Swtiching DHCP services to a server, what do I need to know?

[Roger3]

My wife's out of town this week and it's time for me to play!  I'm setting up a Windows Server domain at my home for to help with studying for my MCITP and I'd like to use Windows Server's inbuilt DHCP server.   However, I have one Moto. STB connected to the ActionTec through its Coax connection.  What do I need to know to make sure that the STB keeps functioning properly when I turn off DHCP on the ActionTec?  Should I leave DHCP up on the coax, but not the AT's ethernet?  Should I turn it off entirely?

If I turn DHCP off entirely, the STB is going to get an x.x.x.100-150 IP address from the server, so no worries there, and it's going to have DHCP Option 60 set up once it grabs an IP address.  I'm just worried about the Law of Unintended Consequences.  What am I missing?  I'm happy keeping the AT as a router, so no bridging necessary, I just want it working as little as possible.

[jimqwerty]

I'm sure one of the folks here that has played more extensively will comment but the first question is, do you use remote DVR.  If you do, you may risk disabling that feature because the STB aree placed in that higher range.   

Other than that, you will have to disable DHCP on the actiontec router.  Once you set up DHCP on your windows server make sure you give out the proper address range, give the right gateway and DNS address.  Other than that no reason why this won't work.  Many people use their own router in place of the actiontec and use the routers DHCP server and have no issues, including myself. DHCP whether it lives on a router or server doesn't matter as long as the client has the right information.

Good luck.

[Roger3]

We don't have Verizon phones, so we won't be accessing our DVR remotely any time soon.  But that's exactly the kind of information I was looking for, thank you!

Anyone know of any other gotchya's? 

[MercerNick65]

Remote DVR can be accessed from your computer (a phone's web browser too).  Say you're at work and your going out afterwards and you forgot to set your DVR, you login to fios tv central and tell your DVR to record.