The Ethernet Configuration page lets you view and modify the settings
of the Ethernet port. When the page is first accessed, it shows the
current control settings. Click the Modify button to bring up
a form that allows you to make changes to those settings.
EXTREMELY IMPORTANT - If you do not have a clear understanding
of network addresses, DNS setup, etc., contact the system administrator
at your organization for help in configuring your receiver. Improper
configuration can result in loss of communications with your receiver
and may cause problems with the normal operation of the network at your
organization.
The ethernet interface on a NetRS system operates in one of two modes:
-
DHCP
When Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol is used, an external DHCP
server provides the IP address and related settings. Very little extra
configuration is needed. The NetRS broadcasts a request message and
expects a response from a DHCP server. The DHCP server supplies the
necessary configuration information to the receiver. When a DHCP server
is used, different internet settings may be obtained each time the NetRS
powers up, and the settings will likely change during normal operation.
Note that if you specify DHCP mode in a situation where the NetRS does
not have access to a DHCP server, communications with the NetRS will
likely be lost. A manual system reboot will probably be required.
-
Static IP
In this mode, a fixed IP address is assigned to the NetRS. The other
network setup parameters must also be manually specified. The same
parameters will be used each time the system reboots. Care should be
taken to assign an IP address that is both valid and unique on your
network. The other parameters must also match the characteristics
of your network. If invalid values are used, communications with
the receiver may be lost and a manual system reboot could be required
along with a reconfiguration on the system console port.
When the Ethernet Configuration page is first displayed, the current
mode (DHCP or Static IP) is indicated, along with the current
settings for the interface. When Modify is clicked, a form
will be presented allowing you to select a new mode or change any values
as needed. The following parameters are either displayed or modifiable:
- IP Address
This is a string such as 192.168.142.174
consisting of
four numeric byte values (octets) from 0 to 255, separated by period or
full-stop characters. This is the address that must be used to access
the ethernet port on the NetRS. The value must be unique on your
network to avoid conflicts with other devices.
- MTU
Maximum Transfer Unit limits the maximum size of packets that will be
transmitted by the NetRS. The default value is 1500 bytes. Some
unusual network environments may have difficulty using that value. In
those cases the MTU can be lowered as needed. Values below 600 will not
be accepted. Some network environments may not be able to handle low
MTU values. Avoid changing the default value unless you are certain you
need to.
- Netmask
A value in the same form as an IP address that defines the size of the
local subnet. For example 255.255.255.0
indicates a
subnet where devices that are similar except for the last octet are
reachable without going through a Gateway.
- Gateway
The IP address of a router device that provides access to IP addresses
outside of the local subnet.
- Name Servers
The IP addresses of Domain Name Servers that can be used to look up
addresses. These are not currently used much by the NetRS. But you
can specify DNS servers to so that the NetRS can look up and display
its own DNS identity. See the Identity web page for that information.
Up to three DNS server IPs can be specified for redundancy.
- DNS Domain Name
This is the name of the domain that the NetRS is supposed to belong to.
Not currently used by the NetRS.
- DNS Search Path
This is a comma-separated list of domains that DNS lookups will use
when resolving device names that are not fully qualified.
Not currently used by the NetRS.
- MAC Address
This is the unique hardware identifer of the Ethernet card inside the
NetRS. It is not alterable.
As mentioned above, it is possible to change the Ethernet Configuration
parameters in such a way that you can no longer communicate with the
NetRS over the ethernet. If this should occur, you will be unable to
access the Ethernet Configuration page using the ethernet. Should this
happen you have several methods for recovery.
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