0

Right now I have setup with "router" PC with 2-LAN-ports-motherboard under WS2016. It routes packets between LAN and Internet. Also it assigns DHCP addresses, provides BOOTP for diskless boot LAN clients. Also it is a storage node (where all BOOTP images are stored). Simple.

But how could i move all that storage to "1-LAN-port-mobo" PC, which is connected to LAN, while putting some another router(for example some "user grade router" device, which typically has 1WAN-4LAN+WLAN) to offer DHCP server function and packet routing? User grade routers are not developed for BOOTP'ing diskless boot stations, also we need to move our storage to internal "LAN machine"

Basically i want to "diskless boot" LAN PCs from some "LAN machine", while DHCPing IP addresses from some "user grade router" device (which usually acts as firewall/NAT/port forwarding/DHCP server). While all WLAN functions should work as usual and "Who does know this thing about PXE? Is it even possible?

Improve this question
4
  • You might just need to get something a bit heftier than a home router. Most SOHO class routers (Juniper, Cisco, etc) will do what you need, but will likely be 3X the cost of a typical home router.
    – MaQleod
    Commented Dec 24, 2017 at 2:41
  • maqleod, sure i could do this with pro equipement. but what about coupling this task wih user grade routers?
    – xakepp35
    Commented Dec 24, 2017 at 7:05
  • i mean really is a tech really multilevelled and diskless boot may be abstracted from DHCP server to another (dedicaded) machine within LAN?
    – xakepp35
    Commented Dec 24, 2017 at 7:06
  • If you're a more advanced user, there is ddwrt or tomato, they'll let you do that on user grade routers, or there is Mikrotik devices. Those usually require greater knowledge to configure, but are much more cost effective options.
    – MaQleod
    Commented Dec 24, 2017 at 8:32

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
0

You can do that with Serva; Use your regular DHCP server assigning IPs to all bootable devices while Serva as a self-contained PXE server will be in charge of providing:

  1. The proxyDHCP server services (PXE information offered on a DHCP transaction) only to PXE booting clients.

  2. Other protocols required by the PXE protocols like TFTP

  3. Repository with the offered bootable assets

See Serva instructions here

https://www.vercot.com/~serva/an/WindowsPXE1.html (I'm related to Serva development)

Finally PXE is the successor of BOOTP and if you are curious about it you have a nice description of the network boot protocol evolution here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preboot_Execution_Environment

Improve this answer
-1

One possible solution is to disable DHCP server functions on user grade router (for example it is 192.168.1.1 in my LAN segment), and make that dedicaded LAN machine(for example 192.168.1.200) DHCP server itself. Then it could serve BOOTP images, as well, as providing "default gateway address" 192.168.1.1. Port forwarding functions should work well, as well as NAT. But i dont manage what will happen if client will connect to WLAN and "user grade router" DHCP will be disabled.

So it is too harsh, and seems like "weak" workaround. Are there another ways of doing that, where that user grade router DHCP server is not disabled? or are DHCP server and BOOTP(image storing) not separable?

Improve this answer

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .