IP address management software

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
  • toscal
    Moderator
    • Oct 2005
    • 2061

    IP address management software

    I as wondering if anyone knows of or uses an IP address management software tool.
    I did try Google put all I could find was software costing lots of money and is mor designed for offices or large IT departments. I only have about 11 IP addresses to manage at the moment. I currently use an Excel spreadsheet. But something that would also gather the IP addresses automatically would be nice. After connecting up our Wii to the internet our media server stopped working and the smart panel wouldn't talk to the PC anymore. I suppose the gadgets fighting over IP addresses is better than the kids fighting over the presents.
    I guess that will teach me to try and assign IP addresses when I've had a few to many beers.
    Anyway its all sorted now spent most of yesterday with an Excel sheet and setting the Wii to an unused IP address. I also use MAC filtering as well.
    IF YOU CAN'T FIX IT WITH A HAMMER, YOU'VE GOT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.
    Renovation Spain Blog
  • richms
    Automated Home Jr Member
    • Jul 2004
    • 11

    #2
    I just put reservations on the dhcp server for things that even are staticly addressed so that they dont get handed out to other things by mistake.

    Comment

    • toscal
      Moderator
      • Oct 2005
      • 2061

      #3
      This is exactly what I did yesterday. And so far everything is working fine again.
      I think this IP address management thing is going to become more of a problem in the connected home in the future. I have 11 IP addresses, and I'm sure this is not unique to me. And as more and more gadgets seem to need an IP address its going to become a headache for most of us.
      Just thinking about things that may need IP addresses, I came up with;
      Alarm system
      Whole house audio (such as Sonos or Squeeze Box)
      Media Centers (also MP3 players, Net radio, DVD players, TIVOs and DVR etc.)
      NAS or similar systems
      Game consoles
      PCs Desktop and Laptop
      Phones (my phone has an IP address though this goes via a separate router)
      TV Digi Boxes
      I'm sure other people can come up with more items.
      So I think some sort of automatic IP address management system for the home is going to be vital.
      IF YOU CAN'T FIX IT WITH A HAMMER, YOU'VE GOT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.
      Renovation Spain Blog

      Comment

      • MichaelD
        Automated Home Guru
        • Mar 2006
        • 167

        #5
        You're right, the list does grow rapidly, I use fixed IP addresses for important devices so that the Ultramon HomeSeer plugin knows what is online and what is offline, and only allow known MAC addresses to connect wirelessly, but that means almost 30 IP addresses are allocated. Everytime one of the kids brings round their friends' with their laptops and other devices, they need adding to the network, so I'm thinking that a different approach is probably needed.

        In addition to your list there are PDAs, Airpanels, and IP cameras.

        4 x SONOS
        4 x IP cameras
        4 x AirPanels
        3 x desktops
        3 x laptops
        3 x PDAs
        2 x set-top boxes
        C-Bus gateway
        X-Box 360
        Wii
        PS3
        iPhone

        A what point do routers give up and hit their limit?

        Comment

        • toscal
          Moderator
          • Oct 2005
          • 2061

          #6
          Exactly what I have been wondering MichaelD.
          I have heard of 255 wireless users as being a max but can't remember where I heard this from. Though my last wireless router could only cope with about 30 users. This was set in the firmware of the router. I now use a normal router with a wireless access point and like you use MAC address filtering for wifi access.
          Making routers and gadgets self configurable also normally means they are easy to hack by outsiders. Or if your setup is slightly different to what they perceive as normal you now need to do it manually.
          I guess we could see a few different protocols and ideas springing up with this.
          IF YOU CAN'T FIX IT WITH A HAMMER, YOU'VE GOT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.
          Renovation Spain Blog

          Comment

          • toscal
            Moderator
            • Oct 2005
            • 2061

            #7
            Update

            I had a huge DHCP problem. For some reason my router won't adhere to the association table for MAC addresses being associated with a specific IP address.
            If a device is switched off sometimes its IP address gets reassigned to something else, like my wife's laptop, even though I have also reserved the IP address. Or I get my wifes laptop or media center or NAS trying to be assigned the same IP address as the Wifi access point.
            Sort of solved it by increasing the lease time to 1 week. And so far so good, 2 days and no problems.
            The router I have is a Dlink DSL-524T. My old router before it died from one to many lightning strikes was a safecom SWAMRU-54108 I think. Once set up with the association table it never gave any real problems.
            So can anyone recommend a combined ADSL modem and router, preferably non wireless as my access point works really well, though I can configure it a a reapter for the main Wifi link.
            I did look at the 3com office series but they are expensive and don't know how they perform. Ideally it would need to have at least 5 LAN ports.
            My access point is from Tenda, W54A its no longer made but the new version looks even better. http://www.tenda.cn/product/list.php?catid=8
            And its excellent. So I might go for one of their router modem combos. Or go for the Safecom again.
            Ideas anyone.
            Also according to an astrologer on local Radio she stated that this month is a time of communication and computer problems because Mercury is in some thingy with another planet or zodiac house. Spooky
            IF YOU CAN'T FIX IT WITH A HAMMER, YOU'VE GOT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.
            Renovation Spain Blog

            Comment

            Working...
            X