Question : DHCP cannot authorize

Two of the servers in this network that I inherited are configured in a way that I haven't seen before and the DHCP Server has two problems: a) it won't authenticate properly and b) it runs without being authenticated but stops about once a day when it detects another DHCP Server (that it shouldn't be able to see).

Both servers are running Windows 2000 Server. There is one domain, CEF_Telcom, in the forest and one domain controller.
If you look at the Entire Network from MyComputer, it shows the CEF_Telcom domain containing two machines, CEF_CCM, and CEF_Unity. These two machines together are running the Cisco VoIP System. CEF_Unity is the domain controller. When you look at CEF_Unity's  System panel under Control Panel, it verifies that it is in the domain CEF_Telcom. However, when I look at the System panel for CEF_CCM, it says that it is in a workgroup, not in a domain, but the workgroup has the same name as the domain - CEF_Telcom. This CEF_CCM server is the one running DHCP.

When I select the DHCP Service from AdminTools on CEF_CCM and then click on start, it says that the service needs to be authorized. I bring up the Authorize DHCP Server panel and enter the IP address. It returns an error message that says that the DHCP Server cannot contact the Active Directory and will not authorize. However, it starts anyway and issues IP addresses.

About 8 hours later, two error messages appear in the Event Log - one that says that the DHCP Server has encountered another DHCP Server, on server CEF_Staff. CEF_Staff is on the 10.1.15 sub net and CEF_CCM is on the 10.1.200 subnet and, in theory, I think they are not supposed to see each other. The second Error message then says that the DHCP Server on CEF_CCM is shutting down due to this DHCP Server conflict.

1. Why can't the DHCP Server properly authenticate? It says in my Windows Server book that DHCP servers running on a workgroup do not have to authenticate, so I am not even sure why it is asking.

2. How can I prevent this DHCP Server from exiting?

The DHCP Server on CEF_CCM is used to give IP addresses to VoIP Phones and the DHCP Server on CEF_Staff is used to give IP addresses to desktops.

thanks.

Answer : DHCP cannot authorize

hello oaklandteacher

  As I see you have 2 servers that I will call:

(S) for the domain controller (CEF_Unity)
(R) for the other server (CEF_CCM)
(T) for the other DCHP in a sub network (CEF_Staff)

For your 1st question

DHCP in server (R) might not authenticate because it does not have an apropiate credential on the domain controller, try to add this (R) server into de domain first

For 2nd

as DHCP uses sub-net's broadcast address u must be sure that:
a) they have a correct mask on (R) and on (T)
b) sub-net masks don't overlap

And an overall note

In my experience Windows 2000 server haves problems operating on subnets or multihosted configurations, and is better to reestructurate your IP configurations to a simplier way