The Realm of the Verbal Processor

PXE Booting and IP Helper-Address Resources

I commonly work with clients who want to use PXE as the method for starting the Operating System Deployment process. In practically all instances the ConfigMgr server (and hence the PXE Service Point) and the clients are not on the same subnet. By default the PXE UDP packet will not be forwarded by the router…it will just drop it. As a result there are two methods for getting PXE to work across subnets…the IP Helper-Address and setting DHCP options.

Let me first address the DHCP Options scenario. First, this option is officially unsupported by Microsoft for getting PXE to work (per this blog post). It can work, but it may not be reliable and consistent. The DHCP options to set are a combination of 60, 66 and 67 depending on the scenario…in particular depending on whether the PXE server is on the same box as the DHCP server. The blog post linked above describes the options.

Below are a few resources that I have found helpful in understanding what the IP Helper-Address is, why you would set it, and defending the decision with the network team (which nearly ALWAYS happens). I will update this list as I find others. If

Troubleshooting the PXE Service Point and WDS in Configuration Manager 2007

Cisco IP Addressing and Services Commands

Cisco Support Forum: DHCP and PXE Question (see the response in this thread from Robert Taylor)

Trinity Explains The IP Helper-Address Command

Checklist for getting PXE to work in ConfigMgr

PXE Service Point causes the Windows Deployment Services Server service to crash and hang

PXE clients computers do not start when you configure the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol server to use options 60, 66, 67

Windows Deployment Service stops responding when you use a PXE service point on a computer that is running a System Center Configuration Manager 2007 SP1 or SP2 site server

Windows Deployment Services server that is running Windows Server 2003 may not start after you move the server to a different organizational unit

August 19, 2011 - Posted by Jarvis | ConfigMgr