Windows CE 3.0 Client Cannot Receive IP Configuration Information from a DHCP Server (298588)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows CE Platform Builder 3.0
This article was previously published under Q298588

SYMPTOMS

A Windows CE 3.0 client may not receive its IP configuration information from a DHCP server.

CAUSE

This symptom may occur when the DHCPOFFER packet that is received from the DHCP server does not specify a subnet mask. This may occur although the next DHCPACK packet that is received from the DHCP server specifies a subnet mask. The DHCP protocol (RFC2131) specifies that a client that requests an IP configuration broadcast a DHCPDISCOVER message. Any DHCP server on that network may reply to the client with a DHCPOFFER message that contains a proposed IP configuration. This information includes IP address, subnet mask, and gateway address. The client may send back a DHCPREQUEST message where it formally requests the proposed IP address. The server may then commit the address and send a DHCPACK message to the client with the committed IP configuration. In this case the DHCP server does not send a subnet mask option in the DHCPOFFER, but does in the following DHCPACK message. The Windows CE client notices this difference and does not accept the IP configuration.

RESOLUTION

A supported fix is now available from Microsoft as Windows CE 3.0 Platform Builder - Yearly Updated Full QFE Package (through Dec. 31, 2002). To resolve this problem immediately, search for the keyword "Windows CE 3.0 Platform Builder" on the following Microsoft Web site: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/
The English version of this hotfix has the file attributes (or later) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in coordinated universal time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time tool in Control Panel. 
   Size        File name
   --------------------------
   2,275,672   Wce30qfe55.exe

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.

MORE INFORMATION

This problem is known to occur with the DHCP server that is included with Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition (Me) Internet Connection Sharing.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:9/26/2005
Keywords:kbHotfixServer kbQFE kbbug kbenv kbfix kbnetwork kbQFE KB298588
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