dhcp search can't be avoided during installation

[Damienf]

During installation, one cannot choose to NOT use dhcp to configure the network
settings.

This was problematic for me because the computer I was installing ubuntu on was
in a network which had a DHCP server, but was not supposed to use it (instead it
was supposed to have a specific static IP). During the install, it obtained an
(incorrect) IP from the DHCP server. While one might debate the wisdom of the
network administrator's overall design in this case, it is a valid scenario that
caused me trouble.

Adding an option to the installation -- before the DHCP search begins -- to
manually configure network settings would fix this.

[Matt Zimmerman (mdz)]

Did you try expert mode?

[Damienf (damienf)]

What's expert mode? I don't recall seeing an option for that anywhere in the
installation.

Another alternative to the solution I suggested previously would be to do the
DHCP search, and then let the user confirm after the search that the settings
are correct. This might be less scary for novice users.

[Matt Zimmerman (mdz)]

At the very first prompt (boot:), where it says to press F1 for help and
advanced options, press F1.

[Matt Zimmerman (mdz)]

Changed the wrong bug...

[Damienf (damienf)]

Ok, that might work; I don't have an ubuntu cd lying around to test it.

I guess what I'm arguing is that this isn't really an "advanced" issue, and
there should be some way of handling it with the default install. I didn't have
this problem when installing Windows, for instance.

[George Ganoe (george-ganoe)]

(In reply to comment #1)
> Did you try expert mode?

Using Expert Install mode introduces a whole new set of problems. I attempted
that as a solution, and none of the System->Administration menu items would work
for the default user. I agree with the original poster that some method to
verify that a DHCP address is wanted should be part of the default install.

[Colin Watson (cjwatson)]

There's a cancel button on the DHCP search progress bar now. Does that address this wishlist? I'd rather not add a question asking whether you want to use DHCP, since I think it's a reasonable default for most users.

[Chris Weiss (cweiss)]

I'd like to take this a bit furthuer. I'm on a LAN (3 actualy, 2 with dnsmasq and one with a full ICS failover system) where we have integrated DHCP+DNS in such a way that that the dhcp server can give the client a certain IP address based on what name the client says it has. this is nice so that the IP becomes independant of wired and wiress access as well as when the pc card NIC is switched out for whatever reason. It also has the benifit that new PC's get their name configured in DNS without first requiring a MAC address profile to be programmed in the server.

netcfg can do this, but it's not the default (and it is the default on windows 2k and XP FWIW). I guess "enterprise" networks bother with setting up dhcp mac address based profiles, but on a 10, or even 50, user LAN with no on-site admin it's just not worth it. I think "DHCP with Hostname" should be the default. However, both what i want, and what the initial request wants can be solved without confusing any users.

Place a screen before the DCHP screen, maybe a slightly modified hostname screen, where it asks for the hostname with 4 buttons: continue, get hostname from DHCP, configure static IP, and skip networking. continue being the default. For most "users" (as in home/small bussiness end users) they are currently prompted for the hostname anyway so it's not any more screens. The exception is for those in large managed LAN's where the hostname is assigned from DHCP, and even then it's just "tab tab enter". And, IMO, if I was to worry about 3 extra keystrokes I'd probably not use the CD but an HDD imaging system anyway. I think this would make lots of people happy who are either tapping their foot waiting for the failure or franticaly going for the cancel button and wouldn't bother anyone but a very small number of network admins who most likely have the resources to work around it such as a custom distro build for the company.

[Marcus Asshauer (mcas)]

Thank you for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. You reported this bug a while ago and there hasn't been any activity in it recently. We were wondering is this still an issue for you? Can you try with latest Ubuntu release? Thanks in advance.

[Chris Weiss (cweiss)]

well, it hasn't changed, so I still think it could be better.

On Sat, Mar 29, 2008 at 10:21 AM, mcas <email address hidden> wrote:
> Thank you for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make
> Ubuntu better. You reported this bug a while ago and there hasn't been
> any activity in it recently. We were wondering is this still an issue
> for you? Can you try with latest Ubuntu release? Thanks in advance.
>
> ** Changed in: netcfg (Ubuntu)
> Status: New => Incomplete
>
>
>
> --
> dhcp search can't be avoided during installation
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/18195
> You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
> of the bug.
>