Well, how I think it is working is my cable modem is assigning IP and DNS information to my router. My router is then acting as a DHCP server and assigning everything to computers on my network.
That's pretty much it in a nutshell... your router will contain the right DHCP stuff to do a 'hardwired IP" address, if not an ipconfig /all type of command showing it as well... & from your cablemodem, it gets its DNS info. too, & lists its IP address.
An ipconfig /all can do the same, but I personally prefer "going to the horses' mouth"... the NAT firewall router here (LinkSys Cisco) & then my VERIZON DSL modem (but, it's bridged to my LinkSys now, & I can't get to it w/ out pulling the LinkSys outta the connection chain - I am sure you understand).
The computer I'm trying to set up as a server isn't configured as a DHCP server, all I'm really wanting to have it do at the moment is be a file server and maybe do some folding.
Right, & neither is mine... but, the nice part is, I don't even have to have DHCP client service running @ all, NOR DNS client either, doing it the way I do above, assigning myself my ip as STATIC, & sending the gateway address as my ROUTER DHCP IP addy, in my Tcp/IP properties as shown above, verbatim.
I haven't tried, but right now I don't think It is even connecting to my network. It is assigning itself some funky IP that is not the standard 192.168.1.x that everything else on my network gets.
Let me guess: 169.x.x.x something like that, right? That's not good then if so...
I can't even access my router using the computer at the moment, but I can access it using my main rig.
Well, all I can tell you is, I have seen that before, & it is AMAZINGLY like what I went thru recently in fact:
I.E. -> The techsupport folks from India @ verizon tried to say my onboard NIC was bad...
Well, I figured, "OK, plug & play will tell me what is what, on reboot" & I removed + reinstalled it in Device Manager, & same thing...
Then, the support tech tried to tell me it will show as fine, when it's not... maybe, but I doubt it.
So, I went the route I did above, & I AM WORKING, better imo, by not having to run DNS client & DHCP services on my OS as services running in the background either.
I get to all the sites I usually do, & it's not because I use a HOSTS file for that either, because their redirects work too, & to sites not in my HOSTS file.
I haven't tried to implement your suggestions yet though. So I'll have to wait and see what happens.
Do give it a go, @ this point, for you? I do NOT think it can hurt... & it may save you buying a new mobo (if you are using onboard NIC) or even a 3rd party card from INTEL/3COM, etc. as well, especially if you were told by a level I support tech your NIC was out!
* Odds are, you are seeing the same crap I did, & this IS a better way around it imo, because it makes you run 2 less services to boot!
APK
P.S.=> What kind of NAT firewalling router you running? If it is a LinkSys, you ARE in business!
I say that, because I can, odds are, just walk you thru the settings mine uses (only w/ your IP info. rather than mine), & you can mirror them on YOUR end, & in the OS stuff as well I listed above... & answer any questions you might have as well. becaise our equipment's both relatively the same. In principal, it is across most ANY router/NAT firewall, but it helps to have the same stuff to look @ on BOTH folks' ends.
& BINGO: You should be able to do what I'm doing on this OS, no problemo... & 2 less services as well + full internet access like always! apk