DHCP Confusion

Ok my current setup is;

Virgin Media Superhub (192.168.0.1)

v

Powerline adapter 1 (wired only)

v

Powerline adapter 2 (wired only)

v

Switch

v

Wireless Powerline adapter (192.168.1.1) / Xbox 360 / Samsung Smart TV

v

Macbook connected to wireless powerline adapter.



I use the wireless powerline adapter because the wireless signal from my room is awful (distance to router is too far).

When I'm on my Macbook/Xbox at random times, I'll disconnect, I'm guessing this is a DHCP error.

What settings should I use? and on what devices?

I can edit the settings on the router and the same settings on the wireless powerline adapter if that helps.

----

Here are the network settings from my Wireless Powerline Adapter (192.168.0.123) (In my room)



Here is the device list on my Router (192.168.0.1) (Downstairs)



Lease table:



Lease settings:



Does this explain why I get disconnects every so often? because the powerline adapter (192.168.0.123) is getting a new IP, so I get dropped temporarily?

If so, should I add a reservation for it or what?

Edit: I've added a reservation for the Wireless Powerline adapter under the IP 192.168.0.123, it displays no lease expiry now, but will I have to add reservations for all of the devices that I don't want to disconnect?

Example if I'm on xbox I don't want it to disconnect for obvious reasons, that's connected to the Router through two powerline adapters (Wired), would I have to add a reservation for the Xbox and set it a static IP?

I am of the opinion that you should set a static IP for all powerline adapters and go from there. If that resolves the drop then the rest of the devices should be fine using DHCP.

My wireless powerline adapter is the only one that has an IP of the powerline adapters I have, (the other 2 are a different brand).

I've set the wireless adapter as .123 and the xbox as .100 seeing as it's connected directly to the router in theory (through the wired powerline adapter) all should be OK now, lets see how it goes.

So you are running a DHCP server on both the router and the wireless adapter? Why not just run the wireless powerline device in bridge mode so that the router manages all the ip-addresses?

Reservations work well for routing equipment that you need to access occasionally, so the wireless powerline adapter could be one such case. However even if there is no reservation it won't drop the ip when the lease is over, it will ask the router to extend the lease.

Most problems like that I have encountered (with powerline adapters) is related to them going in power saving mode, but of course it should not do that while browsing, rather there would be a pause when starting to use it while it wakes up, requests an IP and starts up all services. This could be speeded up (slightly) by actually assigning a static IP
to the device as already mentioned, since then it won't make the dhcp-request.

On the macbook you can see if there is a dhcp problem from settings -> network. If you have a dhcp issue you won't have an IP on the correct subnet (if any). To check if the wireless adapter is unaccessible you can try to ping it, and to check if it can't pass packets through you can ping your main router:

From terminal:

But I'd start by changing the wireless adapter to just bridge mode so that the router is handling DHCP and there is no NAT translation on the adapter. Dual NAT translations in home networks suck.