Client's Valid <x>.<x>.<x>.0 Host Address Is Disallowed on the Network

ID: Q241657

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 4.0, 4.0 SP4, 4.0 SP5
Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 4.0, 4.0 SP4, 4.0 SP5
Microsoft Windows NT Server, Enterprise Edition versions 4.0, 4.0 SP4, 4.0 SP5

SYMPTOMS

When a Dynamic Host Control Protocol (DHCP) client is issued an x.x.x.0 address from a DHCP server on which the scope allows for a valid x.x.x.0 address (even though another address may be excluded) and receives the address successfully as an active DHCP client, the DHCP client's network connectivity may not function properly. Error messages may be generated when the DHCP client, or other network resources or services, attempt to establish a network connection.

You may see the following error message when other network resources or services try to communicate across the network with the DHCP client:

Destination specified is invalid

You may see the following error message when the DHCP client attempts to establish a connection with other network resources:

Request timed out

CAUSE

Although the DHCP client receives the address from the DHCP server, the address it receives is viewed as a "network address" instead of a client address on the network. The use of the x.x.x.0 address is disallowed as a client address even though it is a valid host address.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows NT 4.0. For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q152734 How to Obtain the Latest Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT 4.0. This problem was first corrected in Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 6.

MORE INFORMATION

For additional information about DHCP, scopes, and TCP/IP addressing and subnetting, please refer to the following Request for Comment (RFC) documents:

950: Internet Standard Subnetting Procedure
1918: Address Allocation for Private Internets
2131: Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol
2151: A Primer on Internet and TCP/IP Tools and Utilities
1180: A TCP/IP Tutorial
1219: On the Assignment of Subnet Numbers

For information about obtaining RFCs, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q185262 How to Obtain Request for Comments Documents from the Internet

Additional query words:

Keywords : kberrmsg kbnetwork ntdomain ntsp kbbug4.00 kbfix4.00 NT4SP6Fix
Version : winnt:4.0,4.0 SP4,4.0 SP5
Platform : winnt
Issue type : kbbug