[NBLUG/talk] substituting DHCP/DNS in cheap routers

[Bob Blick]

At work we switched to Sonic.net's Fusion and had to get a more modern
DSL modem, opted for a combo modem/router/wifi from Netgear, a DGN1000.

Immediately almost everybody started noticing problems with name
resolutions - "try again?" screens in Firefox, etc. Trying again always
seems to work, but it's frustrating. A more adventurous user has
switched his computer to fixed settings instead of DHCP and says he has
no more problems.

Switching to fixed settings on user computers isn't practical for most
people though, so I was trying to figure out a solution, or at least a
real diagnosis for this problem. If it really is just the DGN1000 I will
s&*7can it and buy something else, but if I could substitute a different
DHCP server temporarily it would be useful.

The DGN1000 only has one setting for DHCP (on or off) and one for DNS
("get automatically" or "use these addresses", tried both choices).
Setting DNS to "use these addresses" doesn't change the address sent out
to user computers though, they still get the DGN1000 as their DNS and
gateway.

Would running a DHCP server on the network be a valid thing to try?
Would it be hard to set up? Would it work for wifi users too? I can use
a WRT54G or a real PC, whichever is easiest.

Thanks,

Bob


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