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DHCP OVERVIEW
When configuring ARP, go to these sections for information you are interested in:
■ “Introduction to DHCP” on page 791
■ “DHCP Address Allocation” on page 792
■ “DHCP Message Format” on page 793
■ “DHCP Options” on page 794
■ “Protocols and Standards” on page 796
Introduction to DHCP The fast expansion and growing complexity of networks result in scarce IP
addresses assignable to hosts. Meanwhile, with the wide application of wireless
networks, the frequent movement of laptops across networks requires that the IP
addresses be changed accordingly. Therefore, related configurations on hosts
become more complex. Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) was
introduced to solve these problems.
DHCP is built on a client-server model, in which the client sends a configuration
request and then the server returns a reply to send configuration parameters such
as an IP address to the client.
A typical DHCP application, as shown in Figure 239, includes a DHCP server and
multiple clients (PCs and laptops).
Figure 239 A typical DHCP application
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When residing in a different subnet from the DHCP server, the DHCP client can get
the IP address and other configuration parameters from the server via a DHCP
relay agent. For information about the DHCP relay agent, refer to “Introduction to
DHCP Relay Agent” on page 813.
DHCP client DHCP client
DHCP client DHCP client
DHCP server
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