Problem: DSL customers are sometimes not able to obtain an IP address via DHCP from the OWT router. This often happens after the computer has been shut down for a time and during high-traffic periods on the DSL network. This problem has been traced to the Microsoft DHCP client timing out too soon. The DHCP standard, RFC2131, (which our router uses) specifies that a DHCP request should timeout in 6 seconds where Windows 95 DHCP client times out in only 2 seconds. The Windows 98 client has the correct timeout setting but the DHCP client often shuts down the interface when renewing an IP lease and never restarts it.

Solution: The following upgrades for Windows 98 enhances the DHCP client to bring the client in line with the standard.

NOTE: this software is beta release software from Microsoft and they offer their standard caveat that the products have not been fully regression tested. We have only tested this ourselves on standard installations (i.e.. no NetWare etc.). We have not heard any negative reports associated with this upgrade. This document relates to Windows 98 only - Windows 95 users should see our DHCP-95 document.

Instructions:

1. Download the following program from our ftp server:

• 194790up.exe

2. Install 194790.exe as instructed and restart.

There is nothing to configure and your network should function as before but not have the DHCP timeout problems.