!? Just make static entries for each rig in the router and no matter which OS you would have installed (Linux, Windows or else) every rig will always receive the same address without making any changes to it's network configuration at all.
Tied to MAC address, I take it?
Not just like that:
1. Make static entries for each rig in the router: if you reset the router to default setting you probably lose the rig's ip
2. Don't need to make static entries for each rig in the router. As long as you don't spend all available ips in your pool you always will get the same ip
3. If you config /etc/network/interfaces with static ip in router's default range you'll always get on line and known your ip as this does not change
There is a few possibilities about what setup should be used which depends on user expectations.
In my case, my rigs are configure with static ip in computer and in router's default range in case of reset/default settings, no DHCP, ssh ports no standard and all behind routers with DHCP off.
You are right, but:
1. Depends on the router in use. I didn't reset mine for about 18 months. I use selfmade router (GA-N3150N-D3V + PfSense)
2. Depends on the router in use and it's config (DHCP lease time). Some "not good" ones tend to lease IP, that was not "online" for some time (rig that hanged for example) to other device (for example somebody came to you and you let him connect to you WiFi and one of the rigs have hanged right before he came)
3. see 2
So I said, disable dhcp in router if suitable and rarely will let you down, but of course a newly installed system usually needs DHCP, so I said:
"There is a few possibilities about what setup should be used which depends on user expectations."
In my opinion the first thing that matters is having ssh access to the remote rig once installed without touching the network configuration.
About routers I would get rid of those "Some "not good"" if it were possible.
Anyway, for tastes colors is not it?