message in syslog.log

[rbiorn]

Hi!
Repeatedly I get the message:
"...bootpd[791]: harware address length (1) not as expected (6).
I have searched the bootptab file for any errors without result. The server is DNS to serve printers on itself and an Windows Terminal Server environment.
Is there a way I can locat the unit with the hardwareaddress? Could it be any other peripheral unit (router, switch, PC) thats not present in the bootptab?
Yours Ragnar
(Excelent FORUM by the way!!!!)

[CHRIS_ANORUO]

You can use arp -a to find out the hard ware address.

[John Waller]

Hi,
I have seen this message myself. I believe that it occures when a device makes a dhcp request. DHCP is an automatic way of running bootp, it means that you can automatically allocate IP address to any device that requests it A lot of network software and network devices are are automatically configured to obtain an IP address from a dhcp server. Since you are running bootp and probably have not configured dhcp I believe these messages are caused by unknow devices making this dhcp request which gets picked up by your bootpd. If you know the MAC address of the likely device making the request you can add it to your bootptab file and it will get allocated the IP address in the same way as a bootp request.

[rbiorn]

Thank you both!
I am satisfied so far. I have been able to narrow it down to six unknown hosts, and do the search from there.