DHCP Server assigns IP address and other related IP information (Subnet mask, Gateway and DNS) automatically to network devices. But automatic DHCP Server has some disadvantages too. If any IP device connects to any automatic DHCP network, the device will get an IP address and related IP information automatically by the DHCP Server and the device will start to use resources of this network.

In this situation, the network administrator cannot know who is being connected to the network and using network resources such internet bandwidth, network printer and server. This unauthorized access is obviously a security issue of any network. But network administrator can prevent this unauthorized access to his network by applying  static DHCP Server strategy in MikroTik Router.

Static DHCP Server Strategy

A network administrator can prevent unauthorized DHCP client access to his network by applying static DHCP Server strategy in MikroTik Router. Static DHCP server strategy is also known as MAC address binding with DHCP server.

In a static DHCP network, the user of any IP device must provide MAC address to the network administrator to get IP address and related IP information such as Subnet mask, Gateway and DNS. Any IP device will not get IP address and other related information without providing MAC address.

For example, say you have a office network like below network diagram where users are coming with their IP devices.

As you have a DHCP network, they can manage SSID and Password of the APs and can be connected to the network through automatic DHCP Server. Obviously, this is a security issue in your network.

Now if we implement a strategy that no IP device can be connected to the network although there is DHCP Server and public SSID and Password of the WiFi Netwrok. We can easily build such a network where no user can be connected without our permission by applying static DHCP strategy which also known as DHCP MAC address binding.

Static DHCP Server Configuration

Obviously, Static DHCP Server is a beneficial feature for any network. We will now see how to configure a static DHCP Server in our network with MikroTik Router. Complete static DHCP Server configuration can be divided into 3 steps.

1. MikroTik Router basic configuration
2. DHCP Configuration in MikroTik Router and
3. Converting Automatic DHCP Server to Static DHCP Server.

MikroTik Router basic configuration was explained in previous article. If you are a new MikroTik user, follow my article about MikroTik Router basic configuration using winbox and complete the basic MikroTik configuration.

After completing MikroTik Router basic configuration, we have to configure DHCP Server in our MikroTik Router. How to configure a DHCP Server Configuration in MikroTik Router was explained in my previous article. Follow all the steps from 1 to 8 described in that article and then follow below steps to turn your DHCP Server into a static DHCP Server.

1. Go to IP > Pool to open IP Pool window.
2. From IP Pool window, remove the automatic DHCP server pool. So, no IP will be provided automatically by the DHCP Server.
3. Now go to IP > DHCP Server and double click on active DHCP Server and then check Address Pool of DHCP server and make it static-only.
4. Now click on Lease tab and click PLUS SIGN(+) button. New DHCP Lease will appear. Provide IP address, MAC address of any device and choose DHCP Server from Server drop-down menu and then click Apply and OK button.
5. Now connect this IP device to the network. A static DHCP IP address and related IP information will be provided to this device. If the device gets IP information successfully, you will see that the DHCP lease status is bound in DHCP lease window.
6. Similarly, we can add as many devices as we want following the step 4 and step 5.

To turn DHCP Server into static DHCP Server, we have to follow the above steps carefully otherwise, we will not get our desired result. If you face any issue to do above steps, please watch carefully the video following about MikroTik Router Static DHCP Server Configuration. 

Static DHCP Server configuration in MikroTik Router has been explained in this article. I hope you will now be able to configure a static DHCP Server in your network. However, if you face any problem to configure static DHCP Server in your network, feel free to discuss in comment or contact with me from Contact page. I will try my best to stay with you.