iPXE function

[corigins]

Hello
Please excuse my naivety as I ask questions about iPXE software I know very little about.
May I ask whether the default configuration is a iPXE CD is needed to first to boot a computer? Or are iPXE files saved to the server?

I have a Thecus NAS which is running a 3rd party PXE mod. Therefore there is now a TFTP folder for me to load all the files I need to deploy Windows across my network using wimboot eventually. However following the instructions has lead to me to think I would have to boot with a iPXE CD every time.

Richard

[NiKiZe]

iPXE is primarily an NBP which stands for Network Boot Program, you can chain it from most existing PXE implementations. Have you read http://ipxe.org/howto/chainloading ? not saying it is a good guide, but it explains the concepts specific to iPXE. please see https://networkboot.org/

[corigins]

(2018-11-10 09:09)NiKiZe Wrote:  Have you read http://ipxe.org/howto/chainloading ?

No I hadn't but happy you gave that link. It seems to be clearly the avenue I'm looking for.

However I note this passage on the page:
"Configure your DHCP server to hand out undionly.kpxe as the boot file."

I have a simple VDSL modem handling DHCP and I don't think it has the facilty to hand out anything other than a lease? Does iPXE assume I have a MS/Linux server conducting DHCP instead of a modem/router?

Richard

[NiKiZe]

If you want any kind of PXE chain loading than you will need to be in control of the DHCP service on the network. And you must also have an TFTP server.

So set up a dhcp server for your network and disable the dhcp in the VDSL modem

[corigins]

Ok, via your input I think I've come to the realisation that iPXE isn't suited to my infrastructure. Although it's close, I ultimately wanted to minimise the amount of devices required to deploy Windows.

Thank you NiKiZe for your help none the less.

[NiKiZe]

You will always need a dhcp service that you can control for full PXE deployments. (This goes for non iPXE as well) You can of course test all of this with iPXE on USB first.

[corigins]

(2018-11-13 11:25)NiKiZe Wrote:  You will always need a dhcp service that you can control for full PXE deployments.

This is the PXE mod I was hoping to use on my NAS.
http://www.thecus.com/sp_app_intro.php?APP_ID=357
If I've misread the mod's requirements for a dedicated DHCP server then I stand corrected.

[NiKiZe]

(2018-11-14 02:30)corigins Wrote:  

(2018-11-13 11:25)NiKiZe Wrote:  You will always need a dhcp service that you can control for full PXE deployments.

This is the PXE mod I was hoping to use on my NAS.
http://www.thecus.com/sp_app_intro.php?APP_ID=357
If I've misread the mod's requirements for a dedicated DHCP server then I stand corrected.

Yes you can run a DHCP on the NAS instead (which it seems to do)
I have not read more then just the first part of the description, so I can be wrong on the details.
But enabling DHCP with correct settings on your NAS and then disable the DHCP service on your router should work just great.
Then there is also proxy-dhcp which can work together with an authoritive DHCP service - but that isn't what I would recommend for a first test configuration.