Which destination address does a DHCP client use to send the initial DHCP Discover packet when it is looking for a DHCPv4 server?

The host in any network can be assigned the IP address manually or dynamically. In a small home network having 2 or 3 computers, we can assign the IP addresses manually but imagine a network having hundreds of computer and you have to assign the IP addresses to all of them. It can be a nightmare for network administrators!! No two hosts can have the same IP address and assigning them IP address manually can lead to errors and confusion. So, to resolve this problem DHCP is needed. The DHCP is needed to simplify the assignment of IP addresses on a network. So, let's learn more about DHCP as we go through this blog.

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol is a network management protocol that is used to dynamically assign the IP address and other information to each host on the network so that they can communicate efficiently. DHCP automates and centrally manages the assignment of IP address easing the work of network administrator. In addition to the IP address, the DHCP also assigns the subnet masks, default gateway and domain name server(DNS) address and other configuration to the host and by doing so, it makes the task of network administrator easier.

  1. DHCP Server: It is typically a server or a router that holds the network configuration information.
  2. DHCP Client: It is the endpoint that gets the configuration information from the server like any computer or mobile.
  3. DHCP Relay Agent: If you have only one DHCP Server for multiple LAN’s then the DHCP relay agent present in every network will forward the DHCP request to the servers. This because the DHCP packets cannot travel across the router. Hence, the relay agent is required so that DHCP servers can handle the request from all the networks.
  4. IP address pool: It contains the list of IP address which are available for assignment to the client.
  5. Subnet Mask: It tells the host that in which network it is currently present.
  6. Lease Time: It is the amount of time for which the IP address is available to the client. After this time the client must renew the IP address.
  7. Gateway Address: The gateway address lets the host know where the gateway is to connect to the internet.

DHCP works at the application layer to dynamically assign the IP address to the client and this happens through the exchange of a series of messages called DHCP transactions or DHCP conversation.

  • DHCP Discovery: The DHCP client broadcast messages to discover the DHCP servers. The client computer sends a packet with the default broadcast destination of 255.255.255.255 or the specific subnet broadcast address if any configured. 255.255.255.255 is a special broadcast address, which means “this network”: it lets you send a broadcast packet to the network you’re connected to.
  • DHCP Offer: When the DHCP server receives the DHCP Discover message then it suggests or offers an IP address(form IP address pool) to the client by sending a DHCP offer message to the client. This DHCP offer message contains the proposed IP address for DHCP client, IP address of the server, MAC address of the client, subnet mask, default gateway, DNS address, and lease information.
  1. the proposed IP address for DHCP client (here 192.168.1.11)
  2. Subnet mask to identify the network (here 255.255.255.0)
  3. IP of the default gateway for the subnet (here 192.168.1.1)
  4. IP of DNS server for name translations (here 8.8.8.8)
  • DHCP Request: In most cases, the client can receive multiple DHCP offer because in a network there are many DHCP servers(as they provide fault tolerance). If the IP addressing of one server fails then other servers can provide backup. But, the client will accept only one DHCP offer. In response to the offer, the client sends a DHCP Request requesting the offered address from one of the DHCP servers. All the other offered IP addresses from remaining DHCP servers are withdrawn and returned to the pool of IP available addresses.
  • DHCP Acknowledgment: The server then sends Acknowledgment to the client confirming the DHCP lease to the client. The server might send any other configuration that the client may have asked. At this step, the IP configuration is completed and the client can use the new IP settings.
  1. It is easy to implement and automatic assignment of an IP address means an accurate IP address.
  2. The manual configuration of the IP address is not required. Hence, it saves time and workload for the network administrators.
  3. Duplicate or invalid IP assignments are not there which means there is no IP address conflict.
  4. It is a great benefit for mobile users as the new valid configurations are automatically obtained when they change their network.
  1. As the DHCP servers have no secure mechanism for the authentication of the client so any new client can join the network. This posses security risks like unauthorized clients being given IP address and IP address depletion from unauthorized clients.
  2. The DHCP server can be a single point of failure if the network has only one DHCP server.

This is all about DHCP and its working. Hope you learned something new today.

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The documentation set for this product strives to use bias-free language. For the purposes of this documentation set, bias-free is defined as language that does not imply discrimination based on age, disability, gender, racial identity, ethnic identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and intersectionality. Exceptions may be present in the documentation due to language that is hardcoded in the user interfaces of the product software, language used based on RFP documentation, or language that is used by a referenced third-party product. Learn more about how Cisco is using Inclusive Language.

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Dynamic Host Control Protocol (DHCP) provides a framework for passing configuration information dynamically to hosts on a TCP/IP network. A DHCP client is a host that uses DHCP to obtain configuration parameters such as an IP address.

A DHCP relay agent is any host that forwards DHCP packets between clients and servers. Relay agents are used to forward requests and replies between clients and servers when they are not on the same physical subnet. Relay agent forwarding is distinct from the normal forwarding of an IP router, where IP datagrams are switched between networks somewhat transparently. By contrast, relay agents receive DHCP messages and then generate a new DHCP message to send on another interface.

The figure below shows the basic steps that occur when a DHCP client requests an IP address from a DHCP server. The client, Host A, sends a DHCPDISCOVER broadcast message to locate a DHCP server. A relay agent forwards the packets between the DHCP client and server. A DHCP server offers configuration parameters (such as an IP address, a MAC address, a domain name, and a lease for the IP address) to the client in a DHCPOFFER unicast message.

Figure 1. DHCP Request for an IP Address from a DHCP Server

A DHCP client may receive offers from multiple DHCP servers and can accept any one of the offers; however, the client usually accepts the first offer it receives. Additionally, the offer from the DHCP server is not a guarantee that the IP address will be allocated to the client; however, the server usually reserves the address until the client has had a chance to formally request the address.

The client returns a formal request for the offered IP address to the DHCP server in a DHCPREQUEST broadcast message. The DHCP server confirms that the IP address has been allocated to the client by returning a DHCPACK unicast message to the client.

The formal request for the offered IP address (the DHCPREQUEST message) that is sent by the client is broadcast so that all other DHCP servers that received the DHCPDISCOVER broadcast message from the client can reclaim the IP addresses that they offered to the client.

If the configuration parameters sent to the client in the DHCPOFFER unicast message by the DHCP server are invalid (a misconfiguration error exists), the client returns a DHCPDECLINE broadcast message to the DHCP server.

The DHCP server will send to the client a DHCPNAK denial broadcast message, which means the offered configuration parameters have not been assigned, if an error has occurred during the negotiation of the parameters or the client has been slow in responding to the DHCPOFFER message (the DHCP server assigned the parameters to another client) of the DHCP server.

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The documentation set for this product strives to use bias-free language. For the purposes of this documentation set, bias-free is defined as language that does not imply discrimination based on age, disability, gender, racial identity, ethnic identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and intersectionality. Exceptions may be present in the documentation due to language that is hardcoded in the user interfaces of the product software, language used based on RFP documentation, or language that is used by a referenced third-party product. Learn more about how Cisco is using Inclusive Language.

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The documentation set for this product strives to use bias-free language. For the purposes of this documentation set, bias-free is defined as language that does not imply discrimination based on age, disability, gender, racial identity, ethnic identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and intersectionality. Exceptions may be present in the documentation due to language that is hardcoded in the user interfaces of the product software, language used based on RFP documentation, or language that is used by a referenced third-party product. Learn more about how Cisco is using Inclusive Language.

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