P-2302HW/HWL-P1 Series User’s Guide

7.1.2 DHCP Setup

DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol, RFC 2131 and RFC 2132) allows individual clients to obtain TCP/IP configuration at start-up from a server. You can configure the ZyXEL Device as a DHCP server or disable it. When configured as a server, the ZyXEL Device provides the TCP/IP configuration for the clients. If DHCP service is disabled, you must have another DHCP server on your LAN, or else each computer must be manually configured.

The ZyXEL Device is pre-configured with a pool of IP addresses for the DHCP clients (DHCP Pool). See the product specifications in the appendices. Do not assign static IP addresses from the DHCP pool to your LAN computers.

These parameters should work for the majority of installations. If your ISP gives you explicit DNS server address(es), read the embedded web configurator help regarding what fields need to be configured.

7.1.3 LAN TCP/IP

The ZyXEL Device has built-in DHCP server capability that assigns IP addresses and DNS servers to systems that support DHCP client capability.

The LAN parameters of the ZyXEL Device are preset in the factory with the following values:

•IP address of 192.168.1.1 with subnet mask of 255.255.255.0 (24 bits)

•DHCP server enabled with 32 client IP addresses starting from 192.168.1.33.

These parameters should work for the majority of installations. If your ISP gives you explicit DNS server address(es), read the embedded web configurator help regarding what fields need to be configured.

7.1.4 DNS Server Address

DNS (Domain Name System) is for mapping a domain name to its corresponding IP address and vice versa. The DNS server is extremely important because without it, you must know the IP address of a machine before you can access it. The DNS server addresses that you enter in the DHCP setup are passed to the client machines along with the assigned IP address and subnet mask.

There are two ways that an ISP disseminates the DNS server addresses. The first is for an ISP to tell a customer the DNS server addresses, usually in the form of an information sheet, when s/he signs up. If your ISP gives you the DNS server addresses, enter them in the DNS Server fields in DHCP Setup, otherwise, leave them blank.

Some ISPs choose to pass the DNS servers using the DNS server extensions of PPP IPCP (IP Control Protocol) after the connection is up. If your ISP did not give you explicit DNS servers, chances are the DNS servers are conveyed through IPCP negotiation. The ZyXEL Device supports the IPCP DNS server extensions through the DNS proxy feature.

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Chapter 7 LAN