Hey everyone! I'm experiencing a frustrating issue with DHCP after reinstalling Windows Server. Initially, I set up **Windows Server 2025** with **Active Directory** and **DHCP**, and everything ran smoothly. Clients would get IP addresses without any hassle when the cables were plugged in.
However, I had to wipe everything and reinstall using **Windows Server 2022**. I configured **Active Directory** and **DHCP** the same way I did before, with identical IP ranges and scope options. But now, when I connect a client, it isn't receiving an IP address; instead, it's landing with an **APIPA 169.x.x.x** address.
After a full day of troubleshooting without success, I reverted to **Windows Server 2025** again, thinking there might be a glitch with 2022. Unfortunately, even after a fresh setup of 2025, DHCP is still not assigning IP addresses. It feels like some leftover settings from the old servers are obstructing DHCP responses.
Any ideas on what could be causing this problem? Why did the initial setup work fine but not this time, despite everything being identical?
5 Answers
Try using Wireshark to monitor the interface and see if the DHCP requests from clients are coming in. If they're not, there might be a network issue. If they are, check the firewall settings for the DHCP service—modern networking gear sometimes flags rogue servers and blocks responses.
Could it be related to the hostname? Have you tried unauthorizing and then reauthorizing the DHCP server? Sometimes, those steps can help reset things and resolve conflicts.
Sounds like it could be a DNS issue. When I had a similar problem, I had to make sure that both servers were properly registered in DNS.
If possible, try manually assigning an IP to a device and see if you can ping the DHCP server from that device. This can give you clues about where the issue lies.
Are you keeping the same hostname and server IP each time you re-image the server? If you've been changing it, check the DHCP relay settings on your switches; they might need updating.
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