DHCP Problem on Ubuntu Server

**edd07** · May 23rd, 2008

Hello, I am having trouble with the network connection of a server (no gui). I configured the eth0 interface to DHCP using the /etc/network/interfaces file like this:

Code:

auto eth0
iface eth0 inet dhcp

When the computer boots, and the modem is turned on, everything's ok. The problem is when it boots and the modem isn't on, it stays waiting for the DHCP response forever, and I need the computer to boot even if the apocalypse is unfolding.

Is there a way to make it stop waiting for the DHCP response if it fails the first time? Or any other solution to this problem?

Thanks

**superprash2003** · May 24th, 2008

is the dhcp server installed?

**Iowan** · May 24th, 2008

From man dhclient.conf:

The timeout statement

timeout time ;

The timeout statement determines the amount of time that must pass between the time that the client begins to try to determine its address and the time that it decides that it’s not going to be able to contact a server. By default, this timeout is sixty seconds. After the timeout has passed, if there are any static leases defined in the configuration file, or any leases remaining in the lease database that have not yet expired, the client will loop through these leases attempting to validate them, and if it finds one that appears to be valid, it will use that lease’s address. If there are no valid static leases or unexpired leases in the lease database, the client will restart the protocol after the defined retry interval.