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Using "Static" ips on a home network

G

gizbug

Platinum Member
I've heard its better to have your computers that are on your home network setup with static ip address, opposed to having them be assigned one each time they are connected.
Question is why, and what is the best way to do this with a router and windows vista?
 
There is no advantage whatsoever.

In fact there is a detriment to using stacially assigned addresses - more time to muck things up and more time to unmuck things.

Fact of the matter is you will most always get the same IP address with DHCP anyway depending on how your dhcp server is set up. On a home network there isn't any reason to not have a 90 day lease time. You have to be REAL careful about reading anything about networking from folks on the web. Misinformation abounds.
 
For me, the advantage was that it saved me a few minutes of time in not having to setup a DHCP server 🙂
Actually, arguably I'd have saved that many times over by not having to configure boxes manually, but I'm lazy like that.
 
Originally posted by: spidey07
You have to be REAL careful about reading anything about networking from folks on the web. Misinformation abounds.
Click to expand...
While I totally agree with you, the irony of this statement amused me 🙂
 
Perfect example... I'm beta testing Windows Home Server and I want remote access (over the Internet) to it. If I let it use DHCP there's a chance the IP address could change, which would screw up the port forwarding I have set up for http and https since WHS uses the WWW Service and IIS to allow users to log in remotely. Assigning a static IP address (outside the DHCP scope) to the server will prevent that from happening.
 
I do it so my port forwarding does not get messed up when I switch my computers around. It was a pain to have to keep changing the IP addresses in the forwarding table. While not using true static addresses, just address reservation via MAC address, the principle is the same.
 
Originally posted by: Captain Howdy
I do it so my port forwarding does not get messed up when I switch my computers around. It was a pain to have to keep changing the IP addresses in the forwarding table. While not using true static addresses, just address reservation via MAC address, the principle is the same.
Click to expand...

I do this as well on select machines. And there is really no additional setup involved, because the systems are still set on auto assign.
 
Originally posted by: gizbug
I've heard its better to have your computers that are on your home network setup with static ip address, opposed to having them be assigned one each time they are connected.
Question is why, and what is the best way to do this with a router and windows vista?
Click to expand...

If you're at all into going to LAN parties and such where you'd need to take your computer with you, having a static IP would be pointless. Nearly all such events have DHCP servers set up and would require you to be configured for them.

Except for a couple devices at home where I have reservations set up based on the MAC address, I don't use static IPs at all.
 
I use DHCP at home, it all depends on how many computers you have what your preference is. If you're configuring a DHCP server, turn your lease time up if you have a lot of PCs, this will cut down on the DHCP broadcasts going out (assuming the PCs are left on). Routers will also mess with your DHCP traffic in that they will accept the broadcast but they will not forward it, and some of the cheaper home routers do not support the ability to configure your router to forward this traffic. If this is your case you're going to need a DHCP relay agent. So back to the topic, I feel that its personal preference.
 
Originally posted by: Captain Howdy
I do it so my port forwarding does not get messed up when I switch my computers around. It was a pain to have to keep changing the IP addresses in the forwarding table. While not using true static addresses, just address reservation via MAC address, the principle is the same.
Click to expand...

Exactly.....I have 2 machines that are always on (FTP/File Server & Game Server) and I ran into the occasional problem throwing off my Networked Drives and the like and general network connection issues from the public side. PortForwarding for each game port to PC#2, but leaving 21 & 3389 on the FTP Server...gooood.

On top of that I have an old NetGear print server setup on a HP LaserJet, that is added by IP to my other machines.
 
My WANs are setup as DHCP, but my gigabit LAN is setup with static because I am using a switch.
 
I have two computers on my home network. i set them both for static ip's through the router simply cause in my router, i can only open ports for a certain ip. if the ip changes, then the port is no longer open. saves me a hassle. DHCP is still enabled should another computer ever need to be connnected though.
 
Originally posted by: BSkip22
Originally posted by: Captain Howdy
I do it so my port forwarding does not get messed up when I switch my computers around. It was a pain to have to keep changing the IP addresses in the forwarding table. While not using true static addresses, just address reservation via MAC address, the principle is the same.
Click to expand...

Exactly.....I have 2 machines that are always on (FTP/File Server & Game Server) and I ran into the occasional problem throwing off my Networked Drives and the like and general network connection issues from the public side. PortForwarding for each game port to PC#2, but leaving 21 & 3389 on the FTP Server...gooood.

On top of that I have an old NetGear print server setup on a HP LaserJet, that is added by IP to my other machines.
Click to expand...

All of this is what DHCP was meant for. Just assign a reservation.

Anyway, the machine/print server, whatever will always get the same IP address anyway if you setup a long lease time. There just isn't any reason at all to use static IP addresses.

 
There are a number of advantages to a static ip. (1) I had a ICS setup with two computers---and the client had some sort of intermittent problem where it was reporting a network cable was unplugged---followed by a report that the cable was replugging. Frequently this would break the ICS network and a static IP address for the client cured it. ON this same network, each computer could independently access our isp because each computer had its own modem. But with a dynamic address after doing this, I believe the client computer somehow assigned itself an network ip of 192.168.0.1---the same as the client computer. When the client computer then tried to reconnect to the network it only took me a week of troubleshooting to straighten that mess up. A static ip makes that practice of having an independent modem totally safe for networked computers. (3) I have heard that a static ip makes some types of printer sharing more feasible. And even though I no longer have that intermittent client computer, I still always set up a static ip.

But to turn the question around---what other than slightly longer network set up time and lan parties---what advantage does a dynamic address have?
 
The primary advantage is centralized management of all IP information and the ability to rapidly make any changes without manual configurations.

Well as far as ICS having problems, that's to be expected if the wind blows the wrong direction.
 
The advantage: It overcomes the limitations of cheapo home cable/dsl routers.

The port forwarding capabilities of them is very limited and generally consists of "forward this port to the addy I specify." This then becomes a problem because they are also using limited DHCP functionality that doesn't allow reservations.

So you setup forwarding then months down the road your IP changes and some ****** breaks and you are left scratching your head because it's been so long since you set it up and it's worked flawlessly for so long you don't leap to the simple explanation. Not a biggie really but it takes you longer to figure it out and fix it than it takes to just static it in the first place. And yes it DOES happen. Not often but if you go on vacation or leave a device offline for a while things may shift. That's what the D in DHCP means.


I personally use a mix. I leave DHCP running for when I hook up the occasional ephemeral device but use static addresses on my main boxes and printer that remain on the network the whole time. I just pick a static addy in the same subnet but outside the dhcp scope.

It takes all of 20 seconds to set an IP by hand and I'm good for years until I rebuild a box. This isn't an enterprise network :roll:
 
Originally posted by: spidey07
There is no advantage whatsoever.

In fact there is a detriment to using stacially assigned addresses - more time to muck things up and more time to unmuck things.

Fact of the matter is you will most always get the same IP address with DHCP anyway depending on how your dhcp server is set up. On a home network there isn't any reason to not have a 90 day lease time. You have to be REAL careful about reading anything about networking from folks on the web. Misinformation abounds.
Click to expand...

:roll:

"more time to muck things up" ..if you are the sort of person that mucks things up this could be an issue..

"no advantage whatsoever." .. see my previous ..

"misinformation abounds." ... I agree 🙂 ..


 
Originally posted by: Smilin
The advantage: It overcomes the limitations of cheapo home cable/dsl routers.

The port forwarding capabilities of them is very limited and generally consists of "forward this port to the addy I specify." This then becomes a problem because they are also using limited DHCP functionality that doesn't allow reservations.

So you setup forwarding then months down the road your IP changes and some ****** breaks and you are left scratching your head because it's been so long since you set it up and it's worked flawlessly for so long you don't leap to the simple explanation. Not a biggie really but it takes you longer to figure it out and fix it than it takes to just static it in the first place. And yes it DOES happen. Not often but if you go on vacation or leave a device offline for a while things may shift. That's what the D in DHCP means.


I personally use a mix. I leave DHCP running for when I hook up the occasional ephemeral device but use static addresses on my main boxes and printer that remain on the network the whole time. I just pick a static addy in the same subnet but outside the dhcp scope.

It takes all of 20 seconds to set an IP by hand and I'm good for years until I rebuild a box. This isn't an enterprise network :roll:
Click to expand...

QFT -- My Cisco 677 router would not play nice with DHCP leases, so turned off DHCP, and set some static IPs and have been running well with that for seven years. It is not a big deal -- by now I have the DNS server IPs memorized lol
 
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