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OPEN CALL: Because we are using a primary, as well as a secondary, subnet on the VLAN interface, we also had to configure dhcp smart-relay on the VLAN interface.

The way that dhcp smart-relay works is that it allows the Cisco IOS Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) relay agent to switch the gateway address (giaddr field of a DHCP packet) to secondary addresses when there is no DHCPOFFER message from a DHCP server. The agent switches to the secondary after three failed attempts using the primary gateway IP.

From my capture of the boot disk in operation, I can see that it tries to request an IP three times and then gives up.

Hence, the problem. We have no way to change the behaviour of the dhcp smart-relay function. Hence, the only solution would be that we don't use secondaries and waste IP space, or you somehow find a way for the boot disk client to try more than three times to acquire a dhcp address before it gives up.

Does anyone know if you can increase the number of attempts from the boot CD?

Thank you.