dhcpcd: eth0: renewing lease
 

October 1st, 2010 I changed my Internet provider and since that day I encounter a lot of problems concerning my Internet connections. In this thread I’m describing the first one.

I use Slackware 13.1 on ThinkPad T60. My new provider delivered to me modem-router ASMAX AR 1004g. In my case Internet is provided through the analog phone line. Here’s the basic configuration of mentioned device:

● VPI: 0
● VCI: 35
● PPP over ATM (PPPoA)
● Encapsulation Mode: VC/MUX
● PPP Username: **********
● PPP Password: **********
● Authentication Method: AUTO

I don’t have to modify any configuration files in my system to get Internet connection. It’s enough to attach eth0 cable to the laptop. ASMAX modem-router establishes the connection automatically. In the basic configuration – described above – it gives to my machine an address from the private class 192.168.1.*.

# ifconfig eth0
In such case log file looks well.

/var/log/messages:
When I want to get an Internet address from the public class I have to switch on the following ASMAX option:

● PPP IP extension

# ifconfig eth0
In such case I get the following log messages in a never-ending loop:

Here’s a longer excerpt...

/var/log/messages:
So I ask you two questions:

1. Is it normal though slightly annoying situation or rather it’s a symptom of some serious problem?

2. Is there any method to avoid these messages?

The dhcp server shouldn't be leasing things out for 30 seconds, it should be more like several minutes or hours.

If you have no control over the server, try using -l ?? option with dhcpcd.
Or you could disable logging there, dhcp doesn't take up much bandwidth anyways but you may lose internet quickly if the dhcp server is not contactable for temporarily.

I started the machine with unplugged eth0 cable, I logged myself into the system, I attached eth0 cable to the machine and I started Internet connection. The last command I run immediately after the next to last action. In the other case my new modem-router initializes Internet connection himself.

Here’s my command to manual run dhcpcd with 24 hours of leasing time:

# dhcpcd -l 86400 -d eth0
Here’s the result – the same as before:

# ifconfig eth0
/var/log/messages:
There is something wrong with my DHCP connections and I have no idea what should I do. Call to my provider? Inspect modem-router configuration? Use some specific command to run dhcpcd?

I will be grateful for any help.

The dhcp server on 192.168.1.254 is only letting you lease for 30 secs. If that's the router, check the settings there.

Anyways, it's probably harmless to leave it at 30 secs.

I inspected my modem-router configuration twice:

First time with disabled PPP IP extension. In that case I couldn’t find any option concerning leasing time.

Second time with enabled PPP IP extension. In this case I found such option in LAN setup.

So it seems my modem-router is unable to set up leasing time concerning WAN setup.