Using DHCP with my Empegs has never worked reliably here, so a long time ago I switched over to static IP addresses for all of them.

But today, I finally took time to delve deeper into the situation, and still no resolution.

First, I upgraded my 1997-era DHCP server to a more recent DHCP v3.01 reference implementation. Once again, all of my various 10mb and 100mb clients work perfectly (as before) with it, except for the Empegs (actually, they are all RioCar Mk2a units).

The network here is very simple: one 16-way SureCom 10/100 switch (model EP-816X), into which everything is plugged directly, including the DHCP server.

I have tried two other DHCP servers as well, both plugged into that same switch, and again, everybody except the Empegs work just fine with it.

What happens is, the empeg sends the bootp request, the server replies with the requested info (IP address etc..), and the empeg then retries, as if it never received the reply.

So.. I tried connecting the empeg directly to the DHCP server, bypassing the swtich. Works just fine that way, so the server seems innocent. Same deal for the other two (different) servers I have at my disposal.

Next step: I connected a 10mb shared hub to the switch, and plugged the empeg into that, along with a laptop so I could capture a trace of the messages. Bummer -- never fails with this setup. Just the presence of the 10mb hub, with the empeg connected to it, "fixes" the problem.

But I don't really want a 10mb shared hub as a permanent fixture in my otherwise simple and fast network here.

So, one step left to try, I suppose --> I'll patch the empeg kernel to dump out a trace of all messages in/out to the serial port, I suppose. Messy, but at least that way it oughta be possible to trace this issue further.

Any other suggestions?

In the past, I used to have an 8-port shared 10/100 hub instead of the switch, but the same problem occured with that. I think my Empegs just don't play nicely with 10/100 hubs and switches.

Cheers