Re: Preventing IP conflict

[Bonnel Christophe <mage.tophinus@free.fr>]

T o n g a écrit :
> Hi, 
>
> It's now the third time that I bumped into such situation. All of sudden I
> suffer from network delay and package lost, can't ping DNS server but can
> ping some IPs that is connecting to my box. 
>
> I have suspected my cable, kernel version, etc, etc, and until today,
> after rebooting into Window$ and noticing the warning message, did I
> realize that all above is caused by IP conflict -- there is another box on
> the network using the same IP address as mine. 
>
> We know it is definitely because of the malfunctioning of our
> organization's DNS  server. But if I report it to our technical services,
> I know for sure that I am the person to be blamed: "Why are you using
> Linux? We are primarily a Window$ shop here. Linux is not supported". 
>
> That's the life that I have to live in. I'm wondering if there is anything
> at my end that can prevent/eliminate the problem. 
>
> Thanks
>
>
>   
Hi,


Don't confuse DHCP and DNS. DNS is a protocol which transform adress 
name in ip address (www.google.fr->209.85.137.104 for example).
When you are on a network, there are two ways to have an IP address : 
static or via DHCP.
As it was said by Douglas, if you have a problem under windows, it is 
not a linux problem but a network problem.

First, as Alex ask, do you use dhcp or static ip ? under windows and 
under linux ?

Second check, as Douglas said, that the mac address are the same under 
the 2 OS
In windows, start a console (execute "cmd" command under xp to launch 
it) and enter "ipconfig /all"
In Linux, start a root console and enter "ifconfig"
Check also the ip address at this time (it can be used later).

When your problem come back, use the command i gave you (under windows 
or under Linux according the case) and report immediatly the information 
to the network administrator. At this time, it can search on the network 
where the ip address is used from another machine.

Beware of laws too. In some businesses, if it's windows on all the 
machines, it can be a contract and they can't use Linux while the 
contract lives. So the network administrator may not help you in that 
case or it can be dismiss.

Hope this helps
Christophe