A server's static IP address got set to x.x.x.255 on a Windows network, but apparently .255 addresses are broadcast addresses to windows. So now I can't connect to the box from my Windows machine.
If I get hold of a linux box and put it on the network, will that be able to connect to it, or is it more than just a Windows issue?
Depends on the subnet mask on the server. If the subnet mask is set so that the .255 address is the last address in the subnet, then there's no way to connect to it over the network. If not, then change the subnet mask on any other machine on the network (Windows or Linux) to match, and you'll be able to connect to it.
Just a little bit of info: .255 addresses are broadcast addresses in any network where it's the last available IP in a subnet, whether it's Windows, Unix, or anything else communicating via TCP/IP.
You're going to have to get to the server's console to manually change the address back.
