DHCP requst fails

[Seth]

After varying length of time I'm unable to obtain an IP (DHCP Reservation) from pfSense.  I'm seeing spanning tree messages in the Vista event logs, but nothing stating that the adapter is being blocked.

The following tasks have been taken before doing a soft reset

-Reboot client (Vista)
  -warm
  -cold
  -Disconnect power from PC
-Restart DHCP demon on PF

Environment
ALIX.2C3
vr0 WAN
vr1 LAN
vr2 bridged to LAN

No switch/Hub.  PC plugged into vr1.  vr2 is empty

1.2-RELEASE built on Sun Feb 24 17:37:23 EST 2008 Platform embedded

FYI WOL works all the time
Speed/Duplex are correct on both ends

Thanks for the help

[Cry Havok]

Does anything show in pfSense?  What does a packet capture (on both the pfSense and the Vista host) show when you do an "ipconfig/release" then "ipconfig/renew" on the Vista host?

[Seth]

I didn't run a trace when this was happening (I'll get one next time).  Computer is remote so getting a trace from the client side will be tough.  Logs on pfSense are clean.

FYI WOL works all the time

DHCP log from last nights problem

Nov 11 18:51:26 	dhcpd: DHCPACK to 192.168.3.5 (00:1d:09:99:3a:d7) via vr1
Nov 11 18:51:26 	dhcpd: DHCPINFORM from 192.168.3.5 via vr1
Nov 11 18:51:22 	dhcpd: DHCPACK on 192.168.3.5 to 00:1d:09:99:3a:d7 via vr1
Nov 11 18:51:22 	dhcpd: DHCPREQUEST for 192.168.3.5 (192.168.3.254) from 00:1d:09:99:3a:d7 via vr1
Nov 11 18:51:22 	dhcpd: DHCPOFFER on 192.168.3.5 to 00:1d:09:99:3a:d7 via vr1
Nov 11 18:51:22 	dhcpd: DHCPDISCOVER from 00:1d:09:99:3a:d7 via vr1
Nov 11 18:50:33 	dhcpd: Sending on Socket/fallback/fallback-net
Nov 11 18:50:33 	dhcpd: Sending on BPF/vr1/00:0d:b9:15:62:25/192.168.3/24
Nov 11 18:50:33 	dhcpd: Listening on BPF/vr1/00:0d:b9:15:62:25/192.168.3/24
Nov 11 18:50:33 	dhcpd: Wrote 0 leases to leases file.
Nov 11 18:50:33 	dhcpd: Wrote 0 new dynamic host decls to leases file.
Nov 11 18:50:33 	dhcpd: Wrote 0 deleted host decls to leases file.
Nov 11 18:50:33 	dhcpd: For info, please visit http://www.isc.org/sw/dhcp/
Nov 11 18:50:33 	dhcpd: All rights reserved.
Nov 11 18:50:33 	dhcpd: Copyright 2004-2006 Internet Systems Consortium.
Nov 11 18:50:33 	dhcpd: Internet Systems Consortium DHCP Server V3.0.5
Nov 11 18:50:27 	dhcpd: Sending on Socket/fallback/fallback-net
Nov 11 18:50:27 	dhcpd: Sending on BPF/vr1/00:0d:b9:15:62:25/192.168.3/24
Nov 11 18:50:27 	dhcpd: Listening on BPF/vr1/00:0d:b9:15:62:25/192.168.3/24
Nov 11 18:50:27 	dhcpd: Wrote 0 leases to leases file.
Nov 11 18:50:27 	dhcpd: Wrote 0 new dynamic host decls to leases file.
Nov 11 18:50:27 	dhcpd: Wrote 0 deleted host decls to leases file.
Nov 11 18:50:27 	dhcpd: For info, please visit http://www.isc.org/sw/dhcp/
Nov 11 18:50:27 	dhcpd: All rights reserved.
Nov 11 18:50:27 	dhcpd: Copyright 2004-2006 Internet Systems Consortium.
Nov 11 18:50:27 	dhcpd: Internet Systems Consortium DHCP Server V3.0.5

[wallabybob]

The DHCP log clearly shows an address assignment from pfSense over vr1. I presume that is for the PC you used to capture the log.

The Vista system is described as "remote". I presume then that its on the other side of the WAN link. Whats between the Vista system and pfSense?

[Seth]

1.  I started getting DHCP addresses after a soft reboot of the pfSense box after 18:50.  Non of the remedy's listed in the original post worked. 
2. The Vista box is connected directly to the Alix at vr1.  No switch or hub.  vr1 is LAN.  vr2 is bridged to LAN.  vr2 is not populated
3. The management PC is coming over VPN (site to site)

[wallabybob]

It sounds as if it should have worked before. Its difficult to wind back the clock to see what was different then that it didn't work then.

Perhaps it would be worthwhile doing a few ipconfig/release ipconfig/renew sequences on the Vista box to test whether you have some sort of intermittent problem. Even try changing the DHCP address ranges a few times to ensure the Vista box is assigned different IP addresses and so force the software through at least a couple of different paths (reassigned previous address; assigned new address).

[Seth]

I think the problem is with pfSense.

I ran ipconf /release and /renew
Rebooted PC
unplugged it form AC
disconnected reconnected network cable
and
restarted the dhcp demon on pfsense.

Running a capture now from pf for dhcp traffic waiting for it to fail.

Will setup a script on Vista to release and renew to see if I can force the issue.