Manually setting IP addresses

I have 5 computers on my network, 3 laptops, and 2 desktops. I'm using a Linksys wireless router, WRT54G.

I am wanting to manually set/assign each computer to a specific IP
address, and to have these same addresses be assigned each time
if I lose power, the router has to be unplugged, restarted, etc.

This is so I don't have to start up the computers in a certain
order every time if I have to disconnect the router, I lose
power, etc.

This will help me keep all my port-forwarding and firewall
setups correct, and help my remote management programs
stay setup with the port-forwarding for each computer

Does this make sense?

Unfortunately I haven't been able to figure this out yet.

Can someone lend me a hand please?

Thanks

 

Hi mands

Configuring static ips is pretty simple. The way you speak you seem comfortable with router settings, port forwarding and firewalls.

Just goto the network connection on each computer and select properties. In the list of items for the connection double click 'Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)'
Here you will see the settings for assigning a static ip instead of recieving one via DHCP.

If as you say you use remote managments systems and port forwarding you should have no problems setting the ips here.

Matt

 

Beyond individual IPs, you will also need to enter a subnet mask, default gateway, and DNS server. Assuming you use WIndows, the subnet mask on each machine needs to be 255.255.255.0, the default gateway is the IP of your router (probably 192.168.x.1), and the DNS server also the router IP (a secondary DNS is not necessary in this case).

 

Thats right, thanks TheDoug. I assumed that since he/she said he/she was familiair with other network technologies this shouldn't be an issue (although I was a little confused at the lack of knowledge on how to set them)

Matt

 

Thanks fellas. That was super easy.

I assume I don't have to do anything to the router settings then, correct?

Matt

 

No, if all LAN PCs IPs are set to static, the router's DHCP server no longer has anything to do-- until you add another device that doesn't have a static IP, anyway.

 

But do make sure the routers dhcp server is set not to hand out the same ip as you have static or crazyness issues.

 

In my experience, that doesn't happen, and routers don't have such a DHCP server setting, anyway-- they don't try to assign IPs that already exist on the LAN.

 

Straight Routers, like cisco's, indeed does not have the DHCP settings. However, we are talking about "Linksys wireless router, WRT54G". Which is made for mostly small and home networking that does NAT and gateway service for internet sharing. These things do have DHCP service and it is a main component set to default. So if you don't configure the IP sets correctly, it is possible that it will "try" to assign the statically used IP.
In order to avoid this, you should set your DHCP'd IP range out of the static IPs.
For example, if you're using 192.168.0.1 ~ 192.168.0.3 as your static IPs on the PCs, you should set your DHCP IP range 192.168.0.10 ~ 192.168.0.xxx from your Linksys. This will prevent DHCP server from assigning IPs from 192.168.0.1 ~ 192.168.0.9
And don't worry, if you set your subnet, gateway, and dns correctly (like matt and doug said) all your PCs will still have internet connection.

 

I guess since I've never let router DHCP assign any IPs to my machines at home, I never bothered to look for a starting IP address setting in there. Probably because, in assigning static IPs, I go one step further and assign them such that the last octet is always something mnemonically meaningful, like the birth year of the PC's owner, or a partial model number of the machine-- those numbers are always well above the number of devices on the LAN.

 

This will work(don't have any idea why you would), in a very very small office or home settings but will never be enforced in working enviornment. Static IPs are used for certain reasons like specific services that are running on a station - like DNS, DHCP, WINS, and port forwarding... Other than that, you'd never have a reason to use static IP. If you need to find other PCs in your network, you are always able to do that by DNS service or even NetBios. And DHCP setting on linksys routers are on the first page of the setup and it is ON as default.

 

Or like if you need to Remote Desktop into a specific XP Pro machine, it needs a both a static IP and a unique listening port.

It's buried further down in Netgear setups.

 

not really. as long as your ip is registered on your dns, you can always connect to your remote desktop by typing in "computer name". And MS remote desktop's tcp 3389 port should be opened under XP's firewall settings.

 

Think "from work to home".

 

when connecting "from work to home", you are using PIP instead of LAN IP. Or registered DNS. Meaning, if you setup a vpn server on your LAN and connect to it, your remote desktop pc does not need Static IP. And you really want to avoid opening ports on your router if you can. This is very basic for network admins.

 

Well, my solution works for me. I think we've hijacked this thread enough for one day. Talk to you later.