DHCP - run from the router, or....?

[Mick]

I'm swapping out an SBS 2011 server for a small firm which now has only two staff, with an occasional visitor. The server has started throwing hissy fits and they just don't need it anymore. I'm going to replace it with a NAS box, possibly a ReadyNAS, plus hosted Exchange. Here's my question: I'd originally intended to reinstate their router as a DHCP server (DHCP is currently switched off at the router because the SBS handles it). However, talking this over with a colleague, he says we'd do better letting the NAS box handle DHCP (which, it will do, if so instructed). I asked why - he said it's just what he's heard from folks here and there...

Personally, I figure DHCP is DHCP is DHCP and actually the only advantage I can immediately see goes with setting it on the router, since if the NAS faults out for some reason, users can still get 'in-and-out' that way. Just wondering if anyone has any views or if there is an 'approved' or recommended route to follow here?

 

[nlinecomputers]

Putting it on the NAS is more fault tolerant. The router can go down because of network issues and your entire network will then go down. If it is on the NAS and you lose your internet you don't lose the ability to control the network. Also, most NAS units have more sophisticated DHCP setups and you can control devices better using it. It can and should also handle the DNS for your network as well.

 

[seedubya]

Putting it on the NAS is more fault tolerant. The router can go down because of network issues and your entire network will then go down. If it is on the NAS and you lose your internet you don't lose the ability to control the network. Also, most NAS units have more sophisticated DHCP setups and you can control devices better using it. It can and should also handle the DNS for your network as well.

I was just going to say this but not explained as well! Do what ↑ he ↑ says!!

 

[nlinecomputers]

Also depending on your Router, it MIGHT be able to be setup as a secondary DHCP server. If it is a true UTM device then is should support this.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

If you're not running active directory....you can run it from anything you want on the LAN.
If you are running active directory (a Windows server..domain controller)...one of the Windows DCs should be running DHCP.
I suppose I'd just let the router handle it...but the NAS would do fine also. Sometimes there's a really crappy router there with a really featureless DHCP service, and you might want something that appears to be of better quality, such as the NAS, that has more DHCP features such as better reservations or DNS settings. Or...maybe they have a good biz grade router that does just fine and has a good DHCP service with all the proper features. Good linux based firewalls usually have excellent and very granula DHCP and DNS functionality.

 

[Blues]

I would compare how much you can configure in each device in regards to DHCP and chose the device with the more robust feature set. I don't think for the office that size it matters terribly between the two but in larger scale moving it to a NAS, Server, or some other device is going to be best.

 

[Mick]

Thanks all. I should have mentioned: The current setup is a DC with AD etc, but they really don't need all that with just two of them there - all they want to do is share file access and printers. The router is a good 'un - a Draytek - so it is well specced compared with the average gear. I think on balance I'll stick with DHCP from this router initially, and maybe play with the NAS if I get any issues or problems in the future.

 

[Metanis]

If they are using an ISP supplied router I would configure it just like an ISP help desk person would walk them through a reset. Otherwise it is too easy to end up with multiple DHCP servers on the subnet. Think what's going to happen in a failure and they forget to call me first.

 

[NETWizz]

If running Active Directory run it from any Windows Server that is a member of the domain or a DC. The reasoning is that it can dynamically update Active-Directory-Integrated DNS, which would be mandatory though DHCP really isn't.

YeOldStoneCat nailed this one spot on.

 

[TAPtech]

For small setups I would certainly leave DHCP on the router. This is just a simpler setup and will be easier for someone else to interpret in the future. If there's AD on a Windows box, though, it's best if DHCP resides there as well.

 

[Markverhyden]

Thanks all. I should have mentioned: The current setup is a DC with AD etc, but they really don't need all that with just two of them there - all they want to do is share file access and printers. The router is a good 'un - a Draytek - so it is well specced compared with the average gear. I think on balance I'll stick with DHCP from this router initially, and maybe play with the NAS if I get any issues or problems in the future.

Just 2? Let the router handle it.

 

[AML]

Just 2? Let the router handle it.

Yup just thinking the same thing, 2 pc's probably in the same area..... Router

 

[Mick]

Thanks again. Just to clarify - the server is going, so, although there's AD etc right now, there won't be in future. The actual physical box will be demoted and repurposed, I hope to use it as a back-up to the NAS. (The NAS runs a sort of half-way house AD which means you can set up groups, specify permissions and so on, but it's not the same thing.)

 

[Metanis]

I have found the easiest long-term solution for small businesses with an AD domain but not a legal Internet domain pointing to it is to leave DHCP on the ISP-supplied router, but then I edit the Hosts file on each workstation with the name and local internal address of the DC. Everything is happy even when they press the reset button on the ISP modem/router/gateway.

 

[NETWizz]

Heck... two (2) PCs and static addressing makes sense. Besides, it creates future work orders.

I figure at 5 it is kind of a toss up, and certainly by 10 PCs DHCP is sort of a must.