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This maybe a dumb question but is it possible to determine the range of addresses in a dhcp pool without access to the dhcp server? I.e. from a client.

We have a private network on a managed internal network in the range 10.100.19.0 255.255.255.0 and I'd like to set some ip addresses statically, but don't know which addresses are not included in the dhcp pool, and don't have access to the dhcp server, do I have any option other than wait for the admin to get back to me?

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    Welcome to NE, we hope you will both contribute to and learn from this community. You should contact your IT department as they will have the information you need. Without knowing exactly how the DHCP is configured, you are at risk of causing IP conflicts and other potential problems on the network. Also, providing your own solution may be in violation of security or other policies, which can result in discipline, dismissal and/or legal action.
    – YLearn
    Jun 22, 2015 at 18:17

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No, not without seeing the configuration.

You receiving an address inside of 10.100.19.0 255.255.255.0 doesn't mean the entire range is going to be used. The administrator could have done any range within that subnet.

Example: 10.100.19.10 - 20, or 10.100.19.100-254.

Typically one or more addresses will be reserved for network connectivity for that subnet. i.e. the typical ".1" you use for your gateway, or if he has something like VRRP setup, maybe he has .1 .2 and .3 reserved.

Also, if you're looking to take some IP's from that pool, definitely have him assign the addresses to you. If you set 10.100.19.25 for your device, and it goes down later, theres nothing preventing the DHCP server from giving that address away to something else.

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  • Thanks, I thought that would be the case but wondered if I could externally find out the range. Of course you're right I wouldn't know if it was safe to use anything outside the range anyway.
    – Egg Vans
    Jun 22, 2015 at 15:13

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