System Administration Guide: IP Services

IP Address Allocation Errors

When a client attempts to obtain or verify an IP address, you might see the problems in the following table logged to syslog or in server debug output.

Table 11–3 IP Address Allocation and Lease Problems

Error Message 

Explanation 

Solution 

There is no n.n.n.n dhcp-network table for DHCP client's network.

A client is requesting a specific IP address or seeking to extend a lease on its current IP address but the DHCP server cannot find the DHCP network table for that address.  

The DHCP network table might have been deleted mistakenly. You can recreate the network table by adding the network again using DHCP Manager or dhcpconfig.

ICMP ECHO reply to OFFER candidate: n.n.n.n, disabling

The IP address considered for offering to a DHCP client is already in use. This might occur if more than one DHCP server owns the address, or if an address was manually configured for a non-DHCP network client. 

Determine the proper ownership of the address and correct either the DHCP server database or the host's network configuration. 

ICMP ECHO reply to OFFER candidate: n.n.n.n. No corresponding dhcp network record.

The IP address considered for offering to a DHCP client does not have a record in a network table. This might occur if the IP address record is deleted from the DHCP network table after the address was selected but before the duplicate address check was completed. 

Use DHCP Manager or pntadm to view the DHCP network table, and if the IP address is missing, create it with DHCP Manager (choose Create from the Edit menu on the Address tab) or pntadm.

DHCP network record for n.n.n.n is unavailable, ignoring request.

The record for the requested IP address is not in the DHCP network table, so the server is dropping the request.  

Use DHCP Manager or pntadm to view the DHCP network table, and if the IP address is missing, create it with DHCP Manager (choose Create from the Edit menu on the Address tab) or pntadm.

n.n.n.n currently marked as unusable.

The requested IP address cannot be offered because it has been marked in the network table as unusable.  

You can use DHCP Manager or pntadm to make the address usable.

n.n.n.n was manually allocated. No dynamic address will be allocated.

The client's ID has been assigned a manually allocated address, and that address is marked as unusable. The server cannot allocate a different address to this client.  

You can use DHCP Manager or pntadm to make the address usable, or manually allocate a different address to the client.

Manual allocation (n.n.n.n, client ID has n other records. Should have 0.

The client that has the specified client ID has been manually assigned more than one IP address. There should be only one. The server selects the last manually assigned address it finds in the network table.  

Use DHCP Manager or pntadm to modify IP addresses to remove the additional manual allocations.

No more IP addresses on n.n.n.n network.

All IP addresses currently managed by DHCP on the specified network have been allocated.  

Use DHCP Manager or pntadm to create new IP addresses for this network.

Client: clientid lease on n.n.n.n expired.

The lease was not negotiable and timed out.  

Client should automatically restart the protocol to obtain a new lease. 

Offer expired for client: n.n.n.n

The server made an IP address offer to the client, but the client took too long to respond and the offer expired. 

The client should automatically issue another discover message. If this also times out, increase the cache offer timeout for the DHCP server. In DHCP Manager, choose Modify from the Service menu.  

Client: clientid REQUEST is missing requested IP option.

The client's request did not specify the offered IP address, so the DHCP server ignores the request. This might occur if the client is not compliant with the updated DHCP protocol, RFC 2131. 

Update client software. 

Client: clientid is trying to renew n.n.n.n, an IP address it has not leased.

The IP address recorded in the DHCP network table for this client does not match the IP address that the client specified in its renewal request. The DHCP server does not renew the lease. 

This problem occurs if you delete a client's record while the client is still using the IP address. 

Use DHCP Manager or pntadm to examine the network table, and correct if necessary. The client's ID should be bound to the specified IP address. If it is not, edit the address properties to add the client ID.

Client: clientid is trying to verify unrecorded address: n.n.n.n, ignored.

The specified client has not been registered in the DHCP network table with this address, so the request is ignored by this DHCP server.  

Another DHCP server on the network might have assigned this client the address.  

However, you might also have deleted the client's record while the client was still using the IP address. 

Use DHCP Manager or pntadm to examine the network table on this server and any other DHCP servers on the network and correct if necessary.

You can also do nothing and allow the lease to expire, after which the client will automatically request a new address lease. 

If you want the client to get a new lease immediately, restart the DHCP protocol on the client by typing the following commands: 

ifconfig interface dhcp release

ifconfig interface dhcp start