we have little network devices which are shipped with IP address 0.0.0.1 to *ensure* that they never collide with any other device in their new environment (thus none of the 10.x.x.x, 172.16.x.x or 192.168.x.x ranges) until configuration. DHCP is no solution since there might be no DHCP server in the field.

The devices would listen to UDP broadcasts and answer with broadcasts until they are given their new IP address this way.

This worked fine with Windows XP - but sucks with Windows 7: the config program does not receive the answer packets from the devices which still have 0.0.0.1. Wireshark sees the packets, then they are dumped by the system.

Question: Is there any *reason* (RFC?) that actually **prohibits** using this address in a local environment? Or is it just MS that was overcautious? *Where* can I read why they treat this address "invalid"? Which ranges are *really* "invalid" now, too?

Any idea of a workaround on the PC side (Win 7)?

I know that it is not recommended to use 0.xxx addresses for *work places*, but for this very reason - having a not-used address - it works perfectly.

Edit: there is a device out there called "Netburner" which might have faced the similar issue, according to their forum. See: <http://forum.embeddedethernet.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=612&p=2198> Does - by coincidence - anybody know some background information?