IP addresses

[tony85wild]

Hi everyone,

 

I am looking for some advice on our network.

 

Our network is made up of servers, printers, security cameras, ipads, macs, speaker system and APs. Should any of these be on a static IP? There servers are.

 

We have 4 subnets (.48,.49,.50,.51). .48 is for DHCP. We don't need this many. Is it worth getting rid of the last 2 subnets? or just keep them.

 

Thank you

[rich_tech]

are the 4 subnets all 254 devices ? or /24 masks ?

 

We have ours on an IP scheme that I have revised in my time here, its still a work in progress, we have a large 12 site WAN on the go here, so we have lots of segregating by site and then different functional things - i.e. we have wifi ranges/guest ranges/normal PC access/server/voice/security

 

They can be as complicated as you want really, there's no "set way" really to network, you can have it as simple or as complex as needs be. though obviously the more complex, in operation it is also in management, I would say with your 4 subnets that if their being used and not full and operational, not causing you massive grief, I would leave them be.

 

Here - Printers/APs/Security Cameras and Servers are all statics, everything else is DHCP controlled.

[LytchettNM]

I went for a simple approach for our large network, all subnets are /24 and are in their own VLAN’s, the gateway for each subnet is x.x.x.254 and the first 200 IP’s are issued by DHCP.

Things like servers, networking switches, printers, cctv, bms, etc have their own VLAN’s and are statically assign.

A simple approach also allow for the design to grow as the network does, I would not remove the extra subnets you have.

[mavhc]

Split IPs by area, or by usage, or both, depends what you want to do.

 

Don't forget the best option, reserved IPs on the dhcp server, that way the IPs are static, but when you want to change them, or get a list, they're all on the server.

 

If you want to use VLANs then you'd want different IP ranges

[powdarrmonkey]

”Best” is a strong word. The danger with reservations is that if DHCP is unavailable for some reason at renewal, you risk ending up with APIPA addresses on devices, and *nobody* enjoys untangling that mess.

[Michael]

Technically only domain controllers need to be on a static IP, with member servers on dynamic. It doesn't do any harm though putting all servers on static for simplicity.

 

I always put printers on a static IP outside the DHCP distribution pool.

 

You probably won't need to put static IPs on security cameras, but the NVR itself I always would. Plus this is a requirement if you connect to the cameras outside of school for example.

 

Everything else on your list I'd set as dynamic.

[Sonic007]

I generally set a range for DHCP and then a set range for static addresses. So all IP cameras, printers, servers, etc have static IP's and are out of the available dhcp range.

Client desktops, ipads, laptops, etc all get a dhcp address.

Edited December 17, 2018 by Sonic007

[mavhc]

”Best” is a strong word. The danger with reservations is that if DHCP is unavailable for some reason at renewal, you risk ending up with APIPA addresses on devices, and *nobody* enjoys untangling that mess.

 

But when it comes back they get the IP again, as they recheck all the time. Better than the device forgetting its own ip/being reset.