Server 2003 takes alot of DHCP addresses, althought DHCP is disabled

dhcpwindows-server-2003

I have a problem where Windows Server 2003 takes lots of DHCP addresses althought there is only 1 NIC in that server and with DHCP disabled (see information below).

However, as you can see, MAC address in DHCP client table on router does not match the one server NIC has.

It's a D-Link DWL-2000AP+ cheap wireless router with DHCP enabled.

DHCP Client Table 

navserver 192.168.0.248 52-41-53-20-00-13 Jan/03/1970 09:12:55  
navserver 192.168.0.242 52-41-53-20-00-13 Jan/03/1970 09:12:55  
navserver 192.168.0.247 52-41-53-20-00-13 Jan/03/1970 09:12:55  
navserver 192.168.0.246 52-41-53-20-00-13 Jan/03/1970 09:12:55  
navserver 192.168.0.243 52-41-53-20-00-13 Jan/03/1970 09:12:55  
navserver 192.168.0.240 52-41-53-20-00-13 Jan/03/1970 09:12:55  
navserver 192.168.0.239 52-41-53-20-00-13 Jan/03/1970 09:12:55  
navserver 192.168.0.244 52-41-53-20-00-13 Jan/03/1970 09:12:55  
navserver 192.168.0.245 52-41-53-20-00-13 Jan/03/1970 09:12:55  
navserver 192.168.0.241 52-41-53-20-00-13 Jan/03/1970 09:12:55

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

   Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : navserver
   Primary Dns Suffix  . . . . . . . :
   Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcast
   IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : Yes
   WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : Yes

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . :
   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : HP NC7761 Gigabit Server Adapter
   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-13-21-1C-EB-50
   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
   IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.90
   Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
   Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.100
   DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 195.122.1.59
                                       195.2.96.2

I have no idea how to solve this issue. Could you help me please?

As it appears, RRAS service is enabled. However i`m afraid to disable it. Could it be that fax/modem is using it? I don't administer the server but not long ago someone set up fax/modem to that server. Not sure if it works, but they want it to work.

I see many warnings like this:

The user navserver connected from 192.168.0.90 but failed an authentication attempt due to the following reason: Authentication was not successful because an unknown user name or incorrect password was used.

And errors:

A Demand Dial connection to the remote interface Remote Router on port VPN4-4 was successfully initiated but failed to complete successfully because of the  following error: Access was denied because the username and/or password was invalid on the domain.

associated to remote access.

Could these issues somehow be linked?

Or maybe i just block that mac address from dhcp server and live happily ever after?

Thank you.

Best Answer

Are you running RRAS (Routing and Remote Access Services) on the server? Maybe this forums thread can help: Windows 2003 DHCP issuing RAS addresses.

The fact that you see 10 IP addresses is cuased by the fact, that RAS obtains, by default, 10 IP addresses to lease to clients. If all 10 IP addresses are used, RAS obtains 10 more.

And read this article about the DHCP relay agent and this Microsoft Support article.

UPDATE:

If the modem is only used for sending and receiving fax, RRAS is not needed. But you should check/ask, if this server is also used as a network router and/or for accounts which connect from remote.

If you wish to disable RRAS without un-installing, you could go to the Windows Services panel and change the "Routing and Remote Access Service" to disabled.

If you are sure you won't use RRAS, open the RRAS console, right click on the server name and choose "Disable RRAS". If you later want to enable it again, you'll have to reconfigure RRAS.

Related Topic