Setting a Default IP Address on a Network

[Sir Topham Hatt]

I'm not really too sure of the terminology so I'll try and explain what I mean.

My router has these connected:

• Desktop PC
  
• HTPC
  
• Laptop
  
• Phone
  

A friend of mine suggested it was better to set each device with a static IP address, so the desktop PC would be 192.168.0.2, HTPC 0.03 etc. Not only does this improve connections but also security because anything else connecting to his router that doesn't have a dedicated IP address then his router emails him to alert him.

I set this up using the devices mac address.

Is this a good thing to do? Will it really improve connections (as the router will know what IP address instead of looking for one to search).

Thanks

[John.D]

These have static ip addresses And so does the Xbox. I gave the Xbox a static ip, so I can add it to the DMZ option in the router. It saves me adding the ports to the router for Xbox live, And the static ip on this is for the Mirc ports, I've added to the router. If you want to send files in MIrc (using DCC in Mirc), You have to use a static ip address.

Since if you want to add ports to the / a router, you cant do it if the ip addresses keep changing (if you leave it on auto). You can change it under the network / LAN connection / properties / ipv4 option

And if you leave it on auto (under the ipv4 option in windows), sometimes it can give you an ip address which isnt within the range of the router.And you wont get online, until you change it. Or type in an ip address manually

[+BudMan MVC]

"Will it really improve connections "

Sorry but there is no difference between static and and dhcp when it comes to the connection performance? So how is anything going to be improved?

For starters you did not even set a static, what you set was reservation - so your machine still asks for an IP, just like it would with normal dhcp - your router just gives it the same address.

"(as the router will know what IP address instead of looking for one to search)."

What? No its not any different than your router seeing what lease is not used and handing out that one, vs having a reservation for one.

Does it hurt anything, no! Can you have some advantages of always having the same ip, sure.. You always know hat IP your HTPC is ;)

As mentioned, yes if your going to forward traffic to a machine - its a good idea that machines IP never change. Be it via dhcp reservation or statically set on the machine itself.

[Sir Topham Hatt]

Thanks :)

Sorry, I know only very basics with networks as it's all usually simple to get going.

I'll just leave it how it is as I send files to the HTPC using the Desktop but that's easy enough to do in explorer.