RAS Clients Select the Beginning Address in Static Pool

• Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.5 and 4.0
• Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.5 and 4.0

SYMPTOMS

If a DHCP server is not available or if you do not want DHCP to assign remote TCP/IP client IP addresses, a range of IP addresses can be given to a Remote Access Service (RAS) server for assignment to clients, which is called the static address pool. After you select the "Allow remote clients to request a predetermined IP address" option in the RAS Server TCP/IP Configuration dialog box and the RAS client selects the beginning static address as its IP address, the RAS client is unable to PING the remote network including the RAS server.

CAUSE

This problem occurs when the RAS client requests the beginning IP address in the static address pool. This address is reserved for the RAS server's use and cannot be used by a RAS client.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, request another IP address in the static address pool other than the beginning IP address in the pool.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT Workstation and Server versions 3.5, 3.51, and 4.0. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.