Debian – Need to have clients boot via tftp without mac address

debiandhcptftp

My goal: have a server (debian) on a private lan that provides tftp booting to any client machines plugged into the switch that the server is connected to – the server doesn't need outside Internet access, it will only be used for serving up different iso's to the connecting client machine (for os loads). The server is the router, dhcp server, and tftp server (not using a physical router).

Currently I have isc-dhcp-server, tftpd-hpa, nfs-kernel-server all installed and configured on my debian server.

I have it working when I have the mac address of the client machine hardcoded into the dhcpd.conf:

group {
  next-server 10.10.10.1;
  host tftpclient {
     hardware ethernet [client mac here]
     filename "pxelinux.0"
  }
}

But without the hardware ethernet line my clients won't properly pxe boot, I get the error:

PXE-E53: no boot filename received.

I am wondering how to configure this to not require hardcoding the mac addresses. I can provide any other config files upon request if need for problem solving.

Best Answer

try

group {
    next-server 10.10.10.1;
    filename "pxelinux.0"
}

or you can put this into the subnet definition