DHCP: If the allow list is enabled, MAC address filtering should be populated

Applies To: Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2012

This topic is intended to address a specific issue identified by a Best Practices Analyzer scan. You should apply the information in this topic only to computers that have had the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol Best Practices Analyzer run against them and are experiencing the issue addressed by this topic. For more information about best practices and scans, see Best Practices Analyzer (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=122786).

The allow list for MAC address filtering is enabled, but the list does not contain any MAC addresses.

The DHCP server will not lease reserved IP addresses to clients with conflicting MAC address filters.

Use the DHCP MMC to change the MAC address filters so that reservations are not excluded.

MAC address based filtering allows specific control over which clients have access to DHCP addresses. You can create a list of computers that are allowed to obtain DHCP addresses from the server by adding the client MAC address to the list of allowed client computers. By enabling the allow list, you automatically deny access to the DHCP server addresses to any client computer not on the list.

Membership in the Administrators or DHCP Administrators group is the minimum required to complete this procedure.

1. Click Start, point to Administrative Tools and then click DHCP.

2. In the console tree, expand the applicable DHCP server, expand IPv4, and then expand Filters

3. Right-click Allow, click New Filter…, type the Mac address and Description of the client to allow, and then click Add.

For updated detailed IT pro information about DHCP, see the Windows Server 2008 R2 documentation on the Microsoft TechNet Web site.