Ok so my work just purchased a Dell PoE switch.

Currently the way this is all connected (since the switch is sitting on my desk) is as follows.

Internet --> Linksys Switch --> Firewall (Running Smoothwall) --> 3Com Switch --> 3Com Switch --> PoE Switch <-- Laptop

Now port one is configured to accept a DHCP address from the DHCP server and it received 192.168.0.157. I can ping all around the internal and external network, and I can ping google and any other website my heart desires. However when I connect a PC to the switch it doesn't pick up a valid ip address.

2 Problems so far exist:
1) Is I can't find anyway of configuring DHCP on this switch
2) The switch appears to be blocking DHCP requests (so it seems).

With Cisco routes which I am used to configuring you would setup a Helper Address and use a Relay Agent to get the DHCPed information from another system however the Dell system seems to use quite a few proprietary commands. I think the manufacturer of the switch is Anatel.

Why my work bought this instead of a Cisco PoE switch is beyond me haha.

So surfi, cookie, wj or anyone with suggestions?

Slightly confused.

I've used alot of switces, As long as you have dhcp server and your switch is coonected to your network.

You shouldn't really have to do much for it to work.

Most dell switches i use work straight out of the box.  Providing i have it connected to an active port on my network. it will just pick up all its own stuff with out issue's.

Only time i need to configure a switch is if i want to set up a Vlan.

Exactly that is the confusing part because switches are supposed to broadcast requests however no computer I connect is able to get a DHCPed address from the Firewall.

Extremely confusing.

But if you connect your laptop to your switch it gets an ip address fine?

or do you have you laptop setup as static IP?

Nothing gets an IP Address at all which is weird. Except port 1. Port 1 is getting an IP from the Firewall because the port is setup to accept a DHCP address. If I do that for the port a computer is connected to it will try and get a dhcped address from the device connected which wont work.

what happens if you connect the last port on the switch to your network?

I know sometimes the main port can be the last one on the switch. For the switch to get connectivity through the network.

Same thing is happening. I posted on the dell support forum lets see if anyone gets back to me.

pretty strange let me know when you get it resolved to so i can cure my curiosity please. lol

Sure thing will do.

The thing that is misleading its the website said this will do DHCP but it wont. It will only receive a DHCPed address on a specific port.

very confusing

look forward to hearing the solution

The DHCP address the switch received probably has a web-based management interface on it.  It should be much easier to use than the command line interface.  Just poke around and see what you can find.

Other than that, I would expect it to work with the default settings.

It does have a web interface however the configuration isn't quite what I need. I can't seem to find a way of getting the switch to pass the dhcp requests although it should because a switch broadcasts requests.