Chapter 8 Home Networking

The ISP tells you the DNS server addresses, usually in the form of an information sheet, when you sign up. If your ISP gives you DNS server addresses, enter them in the DNS Server fields in the DHCP Setup screen.

Some ISPs choose to disseminate the DNS server addresses using the DNS server extensions of 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.

Please note that DNS proxy works only when the ISP uses the IPCP DNS server extensions. It does not mean you can leave the DNS servers out of the DHCP setup under all circumstances. If your ISP gives you explicit DNS servers, make sure that you enter their IP addresses in the DHCP Setup screen.

8.7.4LAN 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.

IP Address and Subnet Mask

Similar to the way houses on a street share a common street name, so too do computers on a LAN share one common network number.

Where you obtain your network number depends on your particular situation. If the ISP or your network administrator assigns you a block of registered IP addresses, follow their instructions in selecting the IP addresses and the subnet mask.

If the ISP did not explicitly give you an IP network number, then most likely you have a single user account and the ISP will assign you a dynamic IP address when the connection is established. If this is the case, it is recommended that you select a network number from 192.168.0.0 to 192.168.255.0 and you must enable the Network Address Translation (NAT) feature of the ZyXEL Device. The Internet Assigned Number Authority (IANA) reserved this block of addresses specifically for private use; please do not use any other number unless you are told otherwise. Let's say you select 192.168.1.0 as the network number; which covers 254 individual addresses, from 192.168.1.1 to 192.168.1.254 (zero and 255 are reserved). In other words, the first three numbers specify the network number while the last number identifies an individual computer on that network.

Once you have decided on the network number, pick an IP address that is easy to remember, for instance, 192.168.1.1, for your ZyXEL Device, but make sure that no other device on your network is using that IP address.

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VSG1432-B101 Series User’s Guide