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[Lukeup]

Hi, I have one machine that is flooding my log with UDHCPD Inform: add_lease 192.168 info errors or notices every 60 seconds (approx).  Anyone have an idea why and what they refer to??  Thanks, luke... recovering linksys owner.

Priority   Time   Message

info   Nov 3 15:53:37    UDHCPD Inform: add_lease 192.168.2.139
info   Nov 3 15:52:28    UDHCPD Inform: add_lease 192.168.2.139
info   Nov 3 15:51:21    UDHCPD Inform: add_lease 192.168.2.139
info   Nov 3 15:50:15    UDHCPD Inform: add_lease 192.168.2.139
info   Nov 3 15:48:04    UDHCPD Inform: add_lease 192.168.2.139
info   Nov 3 15:46:57    UDHCPD Inform: add_lease 192.168.2.139
info   Nov 3 15:45:13    UDHCPD Inform: add_lease 192.168.2.139
info   Nov 3 15:44:07    UDHCPD Inform: add_lease 192.168.2.139
info   Nov 3 15:43:00    UDHCPD Inform: add_lease 192.168.2.139
info   Nov 3 15:41:54    UDHCPD Inform: add_lease 192.168.2.139

[mccauley]

I am not an expert, so take this with a grain of salt.

I, too, had repeated messages filling up the logs with messages of the form "UHDCP Inform: add_lease 192.168.x.x". I had assumed that these were messages from the DHCP client computers requesting more time to extend their leases. Actually, it seems that the client computers were not requesting more TIME on the lease, they were requesting more INFORMATION about the network environment.

I ran across this discussion where it was explained that these types of messages are requests for the DHCP server to add missing information to the lease. See:

http://forums.fedoraforum.org/showthread.php?t=123297

The above link explains how a dhcp client goes about asking for additional information from the dhcp server.

Also see:

http://forums.dlink.com/index.php?topic=3354.0

The above link explains how to configure a DIR-615 to provide NetBIOS configuration information to LAN hosts.

So, what I did was to make a few changes to the DHCP server settings under: Setup / Network Settings / DHCP Server Settings. Specifically, I checked the following items:

NetBIOS announcement
Learn NetBIOS from WAN

Since making this change, I do not get the annoying flood of DHCP log entries of the form "Inform: add_lease 192.168.x.x".

I think this means that it was the NetBIOS information that the DHCP clients were requesting. This conclusion is further re-inforced by the fact that the non-Windows clients (e.g., my OS X computers) were not generating the "UDHCPD Inform: add_lease 192.168.x.x" log entries.

For further reference see Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynamic_Host_Configuration_Protocol#DHCP_information

[FurryNutz]

You might reserve assign your devices IP addresses instead of letting the router assign them. This might help lessen the amount of these log entries.

[Lukeup]

Thanks FurryNutz.  That stopped the logs so I can at least see what else is going on.  Not sure why I didn't think to try a static IP.  I'd still like to know what root cause was.

Happy New Year!
Thanks, Luke.

[Lukeup]

Oh and Thanks mccauley.  I tried your settings and it did not correct the logs.  Great information you shared.

Thanks, Luke.

[mbg]

Thanks FurryNutz.  That stopped the logs so I can at least see what else is going on.  Not sure why I didn't think to try a static IP.  I'd still like to know what root cause was.

Happy New Year!
Thanks, Luke.

Yeah, you shouldn't have to -- DHCP has benefits, is an offered feature, and should work properly!

[FurryNutz]

I agree with you, you should be able to use the router in most any way as designed. However setting up Reserved IP addressesing has more to offer especially when using all the other features like Virtual Server and QoS. You don't want to set those of and have the DCHP server break your addressing by accident making those or other configurations not work. It's also helps in trouble shooting too and help in managing your network system too.

Over all, just having additional log entries shouldn't lesson your experience of the router. If your not really concerned with them, turn them off. My 2 cents.  

[mccauley]

Not to be argumentative, but it helps to have logs to review from time to time, especially when you are having issues. If the router is logging repeated entries, such as the add_lease entries, every minute or so, you are likely not to see any serious log entries if there are any, because the messages scroll off before you can review them.

So, yeah, I would call this a problem. There are two solutions:

a. Turn off logging, as the post suggests; or
b. Find a computer on your network that runs syslog and send the log entries there.

Some people want to be able to review the logs. For them (a) is not a viable option.
And (b) is not option for most users.

[Lukeup]

Okay, thanks all for your suggestions.  After monitoring my logs for a bit after the issue with - info   Nov 3 15:53:37    UDHCPD Inform: add_lease 192.168.2.139 - was corrected.  I found a couple other machines causing these info logs but not at the rate that this one machine was giving me.  I was able to correct those machines using the DHCP Reservation List.  This option under Setup-Network Settings, works sort of like the static IP only it uses the machine MAC address to reserve the machines IP.  Find the machine causing the info log under the Number of Dynamic DHCP Clients list, click reserve, click save under Add DHCP Reservation and then Save Settings at the top.  The logs disappear, at tleast for the machines causing the occasional logs.

I went back and changed the machine that was flooding the log buffer back to DHCP and went through the reserve process and it did not fix this one machine.  I'm not sure if it might not be related to the distance this machine is away from the router.  I have 2 machines in that office hooked to a gigabit switch but this one is 3 feet farther (cable length).  Both are well within the 100 meter range.  New gigabit nic.....  I went back to the static IP and all is well.

I'm not getting any logs now.  When I make changes I get a few... No logs are good logs.  Hope this post help someone. 

[FurryNutz]

Glad to hear. 

[thecreator]

You might static assign your devices IP addresses instead of letting the router assign them. This might help lessen the amount of these log entries.

Hi FurryNutz,

That doesn't seem to work on the one I just yesterday set up. I set up the router using static IP Addresses.

[FurryNutz]

Are you able to identify the device and against the log entry? What kind of device is it? I presume that shutting off the device the entries goes away. What happens if you change the Reserved IP address to something different, does it create a log entry for the new IP address?