Ip address distribution – Actiontec electronic RI408 User Manual

Page 98

Actiontec Broadband Router User Manual

Chapter 7 Using Advanced Settings

Domain Routing

Domain routing is used in multi-router local network configurations. Normally,
to accesss a device connected to one router from another router on the network,
its

address must be used. Activating domain routing (by clicking in the appro-

priate check box) allows the user to access to the computer by name (as well as

address).

IP Address Distribution

The Router’s

DHCP

server makes it possible to easily add computers configured as

DHCP

clients to the network. It provides a mechanism for allocating

addresses to

these hosts and for delivering network configuration parameters to them.

For example, a client (host) sends out a broadcast message on the network request-
ing an

address for itself. The

DHCP

server then checks its list of available address-

es and leases a local

address to the host for a specific period of time and simul-

taneously designates this

address as “taken.” At this point, the host is configured

with an

address for the duration of the lease.

The host can choose to renew an expiring lease or let it expire. If it chooses to
renew a lease, it will also receive current information about network services, as
it did with the original lease, allowing it to update its network configurations to
reflect any changes that occurred since it first connected to the network. If the host
wishes to terminate a lease before its expiration, it can send a release message to the

DHCP

server, which will then make the

address available for use by others.

The Router’s

DHCP

server:

• Displays a list of all

DHCP

hosts devices connected to the Router.

• Defines the range of

addresses that can be allocated in the network.

• Defines the length of time for which dynamic

addresses are allocated.

• Provides the above configurations for each network device and can be con-

figured and enabled/disabled separately for each network device.

• Can assign a static lease to a network computer so that it receives the same

address each time it connects to the network, even if this

address is within

the range of addresses that the

DHCP

server may assign to other computers.

• Provides the

DNS

server with the host name and

address of each com-

puter connected to the network.