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DHCP Client

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Applies To: Windows Server 2008

With a DHCP server installed and configured on your network, DHCP-enabled clients can obtain their IP address and related configuration parameters dynamically each time they start and join your network. DHCP servers provide this configuration in the form of an address-lease offer to requesting clients.

Aspects

The following is a list of all aspects that are part of this managed entity:

Name Description

DHCP Client Address Conflicts

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) operates on a lease renewal basis. During the leasing process, IP address conflicts can occur as leases are renewed and expired. Client lease requests might be denied by the server for invalid (out of pool) or duplicate IP addresses. Multiple IP address conflict messages can indicate that your lease period, your scope, or both, need adjustment in your DHCP server configuration.

DHCP Client Configuration

Each time a DHCP client starts, it requests IP configuration information from a DHCP server including:

  • IP address
  • Subnet mask
  • Additional configuration parameters, such as a default gateway address, Domain Name System (DNS) server addresses, a DNS domain name, and Windows Internet Name Service (WINS) server addresses

DHCP Client IPv6 Availability

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) can lease both Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) and Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) addresses. If IPv6 is not available, the DHCP service uses IPv4 only.

DHCP Client Lease Validity

Each time a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) client starts, it requests IP addressing information from a DHCP server, including:

  • IP address
  • Subnet mask
  • Additional configuration parameters, such as a default gateway address, Domain Name System (DNS) server addresses, a DNS domain name, and Windows Internet Name Service (WINS) server addresses

When a DHCP server receives a request, it selects an available IP address from a pool of addresses defined in its database (along with other configuration parameters) and offers it to the DHCP client. If the client accepts the offer, the IP addressing information is leased to the client for a specified period of time.

DHCP Client Network Errors

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) clients and servers use messages to communicate during the DHCP configuration process. A network error might prevent the DHCP client from sending messages to the DHCP server.

DHCP Client Service Availability

A computer running Windows becomes a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) client if Obtain an IP address automatically is selected in its TCP/IP properties. When a client computer is set to use DHCP, it accepts a lease offer and can receive an IP address known to be valid for the network it is joining.

DHCP Client Trace Events

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) client trace events provide DHCP client service status.

DHCP Infrastructure