Router DHCP Pool & Default Connection Limits
Expand pools and connection caps for 20–200 node farms.
Router DHCP Pool & Default Connection Limits
Before You Start
Consumer routers ship with small DHCP pools and low concurrent session caps. A twenty-node phone farm plus control PCs, spares, and WiFi handoff tests can exhaust leases or hit connection limits within days of scaling.
Required Equipment
Router or soft gateway (ikuai, OpenWrt, or enterprise tier), spreadsheet for IP map, label printer for physical port notes.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Count every device: farm nodes, control PCs, backup workstations, APs, and spares.
- Set DHCP pool size to at least 2× current nodes (example: 200 leases for 80 active nodes).
- On ikuai-class gateways: raise **connection quantity** and per-IP session limits in advanced settings.
- Short lease times (1h) cause churn under mass reboot—use 24h+ for stable farms.
- Reserve gateway (.1) and control PC MAC bindings for long-running test windows.
- Split subnets when mixing USB-only phases with LAN mirroring across multiple racks.
Troubleshooting Checklist
- Random "device offline" after nightly reboot: DHCP exhaustion—expand pool.
- Only some nodes get internet: asymmetric routing or hairpin rules on firewall.
- WiFi mirrors fail at scale: AP client limit—cap mirrors per AP or use wired LAN path.
When to Contact Support
Include router model, node count, and screenshot of DHCP settings when opening a network ticket.
Related Links
- /help/soft-router-user-guide
- /help/usb-to-wifi-handoff
- /services/packages
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