DHCP No longer assigning IP addresses

[dynamitedave]

Hi,

This is troubling me, so I'm hoping some one is able to figure this out. In summary, the network has been working great for years. Just recently, a computer rebooted but would not get assigned an IP.
On my way over there, a second person rebooted their PC and also couldn't get an IP. There are only 35 devices, and 100 IPs in the pool. So there are plenty of IPs. Rebooting all the equipment ends in the same situation, same 2 PC getting the 169 IP and all other PCs are connected.

If I statically assign the IP address on the system's adapter properties, it will connect, same as the second PC. I'm curious as to why this is happening, so I can prevent it from occurring.

Network configuration is as follows:

ISP Modem connects to IPS Router
IPS Router connects to Sonicwall dhcp for (206.x.x.x) and AP dhcp for (192.x.x.x) for wireless only
Sonicwall connects to a 48 port switch, which all devices are connected to.

Could the Access Point be interfering with the Sonicwall? Or is the Sonicwall's life coming to an end? Maybe a firmware update is needed.

My main concern is that this is the 2nd network I've seen this happen, with very similar setup.

Any help, would be...helpful

 

[kanewolf]

Your sonicwall is providing 206.x.y.z addresses? Those would be public IP addresses. Do you own a block of 206.x.y.z addresses?

 

[dynamitedave]

I've not considered this. I will ask them about owning a block of 206.x.y.z ip addresses. I was thinking they were using a different range from the 192.x.y.z to keep the guest network (192) separated from the internal LAN (206) There are a few web apps that require a specific IP range, I had though this would be the ISP IP of 142.x.y.z. Maybe they need to change 206 ips with 10.x.y.z or 172.x.y.z ? I hope to have an update about the ownership. Thanks for the reply Kanewolf!

 

[RealBeast]

First, I think that you misunderstand what Kanewolf is saying so don't acquire more ISP addresses at this time. There are many ways that this could be set up, the question is how it actually is set up.

I'm confused though -- you have an ISP assigned address in the 206.x.x.x range that you then pass through a router to the Sonicwall to do the DHCP, right? And that router must DMZ and not have any DHCP on itself, right? Not exactly sure what the router is doing for you. Could you expand on this -- is the router providing your guest wireless?

In other words an exact network map is essential to figure out what is going on. If you could draw a map and include the blocks of addresses used for the internal LAN and the guest wireless it would help.

206.x.x.x is an ARIN assigned address and whether static or dynamic your ISP assigns that to you and you get one (well maybe a few more for $$). Normally, you would then use an internal LAN address range in the 192.168.x.y range for your wired devices where the x value for your wired LAN is different from that of your guest wireless (i.e 2 different subnets that don't interact).

 

[dynamitedave]

So the 206.x.x.x IP addresses at one time, was a requirement to gain access to an online application. No longer required, but no one ever made the change to the DHCP IP range. I just found that out today.

This is not confirmed, but I believe the ISP router DHCP is only used for wireless connects through the AP and the 4 port wired connections. Only the AP and Sonicwall are connected to the router.

I made a poorly drawn network map using MS Paint, but I don't see a way to upload it without a URL reference. What do they use here for an image server host?

thanks

 

[RealBeast]

If you have Internet access you must have an ISP provided IP address (could you try and confirm what it is and what block of addresses that the Sonicwall is using?).

I should have asked sooner (but didn't want to overwhelm you), what are the model of the Sonicwall and router?

Any free access upload site is fine, most people seem to use IMGUR.

 

[dynamitedave]

Finally, here is the network map

You'll see here the ISP IP address, and the IP ranges for the 2 LAN, 1 being issued by the router and the other being issued by the sonicwall.

The router was issued from the ISP, I'll have to go over there to get the model number. Same with the sonicwall. All I know about the sonicwall is that it's been discontinued and no longer supported.

As mentioned in my original post, there is a 2nd location having this issue, all is the same except the sonicwall is newer, and the IP range for the LAN is 199.x.y.z

 

[Lee-m]

Sure that sonicwall doesn't have 2 ip addresses on different interfaces ? one for the lan, and one for what looks like some vpn to access another service ? is it a managed switch with an ip address ?

If there is no NAT you are essentially saying that everyone attached to that switch gets an outside ip direct... which would be odd, and unlikely. I've only ever known Apple to do that when allowing its workers VPN in from home. Basically they just hog massive blocks of ipv4 address and waste them like that. But I guess they can afford the expense.

 

[RealBeast]

Yeah, the Sonicwall does NAT. I expect that the ISP router uses DMZ to the Sonicwall. The AP is another question, could be that the ISP router assigns the guest 192 /24 depending on what that AP actually is physically.

But that's not the problem -- the problem seems to be that the Sonicwall is not assigning addresses to several machines.

The guest network should have no impact on the LAN assignments based on your map, so for now we'll focus on the Sonicwall. Do you still employ the person who set it up or was it some outside vendor in the distant past? Is there anyone assigned to manage the network or was it a set and forget deal?

edit: and I hope that you don't mind that I made your image visible but clickable for a full view for easier reference.

 

[kanewolf]

The question is what is the IP address on the ISP side of the sonicwall? That is not identified on your diagram. It is also possible that the DHCP server setup on the sonicwall has too small a range and is just running out of addresses. What do the logs on the sonicwall say?

 

[dynamitedave]

1st off, thanks to every one for their assistance, I've often browsed this site for answers, first time posting a question for help. I'm very happy with the interest of others.

2nd, my apologies to everyone for making their brains think harder than they need to.

3rd, the resolution. This morning I was on site, getting more information for this thread, while I was there, out of pure luck, an employee asked if I was there to look at the AP...because apparently some one moved it, and connecting it to the sonicwall, and of course it wouldn't provide any internet access, so some one else reset it to default settings, providing every ones cell phones with wireless internet, eating up all the IP address available in the IP range.

I removed the AP, and checked if the 2 PCs could connect, and within seconds they were assigned the 206.x.y.z IPs.

Again very sorry about this.

 

[Lee-m]

Its always nice when the OP comes back and tells us the answer, even if it was simple. So thanks for that. Best of luck mate.

 

[RealBeast]

1st off, thanks to every one for their assistance, I've often browsed this site for answers, first time posting a question for help. I'm very happy with the interest of others.

2nd, my apologies to everyone for making their brains think harder than they need to.

3rd, the resolution. This morning I was on site, getting more information for this thread, while I was there, out of pure luck, an employee asked if I was there to look at the AP...because apparently some one moved it, and connecting it to the sonicwall, and of course it wouldn't provide any internet access, so some one else reset it to default settings, providing every ones cell phones with wireless internet, eating up all the IP address available in the IP range.

I removed the AP, and checked if the 2 PCs could connect, and within seconds they were assigned the 206.x.y.z IPs.

Again very sorry about this.

LOL, no problem we've all been burned by somebody doing something.

There's a saying, perhaps you've heard it and it's usually true (and now you will believe): the problem is usually the meatsack in front of the machine. You'll have to tell them not to touch the toys.