Quick Summary: Choose "IP Address" under Advanced Settings and tap "Add Reservation".
While your ISP may provide you with a static IP address for your WAN port (connected to your cable modem or fiber box), we do not recommend using a static IP address for the LAN side of your mesh router system.
Instead, use DHCP with a DHCP reservation to get the best of both worlds--dynamic addresses for most clients, and reservations for the special clients that need to have an address that won't change.
To make a DHCP reservation:
- In the Wyze app, select your Wyze Mesh Router from the list of devices on the main device screen (home screen).
- On your Wyze Mesh Router's Network Overview screen, tap the gear icon in the upper right-hand corner.
- Select Advanced Settings.
- Select IP Address.
- Tap the plus (+) symbol next to Add Reservation.
- A list of all the devices connected to the router, both wired and wireless will appear. Select the device you want to have a fixed IP address and choose Next.
- If you don't see your device listed (because it's not currently connected), no problem! Scroll all the way to the bottom of the list and choose Custom. You can then type in a MAC address and IP address manually.
- Either accept the IP address suggested or tap on the address to type a new one. Note: if you choose a different address than the one suggested, be careful that no existing devices are currently using the address you type in.
- When you've verified that the MAC address of the device is correct (your device will include a MAC address for each wired and wireless interface), tap Save.
To delete a DHCP reservation:
- From the IP Address screen, tap on the device with an existing reservation you want to delete.
- Tap Delete Reservation at the bottom of the screen.
To change a DHCP reservation:
While it's not possible to edit a reservation, you can first delete and then create a revised reservation by following the steps in the sections above.
Background Information
What is DHCP?
Think of DHCP like a friendly host at a party at your home. When your friends (devices) arrive, the host (DHCP) gives them a fancy name tag (IP address) so they can easily find and talk to each other. This makes it super easy for your devices to join the Wi-Fi party without you having to assign each one a name tag yourself. Plus, if a friend leaves early or a new one shows up, the host takes care of it by handing out or taking back the name tags as needed. So, DHCP is like a helpful buddy that makes managing your home network a breeze!
OK, that was a cheesy analogy, what's the real definition?
DHCP stands for Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol. It is a network protocol that allows your Wyze Mesh Router to automatically assign IP addresses to your laptops, tablets, Wyze cams and any other clients when they connect to your Wi-Fi or wired network. The main purpose of DHCP is to simplify the management of IP addresses and make it easier for devices to join and leave a network without manual intervention. When a device connects to a DHCP-enabled network, it requests an IP address from the DHCP server software running on your Wyze Mesh Router (the root router, actually), which then assigns an available address to the device for a specific period of time, known as a lease.
What is a DHCP reservation?
A DHCP reservation is a way to make sure a specific device always gets the same IP address when it connects to a network. DHCP, which stands for Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol, is a system that automatically assigns IP addresses to devices on a network. By reserving an IP address for a particular device, you ensure that the device always has the same IP address, making it easier to find and manage on the network. Without a reservation, each device will get a randomly assigned address number from the list of available addresses on your Wyze Mesh Router's network.