How can I assign an IP address to a CoBos-based (UDS, XPress DR, Xport 03/04/05, Xdirect) Lantronix device server?

There are several ways to assign an IP address to a CoBos product.  This article describes the various methods.  For the DeviceInstaller, Serial Port and ARP-Telnet methods, we also have a video tutorial.  If you prefer to watch this video instead, start by clicking on this page. 

1. DeviceInstaller

Note: On a laptop with both a wired Ethernet and WiFi interface, disable the WiFi interface before attempting to assign an IP address using this procedure. 

Installing DeviceInstaller
To use the DeviceInstaller utility, first download and install it. Click here to download the latest version of DeviceInstaller, or copy this URL and paste it into the address field of a web browser:


Assigning an IP Address in DeviceInstaller
1. Click Start->Programs->Lantronix->DeviceInstaller->DeviceInstaller. If your PC has more than one network adapter, a message displays. Select an adapter and click OK.

2. Click the Search icon and select the unit from the list of Lantronix device servers on the local network.

3. Click the Assign IP icon.

4. If prompted, enter the hardware address (on the product label) and click Next.

5. Select Assign a specific IP address and click Next.

6. Enter the IP address. The Subnet mask displays automatically based on the IP address; if desired, you may change it. On a local network, you can leave the Default gateway blank (all zeros). Click Next.

7. Click the Assign button and wait several seconds until a confirmation message
displays. Click Finish.

8. Select the device from the main window list and select Ping from the Tools menu. The Ping Device dialog box shows the IP address of the selected unit.

9. From the Tools menu, click the Ping button. The results display in the Status window. Click the Clear Status button to clear the window so you can ping the device again.

Note: If you do not receive “Reply” messages, make sure the unit is attached to the network properly and the IP address assigned is valid for the particular network segment you are working with. If you are not sure, check with your systems administrator.

10. Click the Close button to close the dialog box and return to the main window.

2. Serial Port Login:

To assign the IP address and other network settings using a serial connection:
1. Connect a console terminal or a PC running a terminal emulation program to the lowest numbered serial port on the unit. The default serial port settings are 9600 baud, 8 bits, no parity, 1 stop bit, no flow control.

2. To enter Setup Mode, cycle the unit's power (power off and back on). After power-up, the self-test begins and the red Diagnostic LED starts blinking. You have one second to enter three lowercase x characters.

Note: The easiest way to enter Setup Mode is to hold down the x key at the terminal (or emulation) while powering up the unit.

3. Select 0 (Server Configuration) and follow the prompts until you get to IP address.

4. Enter the new IP address, subnet mask, and gateway (if applicable).

5. Select 9 to save and exit Setup Mode. The unit performs a power reset.

3. ARP and Telnet:

Note: On a laptop with both a wired Ethernet and WiFi interface, disable the WiFi interface before attempting to assign an IP address using this procedure. For more information see the video tutorial.

If the unit has no IP address, you can use Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) method from UNIX and Windows-based systems to assign a temporary IP address.

To assign a temporary IP address:
1. On a UNIX or Windows-based host, create an entry in the host's ARP table using the intended IP address and the hardware address of the unit (on the product label on the bottom of the unit).

For instance, if your Unix or Windows host has the IP address 192.168.3.70, and you want to assign the IP address 191.12.3.77 to a device server with the MAC address 00-20-4a-1a-2b-3c you would type:

arp -s 191.12.3.77 00:20:4a:1a:2b:3c -N 192.168.3.70 (Unix)
arp -s 191.12.3.77 00-20-4a-1a-2b-3c -N 192.168.3.70 (Windows)

The -N <inteface IP address> tells ARP to use the interface with that IP address, e.g. on a laptop with both a WiFi and Wired Ethernet interface.

2. Open a Telnet connection to port 1. The connection fails quickly, but the unit temporarily changes its IP address to the one designated in this step.

telnet 191.12.3.77 1

4. Open a Telnet connection to port 9999, and press Enter within five seconds to go into Setup Mode. If you wait longer than five seconds, the unit reboots.

telnet 191.12.3.77 9999

5. Select 0 (Server Configuration) and follow the prompts until you get to IP address.

6. Enter the new IP address, subnet mask, and gateway (if applicable).

7. Select 9 to save and exit Setup Mode. The unit performs a power reset.

8. Remove the static ARP entry with

arp -d 191.12.3.77

4. DHCP

The unit ships with a default IP address of 0.0.0.0, which automatically enables DHCP. If a DHCP server exists on the network, it provides the unit with an IP address, gateway address, and subnet mask when the unit boots up.

You can use the DeviceInstaller software to search the network for the DHCPassigned IP address and add it to the list of devices retrieved.

Note: This DHCP address does not appear in the unit’s Setup Mode or in Web Manager. You can determine your unit’s DHCP-assigned IP address in Monitor Mode. When you enter Monitor Mode from the serial port with network connection enabled and issue the NC (Network Communication) command, you see the unit’s IP configuration.

5. AutoIP:

The unit ships with a default IP address of 0.0.0.0, which automatically enables Auto IP within the unit. AutoIP is an alternative to DHCP that allows hosts to obtain an IP address automatically in smaller networks that may not have a DHCP server. A range of IP addresses (from 169.254.0.1 to 169.254.255.1) has been explicitly reserved for AutoIP-enabled devices. Do not use this range of Auto IP addresses over the Internet.

• If your unit cannot find a DHCP server, and you have not manually assigned an IP address to it, the unit automatically selects an address from the AutoIP reserved range. Then, your unit sends out a (ARP) request to other nodes on the same network to see whether the selected address is being used.
• If the selected address is not in use, then the unit uses it for local subnet communication..
• If another device is using the selected IP address, the unit selects another address from the AutoIP range and reboots. After reboot, the unit sends out another ARP request to see if the selected address is in use, and so on.

AutoIP does not replace DHCP. The unit continues to look for a DHCP server on the network. If it finds a DHCP server, the unit switches to the DHCP server-provided address and reboots.

Note: If a DHCP server is found, but it denies the request for an IP address, the unit does not attach to the network, but waits and retries.

AutoIP can be disabled by setting the unit’s IP address to 0.0.1.0. This setting enables DHCP but disables AutoIP.

6. BOOTP

Similar to DHCP, but for smaller networks. Automatically assigns the IP address for a specific duration of time.

The Linux equivalent to the procedures above are detailed in this Knowledge base article:
/wiki/spaces/LTRXTS/pages/106857245

[Originally Published On: 05/15/2007 04:30 PM]