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I have a Windows AD Domain running on Windows Server 2019, it has DHCP and DNS in addition to AD. I'm trying to setup a PXE server on a different machine running CentOS Stream 8. I got the PXE server installed and it has a static IP address. I added options 66 and 67 in the scope options on Windows DHCP to point to the CentOS PXE server but when I network boot a third machine, it isn't finding the PXE server. The guide I followed (mainly for laziness) and a site I found about the different options are linked below. I didn't install DNSMasq or the DHCP server on the CentOS box since that is being covered by Windows Server. Am I missing anything??

https://www.tecmint.com/install-pxe-network-boot-server-in-centos-8/

http://wiki.r1soft.com/display/CDP3/Configuring+DHCP+Server+on+Windows

GhostWolf
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    So Windows the only DHCP server? And it has the correct options, have you verified what is on the wire with tcpdump/wireshark? – NiKiZe Jul 28 '21 at 05:30
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    Have you checked firewall and SELinux on CentOS 8? I feel we don't have enough info to help you out. Checked /var/log/xferlog for tftpd? – Vinícius Ferrão Jul 28 '21 at 06:50
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    There is no "PXE server" rather it consists of DHCP and TFTP services, might help to clarify that, so from what I understand your Linux box only serves as the TFTP server, while windows does all the DHCP. What is the exact thing you see on screen when you claim "it isn't finding the PXE server" ? Maybe some of the steps at https://ipxe.org/howto/msdhcp could be used to verify if you have missed anything on the DHCP side – NiKiZe Jul 28 '21 at 06:52
  • Windows is the only DHCP server, it has options 66 (Boot Server Host Name) and 67 (Bootfile Name) configured, I have not checked WireShark yet (that's a good idea, I forgot about it), I disabled the firewall to test if that was an issue (no change in the problem) and SELinux is currently disabled. The xferlog is currently empty. @NiKiZe - you're correct, the linux box only serves as TFTP while Windows does the DHCP. It exactly says "PXE-E53: No boot filename received". I'd give ya a screen shot, but I can't upload it for some reason. – GhostWolf Jul 28 '21 at 20:56
  • Then it should be safe to say that the issue is the DHCP server, have you tried restarting the DHCP service? But do make sure with wireshark what goes over the wire, might be worth confirming that there is no other DHCP server on the network, (as in check which dhcp server the clients report, using iPXE from USB or similar and use dhcp + config should give you some useful debug information) – NiKiZe Jul 28 '21 at 21:39

1 Answers1

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  1. Do not use options 66 and 67 use the DHCP fields "file" (NBP) and "next-server" (TFTP Server IP) instead
  2. Consider the field "file" must point to the different NBPs (Legacy, UEFI32, and UEFI64), they must be offered depending on the Booting client architecture and this is said by the booting client on the DHCPDISCOVERY packet DHCP Option 93.
  3. Use Wireshark for debugging your setup
Pat
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