I've been using a DHCP IP reservation (what some people in here are calling static IP from router) with zero issues since day 1 of my HE C-7. After dozens of reboots and HE always grabs the reserved IP from my home router. I think the issue some users are running into is poor quality routers that are not executing DHCP IP reservations properly.
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Yeah - I've been doing the same for my hub and a bunch of other stuff (Homebridge/Node-RED Pi, NAS, a wifi plug, 2 Harmony hubs) all used in automations!
Is amazing how many people want to push others to use DHCP. IS OUR OPTION GUYS !!
Almost all network devices have the option.. even cellphones who are used by almost stupid people in some cases.
The nice, the beauty of Hubitat, is to give control to their users... to understand they can be smart enough (or not) to implement important changes like this one.
In my case is VERY IMPORTANT because my DHCP start several minutes after Hubitat so when Hubitat starts it got no IP. Another example is if you want to install Hubitat on a house without internet... you will have to setup a dhcp server only because DCHP is the only way.... come on!
Now I updated but my hub is a C4 and it looks the update with this feature is not included for this model? why? my hub works perfectly I don't need to upgrade it.
Can someone explain?
There is no hardware reset button on a C-4. So making a mistake setting static IP would brick the hub. We don't think turning that possibility loose on customers is a good idea. On C-5 and C-7 there is a reset button that will recover a bad network setting back to DHCP. And there have already been customer reports of having needed to use it.
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I thought the C4 can be reset by booting it up with a USB stick with a file on it. That's not there anymore?
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Though I totally understand your point. It also reinforces that at best it should be an advanced only do this if you absolutely must option. How many users out there have routers that don't handle their home wifi and DHCP. With that same statement, how many folks are even going to hook up home wifi and not buy a router for a few bucks more instead of a switch because of the easy of setting up even without a internet.
Knowing what i know I wouldn't suggest anyone do that. Managing devices simply on a dumb switch or hub can be a pain the butt, and i would expect most users would avoid that if the knew better.
That doesn't mean there aren't cases that statics are useful, but most of the time where i would think a consumer grade product exists DHCP would be the primary method of use. Now some prosumer uses may extend out of that use case. A concern I would have is more of the exact opposite of your first comment.
My concern with this option is actually quite the direct opposite to yours. I know to many IT folks that preach everything by IP and by Statics. That is great in the enterprise in some cases, but foolish for home use. Yet i have also seen that done so many times on consumer boards like this for users that really don't need to go down that route. Home consumers with Home grade products needs to first look at DHCP reservations as their primary method. Now if you are runing a pfsense firewall and some cisco smart switches clearly you don't fall in that category. Have fun, but be careful when you give suggestions to users not 100% sure of what they may have.
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Totally agree with you bravenel... I don't even realize I haven't that reset button as I never need it.
Saying this I am agree to not include that option on C4 hubs.
Thank you for your response..is smart and logical.
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Dear mavrrick58
I respect you point of view but please respect mine.
As you guessed I am using pfsense and in a VM environment (I can't afford a device only for it).
Not all of us can spend thousands of USD buying great equiment.... I live in Cuba and believe me... to purchase my home system was a project of many, many months saving + the nightmares to bring to here the devices, so please keep in mind not everybody lives where you are.
Another point is I am not suggesting to nobody to use static IP, I understand perfectly the advantages of DHCP leases,I just want to have the option to pick that method.
I have a wifi network with different subnets and almost 200 devices in each, and we tried DHCP but unfortunately for some rare reason Ubiquiti NSM2 dont let devices to get DHCP after some AP-Client jumps.. If someone knows the reason is welcome to help us. That's why we are using static IP in some devices.... another reasons is that for some reason DNS Forwarder is not always running great so to reach or main services we need to know the IP where they are running.
So please ask first before assume you have all the info to respond... I know you didn't want to attack me and please do not fill I am do it to you.... I just want to be understood.
Bravenel gave the best response.... logical and I understood his point.. is correct.
I am sorry you felt attacked that was certainly not what I wanted. I also didn't say it shouldn't be an option, but one that was only used by those that fully understand the impact. Clearly your environment isn't typical, and as such shouldn't be something to base what most need either.
With that said my point largely didn't have anything to do specifically with you.
You also shouldn't make assumptions though either. I have spent far from thousands or even a thousand dollars on my home network it would be closer to a few hundred with typical consumer grade equipment. I am not sure what point you were trying to make with that statement. Most users even in the US would probably have a simple home router. that costs anywhere from $40 to maybe $300-$500 if they go high end on prosumer home routers.
My point with that statement was simple, to let you know our world is not everybody world.
When you said : "...how many folks are even going to hook up home wifi and not buy a router for a few bucks more instead of a switch because of the easy of setting up even without a internet.", sometimes is not because of that... those "few bucks" represent a month of work, I have friends in that situation who loves my Hubitat but they can't even afford a home wifi router.
Thanks god not my case, I have a pretty good standard Wifi Router and several other devices, but an standard home wifi router can manage DHCP on just one subnet (thats why I use pfsense).
My friend... don't make of this a discussion, we are on the same line I think, we maybe used the wrong words... or maybe because my mother tongue is not english I misunderstood you.. I don't know...
My best wishes for you....and sincerely thank you for read my post and comment.
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Hi bravenel
Yesterday I was thinkg about this issue with DHCP and C4 hub...
Is it possible to add a option on Setting to state the Delay to the getting IP process?
With that all user who have my problem can solve the problem of the DHCP server starting first than Hubitat, we just need to measure the time for our DHCP server start and setup a time bigger than that to Hubitat try to get IP.
Just an idea....
I presently use T-Mobile home internet Nokia fastmile 5g router which T-Mobile kindly removed any advanced features such as static ip. I have a C7 and found the static ip feature. My question is, am I using the present Ip address hubitat is on now or can I change it to a higher number to avoid my router from issuing the same IP since I can't create a static ip in the router and can't even turn off DHCP.
If you are going to use static IP, it should definitely be outside the DHCP range.
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If your router uses dhcp, and can’t set a static address, then wouldn’t you want to leave the hub’s default setting to use DHCP on?
I'm sorry, yes your correct. I need the router for DHCP. I was just explaining how lame the t -mobile router is that a simple feature can't be turned off and on. Sorry for the confusion
Bruce, when you say to be out of DHCP range do you mean if my Submask is 255.255.255.0 and my default gateway starts with 192.168.**.1 then the highest IP address I can use, I believe would end in 254. ( the highest device IP address used by any of my devices ends in .251) So do I go higher with Hubitat IP and choose above 256 as the ending number for Hubitats IP address I use for a static IP?
Also Hubitat's documentation states "if static IP address I give Hubitat is incorrect, then I can no longer get into hub web interface so how do I reset back to DHCP as it instructs
**** NOTE**** went into settings and network and used .260 for ending IP address, put in my Default Gateway and clicked save and pressed switch to Static IP, then rebooted and nothing changed. Still kept my old DHCP-issued IP address. Tried it twice with the same results. I"m just going to leave well enough alone and leave Hubitat hub with the DHCP address assigned.
The DHCP range is a subset of 2 to 255. It has a starting number, and and ending number; or it has a starting number and a number of entries. For example, it might be 2 to 200. In that case you would use something above 251 for static IP, but never over 255.
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255 is reserved for broadcast packets. Don’t go over 254. Grave disorder would occur if a device was given x.x.x.255 on a net with net mask 255.255.255.0.
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Thanks sooooo much Bruce (and others who commented). I used .254 and everything worked FINE! Such a FANTASTIC community!!
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if your subnet is 255.255.255.0 it is the entire class C network. What you need to do is look at your dhcp configuration and check what the range is that it allows. If the DHCP server process is set to use the entire class C 254 is till in that range.
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