When the ComOS 3.7.2 release notes were published, I was elated to see
the first new item on the list:
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ComOS 3.7.2 supports the new "set dhcp-server Ipaddress" command. In
previous releases (and by default in ComOS 3.7.2) the PortMaster replies
directly to a BOOTP request from a dial-in client. In ComOS 3.7.2, if
you set a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) Server on the
PortMaster, the PortMaster does not reply directly to BOOTP requests but
instead forwards BOOTP and DHCP requests to the DHCP server, as
described in RFC 1542, "Clarifications and Extensions for the Bootstrap
Protocol."
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When you've got hundreds of PCs at remote locations, DHCP makes the
installation *much* easier since each PC doesn't have to be assigned an
IP address (and especially all the other configuration parameters),
since these are provided by the DHCP server that runs on the NT Server.
It also makes ongoing support of the network easier - if a PC needs to
be replaced, just replace the machine and it'll learn what's needed to
make it play on the network, regardless of which subnet it's connected
to.
Since I've got another large WAN going in next week, I figured I'd use
DHCP. I wanted to make sure that DHCP Proxy worked per the release
notes, so setup an OR-U and PM2i to test on. It didn't work. I called
Livingston tech support on January 9th. After many calls over many days
to inquire why I wasn't getting an answer to why DHCP Proxy isn't
working, I get a phone call saying something along the lines of "Sorry,
DHCP doesn't work this way - it's designed for cable modems".
WHAT?
Why would Livingston document in perfectly plain English the way a DHCP
Proxy should work, only to say later that it really doesn't work this
way?
I'm glad that the remote access market has plenty of vendors, since it
seems that the only way to get this resolved is to stop selling
Livingston products and instead sell something else that actually
supports DHCP Proxy without some bullshit tech-support way of saying
"OK, we've got a bug". One can always make idle threats saying "If you
don't fix, I'll go elsewhere". Having bugged Livingston for over a year
to get this feature into ComOS, only to find it doesn't work, I'm about
ready to take that step.
Sincerly,
Rod
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