BOOTP request problems

I'm trying to set up an nfsroot boot, and instructed syslinux to use
bootp to configure itself:

label nfs2
kernel vmlinuz
append root=/dev/nfs ip=:192.168.254.10::255.255.255.0:::'bootp'
nfsroot=192.168.254.10:/export/home/emb_share init=/bin/init



I now have the kernel sending BOOTP requests, but it looks like this:

Sending BOOTP requests .?.?.?.?.?.? timed out!



The BOOTP server that I set up on my windows box (Cabletron TFTP/BOOTP
services) shows the BOOTP requests coming in, but that there's a
problem...

BOOTP Error: [10040] Error reading from socket



The same linux behavior was happening when I was using another BOOTP
server, but which didn't have a log so that I could see what was
happening.



I assume that the kernel or the ip= is set incorrectly... does anyone
have any insight on this behavior?