How to configure via a BOOTP server

How BOOTP works

• At power on the MPI Tech device broadcasts its MAC address.
• The broadcast is received by the BOOTP Server. The BOOTP server starts to search its database for an entry that matches the MAC address of the MPI Tech device.
• In case of a match the BOOTP Server returns the following to the MPI Tech device:

   

  • IP address
  • Subnet mask
  • Gateway address

   

  Note: If the BOOTP server and the MPI Tech device are on different LAN environments the involved IP routers must allow the bootp request / reply to pass.

Add an entry to BOOTP server database

The MPI Tech device must have its own special entry in the BOOTP server's database. The BOOTP server's database is a simple text file (BOOTPTAB) with the format shown below. The location of the BOOTPTAB file is system dependent. Refer to your BOOTPD (BOOTP Daemon) documentation.

# BOOTPTAB - Database for BOOTP Server.

# -------------------------------------

# Legend:

#       -- Devicename (Must be the first field)

#   bf  -- Bootfile

#   gw  -- Gateways

#   ha  -- Hardware Address (MAC address)

#   ht  -- Hardware Type (Must precede ha.

#             Can be Ethernet or Token Ring)

#   ip  -- IP Address

#   sm  -- Subnet Mask

#

# Special Characters:

#   '#' Lines beginning with the number sign and

#       empty lines are ignored.

#   ':' Colon is used to separate fields.

#   '\' Backward slash means line continuation.

#   '/' Forward slash indicates directory path.

#

# Syntax:

#   <devicename>: \

#   sm=<subnet mask>: \

#   gw=<gateway>: \

#   ht=<hardware type>: \

#   bf=<bootfile path>: \

#   ha=<hardware (mac) address>: \

#   ip=<ip address>:

#

# Example Entry in BOOTPTAB file:

#

idata.tcp.network3.eth: \

   sm=255.255.0.0: \

   gw=129.1.71.0: \

   ht=ethernet: \

   ha=00036E000a82: \

   ip=129.1.71.100:

Use of boot file

The advanced user may use the boot file (bf) feature to download data from the BOOTP server to the MPI Tech device. Configuration data for the MPI Tech device can be transferred in this way.

Requirements:

• A TFTP Daemon must be installed.
• The BOOTP database entry for the MPI Tech device must include a boot file definition, that is bf=<bootfile path>.
• Data (files) that are to be transferred in this manner must reside on the same disk partition as the BOOTPTAB file.