IP address reservation – docked and undocked

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I use my laptop (Windows 7 Pro 32-bit) in two modes, sometimes connected to a docking station, other times connecting by WiFi to a router, Netgear DGND 3300. To get Filezilla FTP Client to connect by FTP to my website, I find that I need to assign a fixed IP address to the laptop, and would like this IP address to remain fixed in either mode of operation, docked/undocked.

I reserved a local IP address (192.168.0.9) for the laptop via the router admin page – LAN Setup > Address Reservation. However, if I do this in one mode, say undocked, connecting via WiFi, I can connect fine using Filezilla. If, then, I connect over the docking station, I find that DHCP has assigned a different IP address (192.168.0.8), and I have to reconfigure Filezilla all over again. I have tried this without using reserved IP addresses, but cannot get Filezilla to connect at all. If, when wired (or vice versa) I try to force TCP/IP v4 to connect to the IP address that I have reserved over WiFi (or vice versa) DHCP gets all upset, and drives me back to the IP address that it first assigned.

This surely ought to be possible, but I must be missing something – what is it?

Dell E5570 Latitude, Intel Core i5 6440@2.60 GHz, 8.00 GB - Win 10 Pro

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John,

Try limiting the addresses the Router can assign then on the Laptop set it up with a fixed address outside of the ones assignable by the Router’s DHCP. This should work as it is how I have my Wireless Printer connected so that no matter when I turn it on it gets the same address. If you don’t want to mess with the router just assign the Laptop an address at the high end of the range like 192.168.0.253. :cheers:

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
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+1 for fixed IP.
The docking station has it’s own network card, thus it gets it’s own IP address.

cheers, Paul

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Thank you both, RetiredGeek and Paul T, for your advice. Together, what you posted helped me to the right answer.

On the router, I restricted the DHCP range, which now starts at 192.168.0.2 and ends at 192.168.0.99. I came to understand that, although it is the same laptop computer, each network adapter, the docking station and the WiFi, requires a separate IP address. On the computer, through Network and Sharing Center > Network Connection, I assigned fixed IP addresses outside the DHCP range, 192.168.0.100 to the docking station connection, and 192.168.0.101 to the WiFi connection. On the router, I set an inbound firewall rule to allow FTP traffic to IP addresses 192.168.0.100 and 101.

And that seems to work! Thank you.

Dell E5570 Latitude, Intel Core i5 6440@2.60 GHz, 8.00 GB - Win 10 Pro

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