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Q177824: DHCP Client Is Assigned Subnet Broadcast Address

Article: Q177824
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): WinNT: 4.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbinterop kbnetwork
Last Modified: 09-AUG-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0 
- Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0 
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SYMPTOMS
========

One or more of your Dynamic Host Control Protocol (DHCP) clients may experience
problems communicating on the network using TCP/IP. These problems may include
one or more of the following:

- The inability to successfully ping other TCP/IP hosts.

  -or-

- The inability to resolve NetBIOS or Host names of other TCP/IP hosts.

CAUSE
=====

Your DHCP server may have assigned the client a subnet broadcast address instead
of a valid IP address.

RESOLUTION
==========

To resolve this issue, use one of the following:

- When creating scopes, do not include the subnet broadcast address. For
  example:

  Creating a scope of 192.168.1.1-255 with Mask 255.255.255.0 may result in a
  DHCP client being offered the 192.168.1.255 address, which is the subnet
  broadcast address. Instead, you should create the scope 192.168.1.1-254 with
  Mask 255.255.255.0.

  -or-

- To modify an existing scope, create an exclusion for the subnet broadcast
  address.


For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft
Knowledge Base:

ARTICLE-ID: Q164015
TITLE : Understanding TCP/IP Addressing and Subnetting Basics

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT version 4.0. We are
researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft
Knowledge Base as it becomes available.
======================================================================
Keywords          : kbinterop kbnetwork 
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNTW400 kbWinNTW400search kbWinNT400search kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS400search kbWinNTS400
Version           : WinNT: 4.0
Issue type        : kbbug

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