- Its stands for Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol.
- It is a Client/Sever protocol that automatically provides an IP host with its IP address and other related configuration information such as the subnet mask and default gateway.
- Many network administrators prefer to use DHCP instead of manually assigning IP addresses.
- DHCP sever can be configure on any OS and device.
Benefits of DHCP:
- It prevents IP address conflicts and helps conserve the use of client IP address on the network.
- DHCP reduces the complexity and amount of administrative work by assigning TCP/IP configuration automatically to the clients.
How DHCP works:
- The user turn on a computer with DHCP client.
- The client computer sends a broadband request, looking for a DHCP sever to answer.
- The router directs the DISCOVER packet to the correct DHCP server.
- The server receives the DISCOVER packet.
- The sever sends an ACK packet to DHCP client.
Why use DHCP:
- Without DHCP, IP addresses must be configured manually for new computer or computer that are moved from one subnet to another.
- Valid TCP/IP configuration parameters for all client on network.
- Reserved IP address associated with particular DHCP clients. This allow consistent assignment of a single IP address to single DHCP client.
APIPA:
- Its stands for Automatic Private IP Addressing, a feature of later windows operating system.
- With APIPA, DHCP clients can automatically self configure an IP address and subnet mask when a DHCP sever is not available.
- If the client is unable to find the information, it uses APIPA to automatically configure itself with an IP address.
- The IP address range is 169.254.0.1 through 169.254.255.254.
- The client also configures itself with a default class B subnet mask of 255.255.0.0.
Limitations of DHCP:
- When DHCP sever is unavailable, client is unable to access enterprises network.
- Your computer name does not change the you get new IP address.
Video about DHCP:
My notes images:
