1. An asset tracking system comprising: a computer processing unit; and a computer-readable medium that stores computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the computer processing unit, cause the computer processing unit to perform operations comprising: receiving, from an asset, via a dynamic host configuration protocol relay of a router, a packet comprising a mac-layer address of the asset and an internet protocol address of the router, wherein a gateway address field of the packet is left blank by the asset and filled in by the dynamic host configuration protocol relay of the router with the internet protocol address of the router, determining an internet protocol address mapped to the mac-layer address of the asset, assigning, to the asset, the internet protocol address mapped to the mac-layer address of the asset, transmitting, to the asset, via the dynamic host configuration protocol relay, an acknowledgement packet comprising the internet protocol address assigned to the asset, receiving, from the asset, an association request, based at least in part on receiving the association request from the asset, providing, to the asset, using the internet protocol address assigned to the asset, a request for a geographical location of the asset and for a status of the asset, the geographical location of the asset and the status of the asset being previously unknown by the asset tracking system, receiving, from the asset, in response to the request, the geographical location of the asset and the status of the asset, wherein the geographical location of the asset is determined by the asset using a location detector coupled to the asset, and passing the geographical location of the asset and the status of the asset to a data repository.