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Chapter 2: Networking Basics
The Use of IP Addresses
EtherFast 10/100 LAN Card
A DHCP server can either be a designated PC on the network or another network device, such as the Router. By
default, the Router’s Internet Connection Type is
Obtain an IP automatically
(DHCP).
The PC or network device obtaining an IP address is called the DHCP client. DHCP frees you from having to assign
IP addresses manually every time a new user is added to your network.
For DSL users, many ISPs may require you to log on with a user name and password to gain access to the
Internet. This is a dedicated, high-speed connection type called Point to Point Protocol over Ethernet (PPPoE).
PPPoE is similar to a dial-up connection, but PPPoE does not dial a phone number when establishing a
connection. It also will provide the Router with a dynamic IP address to establish a connection to the Internet.
By default, a DHCP server (on the LAN side) is enabled on the Router. If you already have a DHCP server running
on your network, you MUST disable one of the two DHCP servers. If you run more than one DHCP server on your
network, you will experience network errors, such as conflicting IP addresses. To disable DHCP on the Router,
see the Basic Setup section in “Chapter 7: Using the Router’s Web-based Utility.”
