Resolving Duplicate IP Address Conflicts on a DHCP Network

This article was previously published under Q133490

If a static IP address is defined for a network device, for example, a printer, and you install a DHCP server, duplicate IP address conflicts may occur between the network device and a DHCP client computer (running Windows for Workgroups or Windows NT). The conflict also occurs if you manually define static IP addresses to network devices and computers during a network link failure to a DHCP server and then the link is reestablished.

To resolve this conflict:

• Convert the network device with the static IP address to a DHCP client. -or-
  
  
• On the DHCP server, exclude the static IP address from the DHCP scope.

To exclude the static IP address from the DHCP scope:

1. Turn off the DHCP client computer in conflict with the network device that has the static IP address.
2. On the DHCP server, exclude the static IP address from the scope of the DHCP IP address range.
3. Restart the DHCP client computer.

NOTE: If the conflict persists for a Windows for Workgroups 3.11 client computer, delete the DHCP.BIN file in the Windows directory before you start Windows for Workgroups.