs yourself, do not allow dynamic.

I agree, after working with networks from small (2 or 3 clients) to large (thousands of clients); DHCP has it's place. But, to me a small home network is better suited for static.

My network has approximately 30 devices all static addressed and I maintain a spreadsheet of the device, it's MAC address and IP address.

I do keep a DHCP bank of 10 address to be served up if someone comes over with a laptop and needs to connect wirelessly.

Stricly in my opinion, anyone who does not have network experience and the understanding of IP addressing, MAC addresses, DHCP and Ethernet connections; should buy themselves a book and learn a little before delving into this area.

Home network equipment manufacturers have tried to make everything "plug and play" but many times this is not the case.