dhcp - PXE booting
 

Hi.

I have a server witch i setup for Linux installations. You dont always have cd-roms or dvd-roms available.
I have dhcp configured:

ddns-update-style interim;
ignore client-updates;

subnet 10.10.10.0 netmask 255.255.255.0 {

# --- default gateway
option routers 10.10.10.253;
option subnet-mask 255.255.255.0;

option domain-name "install";
option domain-name-servers 10.10.10.160;

option time-offset -18000; # Eastern Standard Time

range dynamic-bootp 10.10.10.50 10.10.10.60;
option broadcast-address 10.10.10.255;
default-lease-time 21600;
max-lease-time 43200;

allow booting;
allow bootp;
class "pxeclients" {
match if substring(option vendor-class-identifier, 0, 9) = "PXEClient";
next-server 10.10.10.161;
filename "linux-install/pxelinux.0";
}

When i try to boot via pxe with my notebook, it doesnt always boot via pxe. Every one out of 100 it boots in.
I have tryed the option of:
host laptop {
next-server 10.10.10.161;
hardware ethernet 00:00:05:1H:DL:0B;
fixed-address 10.10.10.100;
filename "linux-install/pxelinux.0";
}
but still wount boot proparly. This is what my notebook gives me:
Intel UNDI, PXE-2.0 (build 082)
Copyright (C) 1997-2000 Intel Corporation
For Realtek RTL8139(X)/8130/810X PCI Fast Ethernet Controller v.2.13 (020326)

CLIENT MAC ADDR: 00:00:05:1H:DL:0B GUID 00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000

PXE-E51: No DHCP or proxyDHCP offers were received.
PXE-M0F: Exiting PXE ROM.

Could someone please tell me what i'm doing wrong.When you look at /var/lib/dhcp/dhcpd.leases you see a lot of other machines that have taken an ip. Is there an way how you could block/stop sertian mac address or pc's from taking ip's.

Thanks

Try commenting out
ignore client-updates;

and

class "pxeclients" {
match if substring(option vendor-class-identifier, 0, 9) = "PXEClient";
next-server 10.10.10.161;
filename "linux-install/pxelinux.0";
}

If you actually don't care about who is able to pxe boot on your network or temporarily you could simplify things.

Oh one more minor thing. Could'nt help but notice that you're missing a bracket.

You have the ending class bracket, but not the ending subnet bracket. On the other dhcp.conf does have a weird syntax. Maybe it wont care. It might interest you to put a bracket here though.

Hi.

Tryed that. I'm affraid no luck. It still doesnt want to boot.

Is there something else i can try?

Thanks

There are no obvious answers left, I'm afraid. Maybe physical damage to the nics.

One out of every hundred boots doesn't seem like logical results. How can booting of the same config on the same configuration give different reactions?

You have to become a scientist now. Does dhcp work at all? Have you tried it on different computers? Have you tried different ethernet cable?

Yes i have tryed different machines. They boot.
The notebook is fairly new. Is'nt there any other options to specify in dhcpd.conf for pxe boot?

I'd hazard a guess thats its your notebook then and no option in dhcp will help you.

Hi,
I am having the same problem.
DHCP on fedora 13 box ,
tried so many options ,helps from net but no luck .
gets success 1-2 times from 10 attempts.
Client machines are different models from HP & IBM with updated all BIOS.

If I started client PCs in windows or linux os then it surely gets ip address from dhcp .

Also they all are on same subnet . also tried back-to-back( cross) cable to client & server but still the results are same.

If anyone has addressed this problem , please update.

Thanks,

Hi.

I managed to get it to work. I did some googling and found some ideas.
Try this: ( please edit ip info for your needs)


authoritative;
ddns-update-style interim;
ignore client-updates;
allow booting;
get-lease-hostnames true;

class "pxe" {
match if substring (option vendor-class-identifier, 0, 9) = "PXEClient";
}

class "etherboot" {
match if substring (option vendor-class-identifier, 0, 9) = "Etherboot";
}


subnet 10.10.10.0 netmask 255.255.255.0 {

# --- default gateway
option routers 10.10.10.253;
option subnet-mask 255.255.255.0;
option broadcast-address 10.10.10.255;

option domain-name "domain";
option domain-name-servers 10.10.10.4, 10.10.10.160;

option time-offset -18000; # Eastern Standard Time
# option ntp-servers 10.10.10.4;
# option netbios-name-servers 10.10.10.251;
# --- Selects point-to-point node (default is hybrid). Don't change this unless
# -- you understand Netbios very well
# option netbios-node-type 2;

pool {
range dynamic-bootp 10.10.10.50 10.10.10.60;
default-lease-time 21600;
max-lease-time 43200;
server-name "server-name";
next-server 10.10.10.161;
filename "/linux-install/pxelinux.0";
allow members of "pxe";
allow members of "etherboot";
}

}


Please let me know if it works. This will allow dhcp to allow "pxe clients" to get ip's and not for every dhcp requests.

This is the config that i currently use on my installation server.

Thank you I have benefited from this information very

Hi icedude,

Thanks for your reply ,I gonna try this & update you soon.

Hi icedude,

It worked like a charm.Many thanks for your help.

Bye..