PXE boot without DHCP server, that is, through a router?

Question

Computer networks

Hello dear craftsmen.
I apologize in advance for the long text. Tried to get to the bottom of the issue.
I began to be interested in the implementation of PXE boot, or rather the installation of various operating systems over the network on client machines. I was puzzled by the following point: in order to implement the launch or installation of the OS on client machines, you need to configure both DHCP and tftp server, with the configuration there are also no questions. The question is - Is it possible to do without a separately configured DHCP server-machine by configuring and preparing only a tftp server-machine. We have a local network where some kind of home TP-Link acts as a dhcp server and on the same local network there are, for example, two client PCs that must be loaded over the network, and also on the same network there is, for example, a PC with an installed OS and deployed in it tftp (or launched with a live drbl distribution, which is intended for PXE boot tasks). Is it possible to do this through a simple router?

Answer 1

It is possible without DHCP, if you only do the initial boot from some media in which there will be a network adapter driver, a prescribed static address and software for further boot via BOOTP. At one time I met such a designer who prepared a boot floppy disk for booting over the network, this media was intended for network adapters that did not support PXE, but in general it just satisfies your wishes.
When booting via BIOS PXE, I have never seen such an opportunity.
DHCP in the remote boot scheme is needed not only to issue an address, but also to specify the remote boot server.

Answer 2

Then disable DHCP on the router and where tftp is, run DHCP. Home routers usually do not have settings for network booting.

Answer 3

You need not so much a dhcp server as a BOOTP server. Which is usually built into the DHCP server in advanced routers. With a home router in stock, it will not work, if only to flash it on WRT and raise it there.