Nortel Networks TP-1610 SIP user manual Dhcp Support, BootP Support, Upgrading the Mediant

Mediant 2000 SIP User’s Manual 10. BootP/DHCP Support

10.2 DHCP Support

When the gateway is configured to use DHCP (DHCPEnable = 1), it attempts to contact the enterprise’s DHCP server to obtain the networking parameters (IP address, subnet mask, default gateway, primary/secondary DNS server and SIP server address). These network parameters have a "time limit". After the time limit expires, the gateway must "renew" its lease from the DHCP server.

Note that if the DHCP server denies the use of the gateway's current IP address and specifies a different IP address (according to RFC 1541), the gateway must change its networking parameters. If this happens while calls are in progress, they are not automatically rerouted to the new network address (since this function is beyond the scope of a VoIP gateway). Therefore, administrators are advised to configure DHCP servers to allow renewal of IP addresses.

Note: If the gateway's network cable is disconnected and reconnected, a DHCP renewal is performed (to verify that the gateway is still connected to the same network).

When DHCP is enabled, the gateway also includes its product name (e.g., ‘Mediant 2000’) in the DHCP ‘option 60’ Vendor Class Identifier. The DHCP server can use this product name to assign an IP address accordingly.

Note: After power-up, the gateway issues two DHCP requests. Only in the second request, the DHCP ‘option 60’ is contained. If the gateway is reset from the Web/SNMP, only a single DHCP request containing ‘option 60’ is sent.

If DHCP procedure is used, the new gateway IP address, allocated by the DHCP server, must be detected.

Note: If, during operation, the IP address of the gateway is changed as a result of a DHCP renewal, the gateway is automatically reset.

To detect the gateway’s IP address, follow one of the procedures below:

•Starting with Bootload software version 1.92, the gateway can use host name in the DHCP request. The host name is set to acl_nnnnn, where nnnnn stands for the gateway’s serial number (the serial number is equal to the last 6 digits of the MAC address converted from Hex to decimal). If the DHCP Server registers this host name to a DNS server, the user can access the gateway (through a Web browser) using a URL of http://acl_<serial number> (instead of using the gateway’s IP address). For example, if the gateway’s MAC address is 00908f010280, the DNS name is acl_66176.

•After physically resetting the gateway its IP address is displayed in the ‘Client Info’ column in the BootP/TFTP configuration utility (refer to Figure B-1on page 191).

•Contact your System Administrator.

10.3BootP Support

10.3.1 Upgrading the Mediant 2000

When upgrading the Mediant 2000 (loading new software onto the gateway) using the BootP/TFTP configuration utility:

•From version 4.2 to version 4.4, the device loses its configuration. Therefore, to retain the previous gateway configuration you must save the ini file before you replace the cmp file, and reload it to the device. For information on backing up and restoring the gateway’s configuration, refer to Section 5.9.5 on page 69.

Version 4.4 169 July 2005