Creating a DHCP Reservation on a D-Link DIR-655

A DHCP server is the part of a router that is responsible for assigning IP addresses to the devices that are connected to a network. Depending on the router’s settings, this IP address might change from time to time without notifying the user. Some advanced home networking features, such as port forwarding, require a particular device on the network to have a known and unchanging IP address. To do this, set up a DHCP reservation which will ensure that a given device always gets the same IP address from the router.

First, find the MAC address of the device you wish to set up with a reserved IP address. Once you have that information it is time to access your router’s firmware. To do this, type the gateway address of your network into the address bar of a web browser.

If you do not know your network’s gateway address you can find it easily using a command prompt. Press the Windows key and R at the same time on your keyboard to bring up the Run menu. In this menu type “cmd” and then hit enter. This will open up a command prompt, which is displayed as a black box with white letters. Type “ipconfig” and press enter. The network’s gateway address will be listed as the Default Gateway, as illustrated in Figure 1, and takes the form of an IP address such as 192.168.0.1 or a similar combination.

Figure 1   The Default Gateway is highlighted

When you type this number into the address bar of a web browser and hit enter, it will take you to your router’s firmware page which will allow you to access and change the settings of your router. Firmware designs vary, so you will need to consult your router’s manual for exact details on how to go forward. For this example we will be using a D-Link DIR-655 router, which is very similar to most home routers currently on the market.

The D-Link’s firmware page requires the user to sign in before altering settings on the router. By default, the login username is admin, and the password is left empty, so click Log In to proceed. If you have set up a custom configuration password on your router you will need to enter that instead.

On the main D-Link page click Setup in the upper left-hand corner. From the Setup page select Network Settings from the navigation bar on the left. Near the bottom of the page, depicted in Figure 2, there is a section called Add DHCP Reservation.

Figure 2   The Add DHCP Reservation section is highlighted

Check the checkbox marked Enable and then enter the name, desired IP address, and MAC address of the device you are setting  the reservation up for. Click save and the table labeled DHCP Reservations List should populate with the information you just entered. Click the button marked Save Settings at the top of the screen and wait for the router to finish saving and applying the settings.

With the DHCP reservation complete you can now enable advanced configuration options such as port forwarding or establishing a DMZ.

Finding the MAC address on an Xbox 360

A MAC address is a code that identifies a particular piece of hardware on a network. Your home computer has one, and so does the Xbox. MAC addresses are useful for setting up advanced configuration options on your home network.

From the Dashboard, go to the Settings Hub at the far right of the screen. Select the tile labeled System, and on the next screen select Network Settings. At the list of available networks you will need to select either wired network, if you are using an Ethernet connection, or the appropriate wireless network name, if you are using a wireless connection. This will take you to the Network Settings page.

On that page select Configure Network and from there select the Additional Settings tab. The Advanced Settings option will be near the bottom of that page. Select it with the green A button to open the Advanced Settings page.

The Xbox’s MAC address will be listed on this page in the lower left hand quarter of the screen, as depicted in Figure 1.

Figure 1  The Advanced Settings screen is where you find the MAC address

Now that you have the MAC address, you will be able to set up more advanced configuration options on your network such as a DHCP reservation.

Resolving IP Address Errors on the Xbox 360

One of the most common errors a customer may encounter when attempting to configure her Xbox 360 for use with Xbox LIVE is an IP address error.  This means that the console is either not getting an IP address from the customer’s modem or router, or that the static IP address the console is trying to use is not working. Resolving this error is a simple task in either case.

First, go to the Network Settings screen. You can get there from the Dashboard by navigating to the Settings Hub at the far right of the screen and selecting System, shown in Figure 1. In the System menu select Network Settings, shown in Figure 2, and then either the wired network option, if your Xbox is connected to your network with an Ethernet cable, or the appropriate wireless network if your Xbox is connected wirelessly.

Figure 1. The Settings Hub is found at the far right of the Dashboard.

Figure 2. Network Settings can be found in the System Settings menu.

Sidebar: If you are connecting your console to your home network with a wireless connection, it is important to pay attention to how many bars of signal your network is displaying on this screen. If you have fewer than three bars of signal, it is unlikely that you will have a reliable connection. Try moving the router closer to the Xbox 360 console or adjusting your wireless broadcast settings from within the router’s firmware.

From the next screen select Configure Network, and then select the right hand tab entitled Additional Settings. On the Additional Settings you will likely see many settings listed as “Not Set.” This is normal and expected. Select the Reset to Factory Defaults option on this screen. The console will ask you if you are sure you wish to do so; select “Yes, I am sure I wish to do so.” This will reset your console’s network settings back to their factory default settings, but will leave your saved games and downloaded content intact.

Turn off your Xbox 360 console by holding the center guide button down until the option to turn the console off appears on screen. Select that option.

When the console is off, unplug the router or modem it is connected to. If your network uses a router that is separate from your modem, next turn off and unplug the modem. If the modem has a backup battery that keeps some of the indicator lights on, remove the battery.  Wait for thirty seconds, then plug the modem in. (If your modem has a backup battery, put it back into the modem before you plug it in.)  Wait for the lights on the modem to power back on. They will blink on and off for a short while; when they are steady turn the router on if you have one, and wait for the router’s lights to steady as well. Finally, power back up the Xbox 360.

If you are connecting wirelessly, your console may prompt you to configure your wireless network now.  Select the option to configure your network, and select the network you wish to connect to. If it is secured with a password, the console will direct you to type that password in with an on-screen keyboard. If the console does not automatically prompt you to configure your network, get back to the Network Settings screen the same way you did last time and select the network from there. Once you have put in your wireless password the console will automatically test its connection to Xbox LIVE.

If you are using an Ethernet cable connection you will need to test the connection by returning to the Network Settings screen and selecting Test Xbox LIVE Connection from the menu.

These steps will solve most instances of an IP address error on the Xbox 360. It the issue persists contact Xbox LIVE technical support at 1-800-4MY-XBOX.

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