Dynamic IP Address Assignment by DHCP Server

How DHCP Servers Assign IP Addresses to Hosts

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How does a DHCP server dynamically assign IP addresses to hosts?

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A. B. C. D.

D

DHCP stands for Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol, which is a network protocol used to dynamically allocate IP addresses and other network configuration parameters to devices on a network. The DHCP server is responsible for managing the pool of IP addresses that can be assigned to the hosts.

When a device boots up on a network, it sends a broadcast message requesting an IP address. The DHCP server receives this request and checks its pool of available addresses. If an address is available, the server assigns it to the requesting device and sends a response message containing the assigned IP address, subnet mask, default gateway, and other network configuration parameters.

The DHCP server can assign IP addresses to hosts in several ways:

A. Addresses are allocated after a negotiation between the server and the host to determine the length of the agreement.

This statement is not entirely correct. DHCP does not negotiate the length of the agreement. Instead, the DHCP server assigns a lease time to the IP address. The lease time determines how long the host can use the assigned IP address before it needs to renew the lease.

B. Addresses are permanently assigned so that the hosts use the same address at all times.

This statement is not correct. DHCP assigns IP addresses dynamically, which means that the IP addresses are not permanently assigned to the hosts. The DHCP server can reassign IP addresses to different hosts when they are not in use.

C. Addresses are assigned for a fixed period of time, at the end of the period, a new request for an address must be made.

This statement is partially correct. DHCP assigns IP addresses with a lease time, which is a fixed period of time that the host can use the assigned IP address. When the lease time expires, the host needs to renew the lease by requesting a new IP address.

D. Addresses are leased to hosts. A host will usually keep the same address by periodically contacting the DHCP server to renew the lease.

This statement is correct. DHCP leases IP addresses to hosts. The lease time determines how long the host can use the assigned IP address. The host can renew the lease by contacting the DHCP server before the lease time expires. If the host does not renew the lease, the DHCP server can assign the IP address to another host.

In summary, DHCP dynamically assigns IP addresses to hosts by leasing them for a fixed period of time. The DHCP server manages a pool of available IP addresses and assigns them to hosts when they request an address. The hosts can renew the lease by contacting the DHCP server before the lease time expires.