What Is DHCP?

Updated: March 28, 2003

What is DHCP?
Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) is a client/server protocol that automatically provides an Internet Protocol (IP) host with its IP address and other related configuration information such as the subnet mask and default gateway. RFCs 2131 and 2132 define DHCP as an Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) standard based on Bootstrap Protocol (BOOTP), a protocol with which DHCP shares many implementation details. DHCP allows hosts to obtain necessary TCP/IP configuration information from a DHCP server. The Microsoft Windows Server 2003 operating system includes a DHCP Server service, which is an optional networking component. All Windows-based clients include the DHCP client as part of TCP/IP, including Windows Server 2003, Microsoft Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows NT 4.0, Windows Millennium Edition (Windows Me), and Windows 98. Note It is necessary to have an understanding of basic TCP/IP concepts, including a working knowledge of subnets before you can fully understand DHCP. For more information about TCP/IP, see TCP/IP Technical Reference. Top of page

Benefits of DHCP
In Windows Server 2003, the DHCP Server service provides the following benefits: Reliable IP address configuration. DHCP minimizes configuration errors caused by manual IP address configuration, such as typographical errors, or address conflicts caused by the assignment of an IP address to more than one computer at the same time. Reduced network administration. DHCP includes the following features to reduce network administration: Centralized and automated TCP/IP configuration. The ability to define TCP/IP configurations from a central location. The ability to assign a full range of additional TCP/IP configuration values by means of DHCP options. The efficient handling of IP address changes for clients that must be updated frequently,

such as those for portable computers that move to different locations on a wireless network. The forwarding of initial DHCP messages by using a DHCP relay agent, thus eliminating the need to have a DHCP server on every subnet. Top of page

Why use DHCP

Every device on a TCP/IP-based network must have a unique unicast IP address to access the network and its resources. Without DHCP, IP addresses must be configured manually for new computers or computers that are moved from one subnet to another, and manually reclaimed for computers that are removed from the network. DHCP enables this entire process to be automated and managed centrally. The DHCP server maintains a pool of IP addresses and leases an address to any DHCP-enabled client when it starts up on the network. Because the IP addresses are dynamic (leased) rather than static (permanently assigned), addresses no longer in use are automatically returned to the pool for reallocation. The network administrator establishes DHCP servers that maintain TCP/IP configuration information and provide address configuration to DHCP-enabled clients in the form of a lease offer. The DHCP server stores the configuration information in a database, which includes: Valid TCP/IP configuration parameters for all clients on the network. Valid IP addresses, maintained in a pool for assignment to clients, as well as excluded addresses. Reserved IP addresses associated with particular DHCP clients. This allows consistent assignment of a single IP address to a single DHCP client. The lease duration, or the length of time for which the IP address can be used before a lease renewal is required. A DHCP-enabled client, upon accepting a lease offer, receives: A valid IP address for the subnet to which it is connecting. Requested DHCP options, which are additional parameters that a DHCP server is configured to assign to clients. Some examples of DHCP options are Router (default gateway), DNS Servers, and DNS Domain Name. For a full list of DHCP options, see DHCP Tools and Settings. Top of page

Terms and Definitions

The following table lists common terms associated with DHCP.

DHCP Terms and Definitions Term DHCP server Definition A computer running the DHCP Server service that holds information about available IP addresses and related configuration information as defined by the DHCP administrator and responds to requests from DHCP clients. A computer that gets its IP configuration information by using DHCP. A range of IP addresses that are available to be leased to DHCP clients by the DHCP Server service. The process of partitioning a single TCP/IP network into a number of separate network segments called subnets. Configuration parameters that a DHCP server assigns to clients. Most DHCP options are predefined, based on optional parameters defined in Request for Comments (RFC) 2132, although extended options can be added by vendors or users. An additional set of options that can be provided to a DHCP client based on its computer class membership. The administrator can use option classes to submanage option values provided to DHCP clients. There are two types of options classes supported by a DHCP server running Windows Server 2003: vendor classes and user classes. The length of time for which a DHCP client can use a DHCPassigned IP address configuration. A specific IP address within a scope permanently set aside for leased use by a specific DHCP client. Client reservations are made in the DHCP database using the DHCP snap-in and are based on a unique client device identifier for each reserved entry. One or more IP addresses within a DHCP scope that are not allocated by the DHCP Server service. Exclusions ensure that the specified IP addresses will not be offered to clients by the DHCP server as part of the general address pool. Either a host or an IP router that listens for DHCP client messages being broadcast on a subnet and then forwards those DHCP messages directly to a configured DHCP server. The DHCP server sends DHCP response messages directly back to the DHCP relay agent, which then forwards them to the DHCP client. The DHCP administrator uses DHCP relay agents to centralize DHCP servers, avoiding the need for a DHCP server on each subnet. Also referred to as a BOOTP relay agent. A DHCP server that has not explicitly been authorized. Sometimes referred to as a rogue DHCP server. In a Windows Server 2003 domain environment, the DHCP Server service on an unauthorized server running Windows

DHCP client Scope Subnetting DHCP option

Option class

Lease Reservation

Exclusion/exclusion range

DHCP relay agent

Unauthorized DHCP server

Term

Definition Server 2003 fails to initialize. The administrator must explicitly authorize all DHCP servers running Windows Server 2003 that operate in an Active Directory service domain environment. At initialization time, the DHCP Server service in Windows Server 2003 checks for authorization and stops itself if the server detects that it is in a domain environment and the server has not been explicitly authorized. Automatic Private IP A TCP/IP feature in Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 that Addressing (APIPA) automatically configures a unique IP address from the range 169.254.0.1 through 169.254.255.254 with a subnet mask of 255.255.0.0 when the TCP/IP protocol is configured for automatic addressing, the Automatic private IP address alternate configuration setting is selected, and a DHCP server is not available. The APIPA range of IP addresses is reserved by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) for use on a single subnet, and IP addresses within this range are not used on the Internet. Superscope A configuration that allows a DHCP server to provide leases from more than one scope to clients on a single physical network segment. Multicast IP addresses Multicast IP addresses allow multiple clients to receive data that is sent to a single IP address, enabling point-to-multipoint communication. This type of transmission is often used for streaming media transmissions, such as video conferencing. Multicast Scope A range of multicast IP addresses that can be assigned to DHCP clients. A multicast scope allows dynamic allocation of multicast IP addresses for use on the network by using the MADCAP protocol, as defined in RFC 2730. BOOTP An older protocol with similar functionality; DHCP is based on BOOTP. BOOTP is an established protocol standard used for configuring IP hosts. BOOTP was originally designed to enable boot configuration for diskless workstations. Most DHCP servers, including those running Windows Server 2003, can be configured to respond to both BOOTP requests and DHCP requests. Top of page

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DHCP Tools and Settings

Updated: March 28, 2003

DHCP Tools and Settings

In this section DHCP Tools DHCP Options Related information Top of page

DHCP Tools
The following tools are associated with DHCP. DHCP Snap-in The DHCP snap-in allows you to perform a variety of administrative tasks for your DHCP servers: Create and manage scopes, including superscopes and multicast scopes. Create and manage properties for scopes, such as options, reservations, and exclusion ranges. Review active leases for each scope.
Category

The DHCP snap-in Microsoft Management Console (MMC) appears as an administrative tool after you install DHCP from Add/Remove Windows Components in Control Panel. The DHCP snap-in can also be added to Windows Server 2003 or Windows XP by installing the Windows Server 2003 Administrative Tools Pack. This allows remote

administration of DHCP servers running Windows 2000 Server or Windows Server 2003 from a Windows XP-based workstation.
Version Compatibility

The Windows Server 2003 DHCP snap-in is compatible with DHCP servers running Windows Server 2003 and Windows 2000. Netsh Netsh is a command-line scripting tool that allows you to display or modify the network configuration of a computer. Netsh also provides a scripting feature that allows you to run a group of commands in batch mode against a specified computer. Netsh can also save a configuration script in a text file for archival purposes or for reuse in configuring other servers. Commands in the netsh dhcp context provide a command-line method to help with the administration of DHCP servers and provides an equivalent alternative to console-based management. All commands in netshdhcp context can also be executed against a specified remote server.
Category

Netsh is a command-line tool.

Version compatibility

You can use netsh commands with Windows 2000 Server and Windows Server 2003. Network Monitor You can use the Network Monitor tool or a commercial packet analyzer (also known as a network sniffer), to capture and view packets such as DHCP messages. In Windows 2000 Server and Windows Server 2003, Network Monitor is installed as an optional management and monitoring component by using Add or Remove Programs in Control Panel. After it is installed, you can run Network Monitor from the Administrative Tools folder.
Category

Network Monitor is available in Microsoft Systems Management Server or with Windows 2000 Server and Windows Server 2003.
Version compatibility

You can use Network Monitor to capture and view packets in Windows XP, Windows 2000, or Windows Server 2003.

Top of page

DHCP Options
This section lists the predefined options available for use with the Microsoft Windows Server 2003 DHCP service. These options are defined according to the updated standards reference for DHCP options in RFC 2132, DHCP Options and BOOTP Vendor Extensions. Use the DHCP Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-in to specifically configure each option value, and enable the option for assignment and distribution to DHCP clients based on server, scope, class, or client-specific levels of preference. In this section: Basic options. These options were originally defined in RFC 1497 and relisted in RFC 2123. IP host options. These options affect the operation of the IP layer, on a per-host basis. IP interface options. These options affect operation of the IP layer on a per-interface basis. Link layer options. These options affect operation of the data-link layer on a perinterface basis. TCP options. These options affect operation of the TCP layer on a per-interface basis. Application layer options. These options affect the application layer operations on a per-interface basis. NetBIOS over TCP/IP options. These options are used to support NetBIOS over TCP/IP. Vendor-specific options. These options are specified for vendor class use.. User class options. These options are specified for user class use. DHCP extensions. These options are used to implement default protocol interaction and system behavior between servers and clients. Administrator-defined options. These options are not preconfigured in Windows Server 2003, but can be defined by an administrator. Microsoft options. These options are only available for use with supported Microsoft DHCP clients, such as computers running Windows Server 2003 or Windows XP. Note For all DHCP options that use a list of IP addresses as the value data, the IP addresses are always used in order of preference by the DHCP client. For example, the first address in the list is used first.

Basic Options
The following sections list the basic DHCP options originally defined in RFC 1497 and

updated in RFC 2132, for use with DHCP and the Boot Protocol (BOOTP) service. The BOOTP service refers to options as vendor extensions. The DHCP service supports configuration and distribution of any options assigned using the DHCP Manager snap-in. By default, Microsoft DHCP-enabled clients require and provide storage and interpretation for options 1 (Subnet Mask), 3 (Router), 6 (DNS Servers), and 15 (DNS Domain Name). Pad Option A single octet of zero (00) used for padding. This option differs from most DHCP options in that it does not use a length or value field. This option used to ensure that subsequent DHCP options are aligned on word boundaries the same as they appear in the DHCP packet. This option does not require configuration.
Code

0
Length

Not used.
Value

Not used. Structure of Pad Option Code 0 End Option A single octet of decimal 255 (FF) used to indicate the end of a DHCP options area in DHCP messages. This option differs from most DHCP options because it does not use a length or value field. Typically, it is used at the end of the options field to indicate that there is no more option data in a DHCP message. It can also be used within the message, in connection with vendor-specific information (option 43), to indicate the end of an encapsulated vendor-specific options subfield. This option does not require configuration.
Code

255
Length

Not used.

Value

Not used. Structure of End Option Code 255 Subnet Mask This option specifies the subnet mask of the client subnet, as described in RFC 950. The value for this option is taken from the Subnet Mask field, as defined in the DHCP ScopeProperties dialog box in DHCP Manager. A DHCP client running Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 requests this option.
Code

1
Length

Fixed, 4 octets.
Value

Unsigned 32-bit (4 octet) integer representing the subnet mask for an IP address provided in a DHCP message. Structure of Subnet Mask CodeLengthSubnet Mask 1 4 subnet mask in binary format Time Offset This option specifies an offset value (in seconds) from the Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) that applies to the client subnet. This value is configurable as a signed 32-bit integer. Positive offset values indicate a subnet location east of the zero meridian. Negative offset values indicate a subnet location west of the zero meridian.
Code

2
Length

Fixed, 4 octets.

Value

Signed 32-bit integer used for offset of UTC. Structure of Time Offset CodeLengthTime Offset 2 4 time Router This option specifies a list of IP addresses for routers on the client subnet. When more than one router is assigned, the client interprets and uses the addresses in the specified order. This option is normally used to assign a default gateway to DHCP clients on a subnet. A DHCP client running Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 requests this option.
Code

3
Length

Variable. Minimum length of 4 octets; octet length increases in multiples of 4 for each router address listed.
Value

Unsigned 32-bit integer representing the IP address of each assigned router. Structure of Router CodeLengthAddress 1 Address N 3 n IP address in binary formatIP address in binary format Time Server This option specifies a list of IP addresses for time servers, as defined in RFC 868, that are available to the client. When more than one time server is assigned, the client interprets and uses the addresses in the specified order.
Code

4
Length

Variable. Minimum length of 4 octets; octet length increases in multiples of 4 for each

time server address listed.

Value

Unsigned 32-bit integer representing the IP address of each assigned time server. Structure of Time Server CodeLengthAddress 1 Address N 4 n IP address in binary formatIP address in binary format IEN Name Server This option specifies a list of IP addresses for Internet Engineering Note (IEN) name servers available to the client. When more than one server is assigned, the client interprets and uses the addresses in the specified order.
Code

5
Length

Variable. Minimum length of 4 octets; octet length increases in multiples of 4 for each IEN name server address listed.
Value

Unsigned 32-bit integer representing the IP address of each assigned IEN name server. Structure of IEN Name Server CodeLengthAddress 1 Address N 5 n IP address in binary formatIP address in binary format DNS Servers This option specifies a list of IP addresses for DNS name servers available to the client. When more than one server is assigned, the client interprets and uses the addresses in the specified order. A DHCP client running Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 requests this option.
Code

6
Length

Variable. Minimum length of 4 octets; octet length increases in multiples of 4 for each Domain Name System (DNS) server address listed.
Value

Unsigned 32-bit integer representing the IP address of each assigned DNS server. Structure of DNS Servers CodeLengthAddress 1 Address N 6 n IP address in binary formatIP address in binary format Log Server This option specifies a list of IP addresses for Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lab for Computer Science (MIT-LCS) User Datagram Protocol (UDP) log servers available to the client. When more than one server is assigned, the client interprets and uses the addresses in the specified order.
Code

7
Length

Variable. Minimum length of 4 octets; octet length increases in multiples of 4 for each log server address listed.
Value

Unsigned 32-bit integer representing the IP address of each assigned log server. Structure of Log Server CodeLengthAddress 1 Address N 7 n IP address in binary formatIP address in binary format Cookie Server This option specifies a list of IP addresses for cookie servers, as defined in RFC 865, available to the client. When more than one server is assigned, the client interprets and uses the addresses in the specified order.
Code

8
Length

Variable. Minimum length of 4 octets; octet length increases in multiples of 4 for each cookie server address listed.
Value

Unsigned 32-bit integer representing the IP address of each assigned cookie server. Structure of Cookie Server CodeLengthAddress 1 Address N 8 n IP address in binary formatIP address in binary format LPR Server This option specifies a list of IP addresses for line printer (LPR) servers, as defined in RFC 1179, available to the client. When more than one server is assigned, the client interprets and uses the addresses in the specified order.
Code

9
Length

Variable. Minimum length of 4 octets; octet length increases in multiples of 4 for each LPR server address listed.
Value

Unsigned 32-bit integer representing the IP address of each assigned LPR server. Structure of LPR Server CodeLengthAddress 1 Address N 9 n IP address in binary formatIP address in binary format Impress Server This option specifies a list of IP addresses for Imagen Impress servers available to the client. When more than one server is assigned, the client interprets and uses the addresses in the specified order.
Code

10
Length

Variable. Minimum length of 4 octets; octet length increases in multiples of 4 for each Impress server address listed.
Value

Unsigned 32-bit integer representing the IP address of each assigned Impress server. Structure of Impress Server CodeLengthAddress 1 Address N 10 n IP address in binary formatIP address in binary format Resource Location Server This option specifies a list of IP addresses for resource location servers, as defined in RFC 887, available to the client. When more than one server is assigned, the client interprets and uses the addresses in the specified order.
Code

11
Length

Variable. Minimum length of 4 octets; octet length increases in multiples of 4 for each resource location server address listed.
Value

Unsigned 32-bit integer representing the IP address of each assigned resource location server. Structure of Resource Location Server CodeLengthAddress 1 Address N 11 n IP address in binary formatIP address in binary format Host Name This option specifies a host name for the client. In some cases, this name can also be fully qualified by appending the name value provided here with the DNS domain name, as specified in DHCP option 15. For Windows clients, this option is not supported for use when configuring the clients host name, which is set for computers running Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 on the Computer Name tab in the System Properties dialog box on the client computer.
Code

12
Length

Length varies depending on data in value. Minimum length is 1 octet. Maximum length is limited to 63 characters, or one octet for each character used in the host name configured for use with this option.
Value

ASCII character text. Structure of Host Name CodeLengthHost Name 12 n name Boot File Size This option specifies the size of the default boot image file for the client.
Code

13
Length

Fixed, 2 octets.
Value

Unsigned 16-bit integer to indicate the number of 512-octet blocks needed to make up the boot file. Structure of Boot File Size CodeLengthFile Size 13 02 16-bit integer Merit Dump File This option specifies the path name of a file to which the clients core memory image should be dumped in the event the client terminates abnormally. Data used for a value is in ASCII character text format. The length of the value field depends on the number of characters used in the path specified. For example, if the path entered has 20 characters, the value field for this option should also be 20 octets in length.
Code

14
Length

Length varies depending on data in value. Minimum length is 1 octet.

Value

ASCII character text. Structure of Merit Dump File CodeLengthDump File Path 14 n path name DNS Domain Name This option specifies the domain name that the DHCP client should use when resolving unqualified domain names with the Domain Name System (DNS). For DHCP clients running Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003, the DNS Domain Name option becomes the connection-specific DNS name assigned to the DHCPconfigured interface. The connection-specific DNS name is used to construct fully qualified domain names (FQDNs) that are registered using DNS dynamic update. The length of the value field depends on the number of characters used in the DNS domain name specified. For example, if the domain name has 20 characters, the value field for this option is 20 octets in length. A DHCP client running Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 requests this option.
Code

15
Length

Length varies depending on data in value. Minimum length is 1 octet.

Value

ASCII character text. Structure of DNS Domain Name CodeLengthDomain Name 15 n domain name Swap Server This option specifies the IP address of the clients swap server.

Code

16
Length

Length is fixed at 4 octets.

Value

A single IP address for the clients swap server (unsigned 32-bit integer). Structure of Swap Server CodeLengthSwap Server Address 16 4 IP address in binary format Root Path This option specifies the path of the clients root disk. The path value is formatted as ASCII text. The length of the value field depends on the number of characters used in the root path specified. For example, if the root path entered has 20 characters, the value field for this option is 20 octets in length.
Code

17
Length

Length varies depending on data in value. Minimum length is 1 octet.

Value

ASCII character text. Structure of Root Path CodeLengthRoot Disk Path 17 n path name Extensions Path This option specifies an extension path file that can be retrieved using Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP). The file contains information to be interpreted as the 64-octet vendor-extension field within a BOOTP response. To allow more than 64 octets of BOOTP vendor extension information, this option can be enabled. When enabled, the length of the specified extension path file is not constrained in size and all references in

the extensions file to tag 18 (such as instances of the BOOTP Extensions Path field) are ignored.
Code

18
Length

Length varies depending on data in value. Minimum length is 1 octet.

Value

ASCII character text. Structure of Extension Path CodeLengthExtensions Path 18 n file name

IP Host Options
The following sections describe the DHCP options that affect the operation of the IP layer, on a per-host basis. IP Forwarding Enable/Disable This option specifies whether the DHCP client should enable or disable forwarding of datagrams at the IP layer.
Code

19
Length

Length is fixed at 1 octet.

Value

Accepted values for this option are: 1 = Enable IP forwarding 0 = Disable IP forwarding Structure of IP Forwarding Enable/Disable CodeLengthValue

19

0|1

Non-Local Source Routing Enable/Disable This option specifies whether the DHCP client enables or disables the forwarding at the IP layer of datagrams that contain source routing information and were sent by a nonlocal host.
Code

20
Length

Length is fixed at 1 octet.

Value

Accepted values for this option are: 1 = Enable forwarding of datagrams from non-local sources 0 = Disable forwarding of datagrams from non-local sources Structure of Non-Local Source Routing Enable/Disable CodeLengthValue 20 1 0|1 Policy Filter This option specifies policy filters for non-local source routing on the client. The filters consist of a list of IP address and mask pairs specifying destination and mask pairs for which incoming datagrams should be source-route filtered. The client discards any source routed datagram with a next-hop address that does not match one of the filters. For further information about policy filtering as it applies to this option, see RFC 1122 in the IETF RFC Database.
Code

21
Length

Variable. Minimum length is 8 octets for a single destination and mask pair. Length increases in multiples of 8 octets for each additional pair used.
Value

Two consecutive, unsigned 32-bit integers indicating a paired value, consisting of an IP address followed by a subnet mask. Structure of Policy Filter CodeLengthAddress 1 21 n IP address in binary format Subnet Mask 1 subnet mask in binary format Address N IP address in binary format Subnet Mask N subnet mask in binary format

Maximum Datagram Reassembly Size This option specifies the maximum size datagram that the client needs to be prepared to reassemble.
Code

22
Length

Fixed, 2 octets.
Value

Unsigned 16-bit integer specifying the maximum datagram size for reassembly. The minimum size for a datagram is 576 octets. Structure of Maximum Datagram Reassembly Size CodeLengthFile Size 22 2 16-bit integer Default IP Time-To-Live This option specifies the default Time-To-Live (TTL) that the client uses for the datagrams it sends.
Code

23
Length

Fixed, 1 octet.
Value

A number (in seconds) between 1 and 255.

Structure of Default IP Time-To-Live CodeLengthTTL 23 1 TTL value in seconds Path MTU Aging Time-out This option specifies the time-out for aging Path Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU) values. Values are found by the Path MTU discovery process, as defined in RFC 1191.
Code

24
Length

Fixed, 4 octets.
Value

A number (in seconds) that specifies a time-out value. Structure of Path MTU Aging Time-out CodeLengthTime-out 24 4 time-out value in seconds Path MTU Plateau Table This option specifies a table of MTU sizes to use when performing Path MTU discovery, as defined in RFC 1191.
Code

25
Length

Variable. Minimum length is 2 octets and increases in multiples of 2.

Value

A table formatted as a list of 16-bit unsigned integers, ordered from smallest to largest. The minimum tabled MTU value cannot be smaller than 68. Structure of Path MTU Plateau Table CodeLengthMTU Size 1 MTU Size N

25

MTU size in binary formatMTU size in binary format

IP Interface Options
The following sections describe the DHCP options that affect operation of the IP layer on a per-interface basis. Interface MTU This option specifies the MTU size that can be used on a specified host adapter interface.
Code

26
Length

Fixed, 2 octets.
Value

A 16-bit unsigned integer specifying the interface MTU. The minimum value for the MTU is 68. Structure of Interface MTU CodeLengthMTU 26 2 interface MTU All Subnets Are Local This option specifies whether the client assumes that all subnets within the clients internetwork use the same MTU size as the local subnet on which the client is connected.
Code

27
Length

Fixed, 1 octet.
Value

Accepted values for this option are: 1 = Clients assume all subnets are local and share the same MTU size 0 = Clients assume some subnets are not local and that smaller MTU sizes might be in

use on remote subnets Structure of All Subnets Are Local CodeLengthValue 27 1 0|1 Broadcast Address This option specifies the broadcast address used on the clients subnet.
Code

28
Length

Fixed, 4 octets.
Value

Typically, the limited broadcast IP address (255.255.255.255), but can be modified using legal values for broadcast addresses, as specified in section 3.2.1.3 of RFC 1122. Structure of Broadcast Address CodeLengthBroadcast Address 28 4 broadcast address in binary format Perform Mask Discovery This option specifies whether the client uses Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) for subnet mask discovery.
Code

29
Length

Fixed, 1 octet.
Value

Accepted values for this option are: 1 = Client performs subnet mask discovery 0 = Client does not perform subnet mask discovery

Structure of Perform Mask Discovery CodeLengthValue 29 1 0|1 Mask Supplier This option specifies whether the client responds to subnet mask requests using ICMP.
Code

30
Length

Fixed, 1 octet.
Value

Accepted values for this option are: 1 = Client responds to subnet mask requests 0 = Client does not respond to subnet mask requests Structure of Mask Supplier CodeLengthValue 30 1 0|1 Perform Router Discovery This option specifies whether the client solicits routers using the router discovery method in RFC 1256. A DHCP client running Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 requests this option.
Code

31
Length

Fixed, 1 octet.
Value

Accepted values for this option are:

1 = Client performs router discovery 0 = Client does not perform router discovery Structure of Perform Router Discovery CodeLengthValue 31 1 0|1 Router Solicitation Address This option specifies the IP address to which the client submits router solicitation requests.
Code

32
Length

Fixed, 4 octets.
Value

Unsigned 32-bit integer representing an IP address. Structure of Router Solicitation Address CodeLengthAddress 32 4 IP address in binary format Static Routes This option specifies a list of classful static routes that the DHCP client automatically adds to its IP routing table. Multiple routes to the same destination are listed in descending order of priority. The default route of 0.0.0.0 is an illegal destination for a static route. To configure the default route, use the Router DHCP option to assign a default gateway. A DHCP client running Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 requests this option.
Code

33
Length

Variable. Minimum length of 8 octets; octet length increases in multiples of 8 for each additional static route provided with this option.

Value

A list of IP address pairs. Each set of 8 octets provides two consecutive IP addresses pairing the destination (as a classful network ID) and a router address (the IP address of the router interface on the subnet to which this scope-specific option is configured) used for each route. The first 4 octets specify the destination classful network ID, and the second 4 octets specify the router IP address. Structure of Static Routes CodeLengthDestination 1 33 n IP address in binary format Classless Static Route This option specifies a list of classful static routes that the client automatically adds to its IP routing table. A DHCP client running Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 requests this option. The Classless Static Route can be used to configure split tunneling for remote access virtual private network (VPN) clients running Windows XP and Windows Server 2003. For more information, see VPN Technical Reference.
Code

Router 1 IP address in binary format

Destination N IP address in binary format

Router N IP address in binary format

249 Note This is the same as option 121, as defined in RFC 3442.
Length

Variable. Minimum length of 5 octets; maximum octet length depends on the nature and number of the classless static routes. Each route entry includes a destination descriptor and a router and can vary from a minimum of 5 octets in length to maximum 9 octets in length. For more information about how classless static routes are constructed using a destination descriptor, see RFC 3442 in the IETF RFC Database.
Value

The destination descriptor and the router IP address. The value is encoded. For the encoding scheme, see RFC 3442. Structure of Classless Static Route CodeLengthDestination 1 Router 1 Destination N Router N 249 n Destination descriptor, IP address in Destination descriptor, IP address in

as defined in RFC 3442 binary format as defined in RFC 3442 binary format

Link Layer Options

The following sections describe the DHCP options that affect operation of the data link layer on a per-interface basis. Trailer Encapsulation This option specifies whether the client negotiates the use of trailers, as described in RFC 893, when using the Address Resolution Protocol (ARP).
Code

34
Length

Fixed, 1 octet.
Value

Accepted values for this option are: 1 = Client attempts to use trailer 0 = Client does not attempt to use trailers Structure of Trailer Encapsulation CodeLengthValue 34 1 0|1 ARP Cache Time-Out This option specifies the time-out for ARP cache entries.
Code

35
Length

Fixed, 4 octets.
Value

An unsigned 32-bit integer specifying a time-out value, in seconds.

Structure of ARP Cache Time-Out CodeLengthTime 35 4 time-out value in seconds Ethernet Encapsulation This option specifies whether the client uses Ethernet II (RFC 894) or IEEE 802.3 (RFC 1042) encapsulation (if the interface is Ethernet).
Code

36
Length

Fixed, 1 octet.
Value

Accepted values for this option are: 1 = Client uses RFC 1042 encapsulation 0 = Client uses RFC 894 encapsulation Structure of Ethernet Encapsulation CodeLengthValue 36 1 0|1

TCP Options
The following sections describe the DHCP options that affect operation of the TCP layer on a per-interface basis. TCP Default TTL This option specifies the default TTL that the client uses when sending TCP segments.
Code

37
Length

Fixed, 1 octet.
Value

An unsigned 8-bit integer specifying a Time-To-Live (TTL) value in seconds. The minimum TTL value is 1. Structure of TCP Default TTL CodeLengthTTL 37 1 TTL value in seconds TCP Keep-Alive Interval This option specifies the interval the client waits before sending a keep-alive message on a TCP connection. A value of 0 indicates that the client should not send keep-alive messages on connections unless specifically requested by an application.
Code

38
Length

Fixed, 4 octets.
Value

An unsigned 32-bit integer that specifies a keep-alive interval, in seconds. Structure of TCP Keep-Alive Interval CodeLengthTime 38 4 keep-alive interval in seconds TCP Keep-Alive Garbage This option specifies whether or not the client sends TCP keep-alive messages with an octet of garbage data for compatibility with older implementations.
Code

39
Length

Fixed, 1 octet.
Value

Accepted values for this option are:

1 = Client sends keep-alive garbage octet 0 = Client does not send keep-alive garbage octet Structure of TCP Keep-Alive Garbage CodeLengthValue 39 1 0|1

Application Layer Options

The following sections describe the DHCP options that affect the application layer operations on a per-interface basis. These are miscellaneous options used to configure programs and services. NIS Domain Name This option specifies the Network Information Service (NIS) domain name as an ASCII string.
Code

40
Length

Length varies depending on data in value. Minimum length is 1 octet.

Value

ASCII character text. Structure of NIS Domain Name CodeLengthNIS Domain Name 40 n NIS domain name NIS Servers This option lists the IP addresses in order of preference for Network Information Service (NIS) servers available to the client.
Code

41
Length

Variable. Minimum length is 4 octets; octet length increases in multiples of 4 for each

server address listed.

Value

Unsigned 32-bit integer representing the IP address of each NIS server. Structure of NIS Servers CodeLengthAddress 1 Address N 41 n IP address in binary formatIP address in binary format NTP Servers This option lists the IP addresses in the order of preference for Network Time Protocol (NTP) servers available to the client.
Code

42
Length

Variable. Minimum length is 4 octets; octet length increases in multiples of 4 for each server address listed.
Value

Unsigned 32-bit integer representing the IP address of each NTP server. Structure of NTP Servers CodeLengthAddress 1 Address N 42 n IP address in binary formatIP address in binary format X Window System Font Servers This option lists the IP addresses in the order of preference for X Window System font servers available to the client.
Code

48
Length

Variable. Minimum length is 4 octets; octet length increases in multiples of 4 for each server address listed.

Value

Unsigned 32-bit integer representing each server IP address. Structure of X Window System Font Servers CodeLengthAddress 1 Address N 48 n IP address in binary formatIP address in binary format X Window System Display Manager Servers This option lists the IP addresses in the order of preference for X Window System display manager servers available to the client.
Code

49
Length

Variable. Minimum length is 4 octets; octet length increases in multiples of 4 for each server address listed.
Value

Unsigned 32-bit integer representing each server IP address. Structure of X Window System Display Manager Servers CodeLengthAddress 1 Address N 49 n IP address in binary formatIP address in binary format NIS+ Domain Name This option specifies the name of the clients Network Information Service Plus (NIS+) domain name as an ASCII string.
Code

64
Length

Length varies depending on the data in its value. Minimum length is 1 octet.
Value

ASCII character text.

Structure of NIS+ Domain Name CodeLengthNIS+ Domain Name 64 n NIS+ domain name NIS+ Servers This option lists the IP addresses in the order of preference for Network Information Service Plus (NIS+) servers available to the client.
Code

65
Length

Variable. Minimum length is 4 octets; octet length increases in multiples of 4 for each server address listed.
Value

Unsigned 32-bit integer representing IP address of NIS+ servers. Structure of NIS+ Servers CodeLengthAddress 1 Address N 65 n IP address in binary formatIP address in binary format Mobile IP Home Agents This option lists the IP addresses in the order of preference for mobile IP home agents available to the client.
Code

68
Length

Variable. Minimum length is 0 octets. A length of 0 octets signifies that no mobile IP home agents are available. Octet length increases in multiples of 4 for each mobile IP home agent address listed.
Value

Unsigned 32-bit integer representing IP address of a mobile IP home agent. Structure of Mobile IP Home Agents

CodeLengthAddress 1 Address N 68 n IP address in binary formatIP address in binary format Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) Server This option lists the IP addresses in order of preference for SMTP servers available to the client.
Code

69
Length

Variable. Minimum length is 4 octets; octet length increases in multiples of 4 for each server IP address listed.
Value

Unsigned 32-bit integers representing IP addresses of servers. Structure of Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) Server CodeLengthAddress 1 Address N 69 n IP address in binary formatIP address in binary format Post Office Protocol 3 (POP3) Server This option lists the IP addresses in order of preference for POP3 servers available to the client.
Code

70
Length

Variable. Minimum length is 4 octets; octet length increases in multiples of 4 for each server IP address listed.
Value

Unsigned 32-bit integers representing IP addresses of servers. Structure of Post Office Protocol 3 (POP3) Server CodeLengthAddress 1 Address N 70 n IP address in binary formatIP address in binary format

Network News Transport Protocol Server This option lists the IP addresses in order of preference for NNTP servers available to the client.
Code

71
Length

Variable. Minimum length is 4 octets; octet length increases in multiples of 4 for each server IP address listed.
Value

Unsigned 32-bit integers representing IP addresses of servers. Structure of Network News Transport Protocol Server CodeLengthAddress 1 Address N 71 n IP address in binary formatIP address in binary format Default World Wide Web Server This option lists the IP addresses in order of preference for default Web servers available to the client.
Code

72
Length

Variable. Minimum length is 4 octets; octet length increases in multiples of 4 for each server IP address listed.
Value

Unsigned 32-bit integers representing IP addresses of servers. Structure of Default World Wide Web Server CodeLengthAddress 1 Address N 72 n IP address in binary formatIP address in binary format Top of page

Default FFinger Server

This option lists the IP addresses in order of preference for default Finger servers available to the client.
Code

73
Length

Variable. Minimum length is 4 octets; octet length increases in multiples of 4 for each server IP address listed.
Value

Unsigned 32-bit integers representing IP addresses of servers. Structure of Default Finger Server CodeLengthAddress 1 Address N 73 n IP address in binary formatIP address in binary format Default Internet Relay Chat Server This option lists the IP addresses in order of preference for default IRC servers available to the client.
Code

74
Length

Variable. Minimum length is 4 octets; octet length increases in multiples of 4 for each server IP address listed.
Value

Unsigned 32-bit integers representing IP addresses of servers. Structure of Default Internet Relay Chat Server CodeLengthAddress 1 Address N 74 n IP address in binary formatIP address in binary format StreetTalk Server

This option lists the IP addresses in order of preference for StreetTalk servers available to the client.
Code

75
Length

Variable. Minimum length is 4 octets; octet length increases in multiples of 4 for each server IP address listed.
Value

Unsigned 32-bit integers representing IP addresses of servers. Structure of StreetTalk Server CodeLengthAddress 1 Address N 75 n IP address in binary formatIP address in binary format

StreetTalk Directory Assistance Server

This option lists the IP addresses in order of preference for StreetTalk Directory Assistance (STDA) servers available to the client.
Code

76
Length

Variable. Minimum length is 4 octets; octet length increases in multiples of 4 for each server IP address listed.
Value

Unsigned 32-bit integers representing IP addresses of servers. Structure of StreetTalk Directory Assistance Server CodeLengthAddress 1 Address N 76 n IP address in binary formatIP address in binary format

NetBIOS over TCP/IP Options

The following options are used to support NetBIOS over TCP/IP. All Microsoft-based DHCP clients and DHCP servers can recognize and support the use of these options.

WINS/NBNS Servers This option lists the IP addresses for NetBIOS name servers (NBNSes) on the network. In Windows, a Windows Internet Name Service (WINS) server is an NBNS. A DHCP client running Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 requests this option.
Code

44
Length

Variable. Minimum length is 4 octets; length can be increased by multiples of 4 for each address listed.
Value

Each 4 octets in this field contains an NBNS server IP address, specified as an unsigned 32-bit integer. Structure of WINS/NBNS Servers CodeLengthAddress 1 Address N 44 n IP address in binary formatIP address in binary format NetBIOS over TCP/IP Datagram Distribution Server This option lists the IP addresses for NetBIOS datagram distribution (NBDD) servers.
Code

45
Length

Variable. Minimum length is 4 octets; length can be increased only by multiples of 4.

Value

Each 4 octets in this field contains an NBDD server IP address, specified as an unsigned 32-bit integer. Structure of NetBIOS over TCP/IP Datagram Distribution Server CodeLengthAddress 1 Address N 45 n IP address in binary formatIP address in binary format NetBIOS over TCP/IP Node Type

Configures the client node type for NetBIOS over TCP/IP (NetBT) clients, as described in RFCs 1001and 1002. On multihomed computers, the node type is assigned for the computer, not to individual network adapters. A DHCP client running Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 requests this option.
Code

46
Length

Fixed, 1 octet.
Value

Accepted values for this option are: 1 = b-node 2 = p-node 4 = m-node 8 = h-node Structure of NetBIOS over TCP/IP Node Type CodeLengthValue 46 1 1|2|4|8 NetBIOS over TCP/IP Scope ID This option specifies a string representing the NetBIOS over TCP/IP scope ID for the client, as specified in RFCs 1001 and 1002. On multihomed computers, the node type is assigned for the computer, not to individual network adapters. A DHCP client running Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 requests this option. The use of NetBIOS scope IDs is not recommended.
Code

47
Length

Variable. Minimum length is 1 octet. Octet length is equal to the number of characters used in NetBIOS scope ID.
Value

This option specifies the NetBIOS over TCP/IP scope identifier used by the client. The format used for these scope IDs is described in RFCs 1001 and 1002. For character-set

restrictions, see the RFCs. Structure of NetBIOS over TCP/IP Scope ID CodeLengthNetBIOS Scope 47 n scope identifier

Vendor-Specific Options
This section describes reserved DHCP options specified for vendor class use. The vendor-specific options are specified in RFC 2132. Vendor classes can be used by the DHCP service and DHCP clients running Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003. For any other DHCP clients, default classes provided by the DHCP service can be used to group and classify non-identifying clients at the DHCP server. The Windows Server 2003 DHCP snap-in provides a default vendor class called DHCP Standard. This class can be used to group and classify clients that do not identify a vendor class to the DHCP service. Vendor-Specific Information This option is used by clients and servers to exchange vendor-specific information. Servers not equipped to interpret the information ignore it. Clients that expect but do not receive the information attempt to operate without it. In some cases, a vendor uses this option to send more than one information item; therefore, this option can serve as a subfield for encapsulating vendor-specific options. When encapsulating options, DHCP servers maintain the same syntax (the same sequence of code, length, and value fields) for each encapsulated option as it would normally appear in the full standard options field. The following exceptions are for the encapsulated, vendor-specific subfield: A Magic cookie field cannot be used. All standard option codes other than the padding option (0) or the end option (255) can be redefined, but should conform to the code, length, value syntax sequence described in RFC 2131. If present, the end option (255) signifies the end of the encapsulated vendor options, but not the end of the encapsulated vendor-specific subfield. If no end option is present, the end for the encapsulated vendor-specific subfield is taken from its stated length. For more information, see RFC 2132 in the IETF RFC Database.
Code

43
Length

Variable. Minimum length is 1 octet.

Value

An object of n octets (where n is equal to the length specified with this option). The definition of values stored for this option is vendor specific, and values provided here are presumed to be interpreted by vendor-specific code on DHCP clients and the DHCP server. Structure of Vendor-Specific Information CodeLengthValue 43 n vendor-specific information (which can include subfield bytes 1-n) When this option uses an encapsulated vendor-specific subfield, the information bytes 1 n have the following format. CodeLengthData Item T1 n d1, d2, ...dn T2 n d1, d2, dn Vendor Class Identifier Can be used by DHCP clients to identify their vendor type and configuration when communicating with DHCP servers. Vendors can define their own specific identifier values, like conveying a particular hardware or operating system configuration. For Windows Server 2003, all computers that function either as DHCP servers or DHCP clients can use and support this option. When vendor classes are used, the DHCP server responds to identifying clients by using option 43, the reserved option for returning vendor-specific information to the client. DHCP servers that do not automatically interpret this option are expected to ignore it. For earlier, Windows-based clients and other clients that do not support this option, the DHCP service classifies these clients as part of the default vendor class the DHCP Standard option class predefined for Windows-based DHCP servers.
Code

60
Length

Variable. Minimum is 1 octet; Length varies according to n (the number of octets used as an identifier).
Value

A value of n octets, which can be interpreted by DHCP servers that support vendorspecific classification of clients. Structure of Vendor Class Identifier CodeLengthValue 60 n vendor class identifier

User Class Options

This section describes reserved DHCP options specified for user classes. User classes can be used by the DHCP service and DHCP-enabled client computers running Windows Server 2003. For other DHCP clients, default classes provided by the DHCP service can be used to group and classify non-identifying clients at the DHCP server.
User Class Information

A DHCP client can use this option to identify the user class of which it is a member when communicating with the DHCP server. The information contained in this option is a Network Virtual Terminal (NVT) ASCII text object that represents the user class ID. You can use the DHCP snap-in to define specific user classes. When user classes are created, each class sets an identifying string of information to be used by the DHCP service to classify identifying clients. Also, a default user class is created for classifying clients that are unable to support a user class ID. User classes can be helpful for separating client computers that have a shared or common need for similar software configuration or user preferences. For example, an identifier can specify that a particular DHCP client be a member of the class accounting auditors, who have special service needs, such as a particular database server. Computers running Windows Server 2003 support sending or using this option. Legacy DHCP clients do not send a class ID and cannot recognize DHCP user class IDs. Such clients are assigned to the Default User Class, a user class predefined for immediate use in the DHCP snap-in. Other user classes must be manually created.
Code

77
Length

Variable. Minimum is 2 octets.

Value

ASCII character text.

Structure of User Class Information CodeLengthUser Class Information 77 n c1, c2, c3, c4 ...cn

DHCP Extensions
The following options are specific to DHCP and are used to implement default protocol interaction and system behavior between servers and clients. Some of these options are implicitly set when you configure server and scope properties using the DHCP snap-in. Requested IP Address This option can be used by clients when sending a DHCPDiscover message to request a specific IP address from the DHCP server.
Code

50
Length

Fixed, 4 octets.
Value

Single, unsigned 32-bit integer representing a requested IP address. Structure of Requested IP Address CodeLengthRequested IP Address 50 4 IP address in binary format IP Address Lease Time This option is used to negotiate and exchange lease-time information between DHCP clients and servers in two possible ways. First, the option can be used in a DHCPDiscover or DHCPRequest message sent by a client to request a lease time for its IP address. Second, the option can be used in a DHCPOffer message sent by a server to specify a lease time for the client. This option is configured on the Scope Properties dialog box.
Code

51
Length

Fixed, 4 octets.
Value

Single, unsigned 32-bit integer representing a clients lease time (in seconds). Structure of IP Address Lease Time CodeLengthLease Time 51 4 lease time in seconds Option Overload Used in messages sent by a DHCP server to indicate that either of the standard message fields in a DHCP packet for server_host_name (sname) and boot_file_name (file) can be used to hold options (a condition also known as overloaded). When this option is used, it extends the options area in each packet by indicating that unused space for one or both of these two standard fields should be allocated to the area used to carry DHCP options.
Code

52
Length

Fixed, 1 octet.
Value

Accepted values for this option include: 1 = File field is overloaded 2 = Sname field is overloaded 3 = Both file and sname fields are overloaded Structure of Option Overload CodeLengthValue 52 1 1|2|3 TFTP Server Name This option specifies the host name of the Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) server when the server_host_name (sname) field in a DHCP message is overloaded and used for carrying additional DHCP options.

Code

66
Length

Variable depending on data in value. Minimum length is 1 octet.

Value

ASCII character text. Structure of TFTP Server Name CodeLengthTFTP Server 66 n TFTP server host name Boot File Name This option specifies the name of a boot image file on the TFTP server when the boot_file_name (file) field in a DHCP message is overloaded and used for carrying additional DHCP options.
Code

67
Length

Variable depending on data in value. Minimum length is 1 octet.

Value

ASCII character text. Structure of Boot File Name CodeLengthBoot File Name 67 n boot image file name DHCP Message Type This option is required for use in all DHCP messages to convey the type of message being sent.
Code

53

Length

Fixed, 1 octet.
Value

Accepted values for this option are: 1 = DHCP Discover message (DHCPDiscover) 2 = DHCP Offer message (DHCPOffer) 3 = DHCP Request message (DHCPRequest) 4 = DHCP Decline message (DHCPDecline) 5 = DHCP Acknowledgment message (DHCPAck) 6 = DHCP Negative Acknowledgment message (DHCPNak) 7 = DHCP Release message (DHCPRelease) 8 = DHCP Informational message (DHCPInform) Structure of DHCP Message Type CodeLengthValue 53 1 1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8 Server Identifier This option is used in DHCPOffer and DHCPRequest messages, and might appear in DHCP Acknowledgment messages (DHCPAck, DHCPNak). The server identifier is the IP address of a selected DHCP server. This option is used in three possible ways. First, servers include this option in DHCPOffer messages so that clients can distinguish between multiple lease offers. Second, clients include this option in DHCPRequest messages to select a lease and indicate which offer is accepted from multiple lease offers. Third, clients can use the contents of this option for unicast transmission of DHCPRequest messages to specific DHCP servers to renew a current lease.
Code

54
Length

Fixed, 4 octets.
Value

A single, unsigned 32-bit integer representing the IP address that identifies the DHCP server.

Structure of Server Identifier CodeLengthAddress 54 4 IP address in binary format Parameter Request List Used by a DHCP client to request specific option values from the DHCP server. Each option is requested and listed by a single octet value containing a valid or recognized DHCP option Code for the server. For clients that use this option, the list can be ordered by preference. Although the DHCP server is not required to return options in the order they are requested it does attempt to insert the requested options in the requested order.
Code

55
Length

Variable. Minimum of 1 octet; length increases by 1 octet for each option code included in the request list.
Value

List of 8-bit values, each representing an option code between 0 and 255. Structure of Parameter Request List CodeLengthOption Codes 55 n c1, c2...cn

Optional Message
Can be used by both the DHCP server and DHCP clients in the following ways: A server can use this option to provide and embed an error message in a DHCP Negative Acknowledgment (DHCPNak) message in the event of a failure. A client can use this option in a DHCPDecline message to indicate why it declined offered parameters. The message consists of a variable-length ASCII text string, which the receiving computer can then either log or display.
Code

56
Length

Minimum of 1 octet. Length depends on the length of the sent message.

Value

ASCII character text. Structure of Optional Message CodeLengthText 56 n c1, c2...cn Maximum Message Size Used by client to specify the maximum length for a DHCP message it can accept. A client can include this option in DHCPDiscover or DHCPRequest messages; however, it does not include this option in DHCPDecline messages.
Code

57
Length

Fixed, 2 octets.
Value

A 16-bit integer indicating the maximum size, in octets, for a DHCP message. The minimum value for this option is 576. Structure of Maximum Message Size CodeLengthValue 57 2 maximum size Renewal Time Value (T1) The time value of this option is typically 50 percent of the clients lease time. To adjust the value, change the length of the client lease in the client scope properties or the peruser class on the DHCP server. You can also change the value by using the Netsh tool.
Code

58

Length

Fixed, 4 octets.
Value

A 32-bit unsigned integer indicating the number of seconds before the client begins to renew its address lease with the DHCP server. Structure of Renewal Time Value (T1) CodeLengthT1 Interval 58 4 renewal interval in seconds Rebinding Time Value (T2) The time value of this option is typically 87.5 percent of the full configured duration (lease time) for a clients lease. To adjust the value, change the length of the client lease in the properties for the clients scope or per-user class on the DHCP server. You can also change the value by using the Netsh tool.
Code

59
Length

Fixed, 4 octets.
Value

A 32-bit unsigned integer indicating the number of seconds before the client enters the rebinding state (if it has not renewed its current address lease with the DHCP server). Structure of Rebinding Time Value (T2) CodeLengthT2 Interval 59 4 rebinding interval in seconds Client Unique Identifier This option is used by clients to specify their unique identifier to the server. This option is most useful for reserved clients. When a reserved client contacts the server, the DHCP service checks and matches the client identifier value to a corresponding identifier used to configure an address reservation in the servers database. When a matching reservation is found, the DHCP server returns the reserved address and its related parameters to the correct client.

Each clients identifier must be unique among all other client identifiers used on the DHCP clients local subnet and any remote subnets reachable using DHCP relay. Vendors and system administrators are responsible for choosing client identifiers that meet this requirement for uniqueness. One way to ensure unique values is to use the clients media access control (MAC) address as the client identifier value. Media access control addresses are encoded in the clients network adapter hardware, and are assigned to hardware manufacturers in such a way as to ensure that they are unique for each device.
Code

61
Length

Variable length; minimum length is 2 octets.

Value

A series of 2 or more octets treated as a single value by the DHCP server. Servers can interpret and use this value to uniquely identify clients. The client identifier can consist of type-value pairs similar to the DHCP Header fields htype and chaddr, which are defined by the DHCP protocol. Structure of Client Unique Identifier CodeLengthTypeClient Identifier 61 n t1 i1, i2...in

Administrator-Defined Options
This section describes DHCP options that are reserved and specified for use by RFC 2132, but are not predefined for use in the DHCP snap-in. Administrators can add these options to support DHCP clients that recognize these options. Proxy Autodiscovery for Internet Explorer 5 This option points to the configuration file that the client uses for automatic configuration of Internet Explorer 5.x and Internet Explorer 6. The configuration file can be a .pac, .jvs, .js, or .ins file created by a system or Web administrator when deploying Internet Explorer 5.x on an intranet. It might include settings for other Internet Explorer configurable options, such as which home page to use, or settings for locating and using a proxy server. The option is communicated between Internet Explorer client computers and the DHCP server using the DHCPInform message. DHCPInform is currently supported for DHCP servers running Windows Server 2003 and DHCP clients running Windows 2000,

Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003. The use of additional DHCP configuration is supported by Internet Explorer 5.x and Internet Explorer 6, but not earlier versions, because those use different methods for automatic detection and configuration of proxy server settings. You can add and configure an alias (CNAME) resource record at the DNS server to support Internet Explorer proxy server auto-discovery and configuration features.
Code

252
Length

Variable
Value

A URL that points to the configuration file that the client should use for automatic configuration of Internet Explorer 5.x and Internet Explorer 6. Structure of Proxy Autodiscovery for Internet Explorer 5 CodeLengthValue 252 n URL name

Microsoft Options
This section describes reserved DHCP options defined by Microsoft. These options are only available for use with supported Windows-based DHCP clients, such as computers running Windows Server 2003. The Microsoft options are provided as encapsulated vendor-specific data fields within the vendor-specific information option. Currently, administrators can assign these options are by using the DHCP snap-in through the following vendor classes: Microsoft options and Microsoft Windows 2000 options. Disable NetBIOS over TCP/IP (NetBT) This option can be used to selectively enable or disable NetBT for DHCP-enabled computers running Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, and Windows 2000. By default, if this option is not present, Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, and Windows 2000 enable the use of NetBT for network connections that are configured to use TCP/IP. Earlier Windows-based clients require NetBT and do not support this option.

Code

1
Length

4 octets
Value

Accepted values for this option are: 1= NetBT remains enabled 2=Disable NetBT for DHCP clients Structure of Disable NetBIOS over TCP/IP (NetBT) CodeLengthNetBT 001 4 1|2 Release DHCP Lease on Shutdown This option can be used to control whether DHCP-enabled computers running Windows 2000, Windows XP, or Windows Server 2003 sends a DHCPRelease message to the DHCP server when a shutdown occurs. It is actually implemented and interpreted as a bit-masked value by the DHCP Client service. By default, these clients do not send DHCPRelease messages on proper shutdown.
Code

2
Length

4 octets
Value

Accepted values for this option are: 1 = DHCP clients send a DHCPRelease message on proper shutdown 0 = DHCP clients do not send a DHCPRelease message on proper shutdown Structure of Release DHCP Lease on Shutdown CodeLengthRelease 002 4 0|1

Default Router Metric Base This option can be used to set the default base metric for DHCP clients running Windows Server 2003. When this option is set, the DHCP Client service uses the value configured here as the base metric for its default gateways.
Code

3
Length

4 octets
Value

This value represents a specified router metric base to be used for all default gateway routes used by DHCP-enabled clients running Windows Server 2003. This value can be assigned as an integer representing a cost metric ranging from 1 through 9,999. It is used in calculating the fastest, most reliable, and least expensive routes. If a value is not specified, a default of either one (1) or the currently set interface-specific metric is used. Structure of Default Router Metric Base CodeLengthRoute Metric 003 4 Router metric base

How DHCP Technology Works

Updated: March 28, 2003

How DHCP Works

DHCP provides an automated way to distribute and update IP addresses and other configuration information on a network. A DHCP server provides this information to a DHCP client through the exchange of a series of messages, known as the DHCP conversation or the DHCP transaction. If the DHCP server and DHCP clients are located on different subnets, a DHCP relay agent is used to facilitate the conversation. Note It is necessary to have an understanding of basic TCP/IP concepts, including working knowledge of subnets before you can have a full understanding of DHCP. For more information about TCP/IP, see TCP/IP Technical Reference. In this section DHCP Architecture DHCP Protocols DHCP Processes and Interactions Top of page

DHCP Architecture
The DHCP architecture consists of DHCP clients, DHCP servers, and DHCP relay agents on a network. The clients interact with servers using DHCP messages in a DHCP conversation to obtain and renew IP address leases.

DHCP Client Functionality

A DHCP client is any network-enabled device that supports the ability to communicate with a DHCP server in compliance with RFC 2131, for the purpose of obtaining dynamic leased IP configuration and related optional information. DHCP provides support for client computers running any of the following Microsoft operating systems: Windows NT version 4.0 Windows 2000 Windows XP Windows Server 2003 Windows 98 Windows Millennium Edition Automatic IP Configuration DHCP supports Automatic Private IP Addressing (APIPA), which enables computers running Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003 to configure an IP address and subnet mask if a DHCP server is unavailable at system startup and the

Automatic private IP address Alternate Configuration setting is selected. This feature is useful for clients on small private networks, such as a small-business office or a home office. The DHCP Client service on a computer running Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 uses the following process to auto-configure the client: 1.The DHCP client attempts to locate a DHCP server and obtain an IP address and configuration. 2.If a DHCP server cannot be found or does not respond after one minute, the DHCP client checks the settings on the Alternate Configuration tab of the properties of the TCP/IP protocol. If Automatic private IP address is selected, the DHCP client auto-configures its IP address and subnet mask by using a selected address from the Microsoft-reserved Class B network, 169.254.0.0, with the subnet mask 255.255.0.0. The DHCP client tests for an address conflict to ensure that the IP address is not in use on the network. If a conflict is found, the client selects another IP address. The client retries autoconfiguration up to 10 times. If User Configured is selected, the DHCP client configures a static IP address configuration. The DHCP client tests for an address conflict to ensure that the IP address is not already in use on the network. If a conflict is found, the DHCP client indicates the error condition to the user. 3.When the DHCP client succeeds in self-selecting an address, it configures its network interface with the IP address. The client then continues to check for a DHCP server in the background every five minutes. If a DHCP server responds, the DHCP client abandons its self-selected IP address and uses the address offered by the DHCP server (and any other DHCP option information that the server provides) to update its IP configuration settings. If the DHCP client obtained a lease from a DHCP server on a previous occasion, and the lease is still valid (not expired) at system startup, the client tries to renew its lease. If, during the renewal attempt, the client fails to locate any DHCP server, it attempts to ping the default gateway listed in the lease, and proceeds in one of the following ways: If the ping is successful, the DHCP client assumes that it is still located on the same network where it obtained its current lease, and continues to use the lease as long as the lease is still valid. By default the client then attempts, in the background, to renew its lease when 50 percent of its assigned lease time has expired. If the ping fails, the DHCP client assumes that it has been moved to a network where a DHCP server is not available. The client then auto-configures its IP address by using the settings on the Alternate Configuration tab. When the client is auto-configured, it attempts to locate a DHCP server and obtain a lease every five minutes. Local Storage

Windows Server 2003 DHCP supports local storage, which allows clients to store DHCP information on their own hard disks. Local storage is useful because it enables the client to store its last leased IP address, so that when the client starts it first attempts to renew the lease of its previous IP address. Local storage also enables a client to be shut down and restarted and it will use its previously leased address and configuration, even if the DHCP server is unreachable or offline at the time that the client computer is restarted.

DHCP Server Responsibilities

The DHCP servers maintain scopes, reservations, and options as set by the administrator. Scopes A scope must be properly defined and activated before DHCP clients can use the DHCP server for automatic TCP/IP configuration. A DHCP scope is an administrative collection of IP addresses and TCP/IP configuration parameters that are available for lease to DHCP clients of a specific subnet. The network administrator creates a scope for each subnet. A scope has the following properties: A scope name, assigned when the scope is created. A range of possible IP addresses from which to include or exclude addresses used in DHCP lease offers. A unique subnet mask, which determines the network ID for an IP address in the scope. Lease duration values. Each DHCP scope can have a single continuous range of IP addresses. To use several address ranges within a single scope you must first define the entire address range for the scope, and then set exclusion ranges.
Lease Durations

When a scope is created, the lease duration is set to eight days by default. However there are situations when the administrator might want to change the lease duration. The following are examples of adjusting the lease duration due to individual network consideration: An organization has a large number of IP addresses available and configurations that rarely change. The administrator increases the lease duration to reduce the frequency of lease renewal exchanges between clients and the DHCP server. Because the DHCP clients are renewing their leases less frequently, DHCP-related network traffic is reduced. A limited number of IP addresses are available and client configurations change frequently or clients move often in or out of the network. The administrator reduces the lease duration. This increases the rate at which unused addresses are returned to the available address pool for reassignment.

For example, consider the ratio between connected computers and available IP addresses. If 40 computers share 254 available addresses, the demand for reusing addresses is low. A long lease time, such as a few months, might be appropriate in such a situation. However, if 230 computers must share the same address pool, demand for available addresses is greater, and a shorter lease time, for example a few days, is more appropriate. Note Although it is possible to configure a client with infinite lease duration, use infinite lease durations with caution. Even relatively stable environments have a certain amount of client turnover. At a minimum, computers might be added and removed, moved from one office to another, or network adapters might be replaced. If a client with an infinite lease is removed from the network without releasing its lease, the DHCP server is not notified, and the IP address is not automatically reused. Also, when using an infinite lease, options set on the DHCP server are not automatically updated on the DHCP client, because the client is never required to renew its lease and obtain the new options. It is recommended that reservations be used rather than infinite lease durations.
Exclusion Ranges

When you create a new scope, immediately exclude the addresses of existing statically configured computers from the scope. By using exclusion ranges, you can exclude specific IP address ranges within a scope so that those addresses are not offered to clients. Assign IP addresses within exclusion ranges to computers or devices that must have a static IP address, such as servers, firewalls, or routers. You can use excluded IP addresses on your network by manually configuring these addresses at computers that do not use DHCP to obtain an address, or by configuring reservations for these addresses.
Reservations

You can reserve IP addresses for assignment to specified computers or devices on the network. Reservations ensure that a specified hardware device on a subnet always receives the same IP address lease. Use reservations for DHCP-enabled devices that must always have the same IP address on your network, such as servers that do not support Domain Name System (DNS) dynamic update. Note If multiple DHCP servers are each configured with scopes that cover addresses that must be reserved, the reservations must be specified on each DHCP server. Otherwise, the client might receive an IP address from one of the DHCP servers that does not contain the reservation, and therefore might not receive the IP address reserved for the client.
Superscopes

A superscope allows a DHCP server to provide leases from more than one scope to clients on a single physical subnet. Before you can create a superscope, you must use the DHCP Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-in to define at least one of the scopes to be included in the superscope. Scopes added to a superscope are called member scopes. Superscopes can resolve DHCP Server service issues in several different ways; these issues include situations in which: Support is needed for DHCP clients on a single physical network segment such as a single Ethernet LAN segment where multiple logical IP networks are used. When more than one logical IP network is used on a physical network, these configurations are also known as multinets. In a situation where multinets are used, clients might not be able to communicate directly with each other, because the clients might be on different logical subnets, even if they are on the same physical network segment. In this case, routing must be enabled to allow the clients to communicate with each other. Also, a router or BOOTP/DHCP relay agent must be configured on the subnet to allow DHCP messages to travel between the logical subnets. Support is needed for DHCP clients that are in a multinet located on the other side of BOOTP relay agents. Clients need to be migrated to a new scope.

Interactions between Client and Server

DHCP servers and DHCP clients communicate through a series of DHCP messages. To obtain a lease, the DHCP client initiates a conversation with a DHCP server using a series of these DHCP messages. DHCP Messages The following list includes the eight types of messages that can be sent between DHCP clients and servers. For more information about the structure and specifics of each of these packets, see DHCP Message Format later in this section.
DHCPDiscover

Broadcast by a DHCP client when it first attempts to connect to the network. The DHCPDiscover message requests IP address information from a DHCP server.
DHCPOffer

Broadcast by each DHCP server that receives the client DHCPDiscover message and has an IP address configuration to offer to the client. The DHCPOffer message contains an unleased IP address and additional TCP/IP configuration information, such as the subnet mask and default gateway. More than one DHCP server can respond with a DHCPOffer message. The client accepts the best offer, which for a Windows DHCP client is the first DHCPOffer message that it receives.
DHCPRequest

Broadcast by a DHCP client after it selects a DHCPOffer. The DHCPRequest message contains the IP address from the DHCPOffer that it selected. If the client is renewing or rebinding to a previous lease, this packet might be unicast directly to the server.
DHCPAck

Broadcast by a DHCP server to a DHCP client acknowledging the DHCPRequest message. At this time, the server also forwards any options. Upon receipt of the DHCPAck, the client can use the leased IP address to participate in the TCP/IP network and complete its system startup. This message is typically broadcast, because the DHCP client does not officially have an IP address that it can use at this point. If the DHCPAck is in response to a DHCPInform, then the message is unicast directly to the host that sent the DHCPInform message.
DHCPNack

Broadcast by a DHCP server to a DHCP client denying the clients DHCPRequest message. This might occur if the requested address is incorrect because the client moved to a new subnet or because the DHCP clients lease has expired and cannot be renewed.
DHCPDecline

Broadcast by a DHCP client to a DHCP server, informing the server that the offered IP address is declined because it appears to be in use by another computer.
DHCPRelease

Sent by a DHCP client to a DHCP server, relinquishing an IP address and canceling the remaining lease. This is unicast to the server that provided the lease.
DHCPInform

Sent from a DHCP client to a DHCP server, asking only for additional local configuration parameters; the client already has a configured IP address. This message type is also used by DHCP servers running Windows Server 2003 to detect unauthorized DHCP servers. DHCP Lease Process A DHCP-enabled client obtains a lease for an IP address from a DHCP server. Before the lease expires, the DHCP client must renew the lease or obtain a new lease. Leases are retained in the DHCP server database for a period of time after expiration. By default, this grace period is four hours and cleanup occurs once an hour for a DHCP server running Windows Server 2003. This protects a clients lease in case the client and server are in different time zones, the internal clocks of the client and server computers are not synchronized, or the client is off the network when the lease expires.
Obtaining a New Lease

A DHCP client initiates a conversation with a DHCP server when it is seeking a new lease, renewing a lease, rebinding, or restarting. The DHCP conversation consists of a series of DHCP messages passed between the DHCP client and DHCP servers. The following figure shows an overview of this process when the DHCP server and DHCP client are on the same subnet. DHCP Lease Process Overview

1.The DHCP client requests an IP address by broadcasting a DHCPDiscover message to the local subnet. 2.The client is offered an address when a DHCP server responds with a DHCPOffer message containing an IP address and configuration information for lease to the client. If no DHCP server responds to the client request, the client sends DHCPDiscover messages at intervals of 0, 4, 8, 16, and 32 seconds, plus a random interval of between 1 second and 1 second. If there is no response from a DHCP server after one minute, the client can proceed in one of two ways: If the client is using the Automatic Private IP Addressing (APIPA) alternate configuration, the client self-configures an IP address for its interface. If the client does not support alternate configuration, such as APIPA, or if IP autoconfiguration has been disabled, the client network initialization fails. In both cases, the client begins a new cycle of DHCPDiscover messages in the background every five minutes, using the same intervals as before (0, 4, 8, 16, and 32 seconds), until it receives a DHCPOffer message from a DHCP server. 3.The client indicates acceptance of the offer by selecting the offered address and broadcasting a DHCPRequest message in response. 4.The client is assigned the address and the DHCP server broadcasts a DHCPAck message in response, finalizing the terms of the lease. When the client receives acknowledgment, it configures its TCP/IP properties by using the DHCP option information in the reply, and completes its initialization of TCP/IP. In rare cases, a DHCP server might return a negative acknowledgment to the client. This can happen if a client requests an invalid or duplicate address. If a client receives a

negative acknowledgment (DHCPNack), the client must begin the entire lease process again. When the DHCP client and the DHCP server are on the same IP broadcast subnet, the DHCPDiscover, DHCPOffer, DHCPRequest, and DHCPAck messages are sent to identify clients by means of IP-level broadcasts sent to the limited broadcast address and the media access control (MAC) broadcast address. When the DHCP server and DHCP client are not on the same subnet either a router or a host on the DHCP clients subnet must act as a DHCP relay agent to support the forwarding of DHCP messages between the DHCP client and the DHCP server.
Renewing a Lease

The DHCP client first attempts to renew its lease when 50 percent of the original lease time, known as T1, has passed. At this point the DHCP client sends a unicast DHCPRequest message to the DHCP server that originally granted its lease. If the server is available, and the lease is still available, the server responds with a unicast DHCPAck message and the lease is renewed. If the original DHCP server is available, but the clients current lease is no longer available, the DHCP server responds with a DHCPNack message, and the client immediately starts the process to obtain a new lease. This can happen if the client has changed subnets or if the DHCP server cannot fulfill the lease request for some other reason. If there is no response from the DHCP server, the client waits until 87.5 percent of the lease time has passed (known as T2). At T2, the client enters the rebinding state, and broadcasts a DHCPRequest message to attempt to renew the lease from any available DHCP server. If no DHCP server is available by the time the lease expires, the client immediately unbinds itself from the existing lease and starts the process to obtain a new lease, beginning with a DHCPDiscover message. Preventing Address Conflicts Windows Server 2003 DHCP has both server-side and client-side conflict detection to prevent duplicate IP addresses on your network.
Client Conflict Detection

Client computers running Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows NT 4.0, Windows Millennium Edition, and Windows 98 automatically check to determine if an IP address is already in use before using it. After the DHCP client receives a lease from the DHCP server, the client sends an Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) request to the address that it has been assigned. If a reply to the ARP request is received, the client has detected a conflict and sends a

DHCPDecline message to the DHCP server. The DHCP server attaches a BAD_ADDRESS value to the IP address in the scope for the length of the lease. The client then begins the lease process again, and is offered the next available address in the scope. Note ARP requests do not traverse routers. Clients use ARP requests rather than pings (ICMP Echo messages) because pings require the sender to have an IP address.
Server Conflict Detection

If your network includes older DHCP clients that do not perform conflict detection themselves, you can enable conflict detection on the DHCP server. By default, the Windows Server 2003 DHCP Server service does not perform any conflict detection. To detect conflicts, the DHCP server pings (sends an ICMP Echo message to) an IP address before offering that address to clients in a new lease. The DHCP server only pings addresses that have not been successfully and previously leased. If a client requests a lease on an IP address that it already had or is requesting a renewal, the DHCP server does not ping the IP address. If conflict detection is enabled, an administrator-defined number of pings are sent. The server waits 1 second for a reply. Because the time required for a client to obtain a lease is equal to the number of pings used, choose this value carefully because it directly impacts the overall performance of the server. In general, one ping is sufficient. If a response to the ping is received, a conflict is registered and that address is not offered to clients requesting a lease from the server. The DHCP server then attaches a BAD_ADDRESS value to that IP address in the scope. The DHCP server then tries to lease the next available address. If the duplicate address is removed from the network, the BAD_ADDRESS value attached to the IP address can be deleted from the scopes list of active leases, and then the address returns to the pool. Addresses are marked as BAD_ADDRESS for the length of the lease for which the scope is configured. If the BAD_ADDRESS entry is not manually removed, it will automatically be removed after a period of time equal to the lease time for the scope. Note In general, use server conflict detection only as a troubleshooting aid when you suspect that duplicate IP addresses are in use on your network. Each additional conflict detection attempt adds to the time needed to negotiate leases for DHCP clients.

DHCP Options

DHCP options are additional configuration parameters that a DHCP server assigns to clients. Options can also be used for DHCP communication between the server computer and client computers. The most specific options take precedence over the least specific options. This simplifies DHCP management and allows a flexible administration that can range from per-server default settings to common settings for a specific subnet and individualized client settings when needed for special circumstances. In most cases, the option values are specified in the Options dialog box on the DHCP server, scope, or reservation. DHCP options can be configured for specific values and enabled for assignment and distribution to DHCP clients based on: Server options. These options apply globally for all scopes and classes defined at each DHCP server and any clients that it services. Configured server option values always apply unless they are overridden by options assigned to other scope, class, or client reservation. Scope options. These options apply to any clients that obtain a lease within that particular scope. Configured scope option values always apply to all computers obtaining a lease in a given scope unless they are overridden by options assigned to class or client reservation. Class options. These options apply to any clients that specify that particular DHCP Class ID value when obtaining a scope lease. Configured class option values always apply to all computers configured as members in a specified DHCP option class unless they are overridden by options assigned to a client reservation. Reserved client options. These options apply only to the client corresponding to the reservation. Reserved client option values override all other server, scope, or class assigned option values. Options are typically applied at each DHCP server at the server or scope level. To precisely manage or customize option settings for a group or class of computers, specify either a user or vendor class assignment that overrides the broader server or scope option defaults. For special requirements, such as clients with special functions, assign options for specific reserved clients. Options can also be used to separate and distribute appropriate options for clients with similar or special configuration needs. For example, DHCP clients on the same floor of a building can be configured with the same DHCP Class ID value to assign them membership in the same option class. You can then distribute additional or varied option data to that class during the lease process, overriding any scope or globally provided default options. Note

Statically configured values on a client override any DHCP options of any type or level. Many options are predefined on a DHCP server running Windows Server 2003. Other standard DHCP options can be added as needed to support any other DHCP client software that recognizes or requires the use of these additional options. The DHCP Server service running on Windows Server 2003 supports all options defined in RFC 2132, although most DHCP clients use or support only a small subset of the available RFCspecified options. The following table contains a list of default DHCP options requested by DHCP clients running Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP. For a complete reference of DHCP options, see DHCP Tools and Settings. Default DHCP Options Option CodeOption Name 1 Subnet mask 3 Router 6 DNS servers 15 DNS domain name 44 WINS/NBNS servers 46 WINS/NetBT node type 47 NetBIOS scope ID 51 Lease time 58 Renewal (T1) time value 59 Rebinding (T2) time value 31 Perform router discovery 33 Static route 43 Vendor-specific information 249 Classless static routes DHCP Option Parameters DHCP servers can be configured to provide optional data that fully configures TCP/IP on a client. Some of the most common DHCP option types configured and distributed by the DHCP server during the lease process include parameters for the default gateway, DNS, and WINS. Clients can be configured with: Information options. You can explicitly configure these options and any associated values provided to clients. Protocol options. You can implicitly configure these options used by the DHCP Server service based on server and scope property settings.

You can use the DHCP snap-in to configure these properties and set them for an entire scope or for a single, reserved client scope.
Information Options

The following table lists the most common types of DHCP information options that can be configured for DHCP clients. These options can be enabled and configured for each scope that you configure on a DHCP server. Depending on your network infrastructure, some of these options can be configured as server options, such as DNS domain name. Common Information Options CodeDescription 3 Router 6 DNS server 15 DNS domain name 44 WINS/NBNS servers Clients can request these DHCP options, and can use the values to set their TCP/IP configurations for the duration of the lease.
Protocol Options

The following table shows protocol options that DHCP clients can be configured to use when communicating with a DHCP server to obtain or renew a lease. Common Protocol Options CodeDescription 51 Lease time 53 DHCP message type 55 Special option type used to communicate a parameter request list to the DHCP server 58 Renewal time value (T1) 59 Rebind time value (T2) The values provided to clients for lease time, T1, and T2 are taken from the scope settings on the DHCP server. The value provided for DHCP message type is automatically set depending on which packet of the DHCP conversation is being sent. Option Classes Option classes allow quick introduction of custom applications for enterprise networks. DHCP option classes provide a way to easily configure network clients with the parameters necessary to meet the special requirements of custom applications. Equipment from multiple vendors on a network can also use different option code numbers for different functions. The options used to support vendor classes the vendor class

identifier and the vendor-specific option are defined in the Internet DHCP options standard reference, RFC 2132. Windows Server 2003 includes two types of option classes: vendor-defined and userdefined. These classes can be configured on your servers to offer specialized client support in the following ways: Add and configure vendor-defined classes for managing DHCP options assigned to clients identified by vendor type. Add and configure user-defined classes for managing DHCP options assigned to clients that need a similar DHCP option configuration. After options classes are defined on a DHCP server, scopes on the server can be configured to assign options for specific user-defined and vendor-defined option classes.
Vendor Classes

Vendor-defined option classes can be used by DHCP clients to identify the clients vendor type and configuration when obtaining a lease from the DHCP server. The client can include the vendor class ID option (option code 60) when it requests or selects a lease from a DHCP server to identify its vendor class during the lease process. The vendor class identifier information is a string of character data interpreted by the DHCP servers. Vendors can choose to define specific vendor class identifiers to convey particular configuration or other identification information about a client. For example, the identifier might encode the clients hardware or software configuration. Most vendor types are derived from standard reserved hardware and operating system-type abbreviation codes listed in RFC 1700. When vendor options are specified, the server performs the following additional steps to provide a lease to the client: The server verifies that the vendor class identified by the client request is a recognized class defined on the server. If the vendor class is recognized, the server checks to see if any additional DHCP options are configured for this class in the active scope. If the vendor class is not recognized, the server ignores the vendor class identified in the client request, and returns options allocated to the default vendor class (which includes all DHCP Standard options). If the scope contains options configured specifically for use with clients in this vendordefined class, the server returns those options using the vendor-specific option type (option code 43) as part of its acknowledgment message.

In most cases, the default vendor class the DHCP Standard option class provides a default vendor class for any Windows DHCP clients or other DHCP clients that do not specify a vendor class ID. In some cases, you might define additional vendor classes for other DHCP clients, such as printers or some types of UNIX clients. When you add other vendor classes for these purposes, make sure that the vendor class identifier you use to configure the class at the server matches the identifier used by clients for your third-party vendor.
User Classes

User classes allow DHCP clients to differentiate themselves by specifying what type of client they are, such as desktop or server computer. For computers running Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, and Windows 2000, you can define specific user class identifiers to convey information about a clients software configuration, its physical location in a building, or about its user preferences. For example, an identifier can specify that DHCP clients are members of a user class called 2nd floor, West, which has need for a specific set of router, DNS, and WINS server settings. An administrator can then configure the DHCP server to include different option values depending on the user class of client receiving the lease. Windows Server 2003 user classes can be used as follows: DHCP client computers can include the DHCP user class option when sending DHCP request messages to the DHCP server. This can specifically identify the client as part of a user class on the server. DHCP servers running the Windows 2000 Server or Windows Server 2003 DHCP Server service can recognize and interpret the DHCP user class option from clients and provide additional options (or a modified set of DHCP options) based on the clients user class identity. For example, shorter leases can be assigned to wireless clients. Or perhaps a particular set of clients might need a specific set of routes, a specific DNS server, or a specific default gateway. Note If user classes are not specified, default settings, such as server options or scope options, are assigned. A user class can be either a default or custom user class. Microsoft provides three default user classes, as described in the following table. Default User Classes Provided by Windows DHCP Class Type Class ID String Description Default User(Unspecified) This class is typically used by most DHCP clients. Clients

Class Type Class ID String Description Class that are included in this class: DHCP clients that cannot be configured with a user class or a user class ID. This is true for most Windows-based DHCP clients prior to Windows 2000. Clients running Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, or Windows 2000 configured with a class ID unknown to the DHCP server. Clients that do not otherwise specify a user class ID. Default RRAS.MicrosoftThis class is used by the Windows 2000 Server or Routing and Windows Server 2003 DHCP Server service to classify Remote clients making a PPP-type connection through a remote Access class access server. Typically, this class includes most dial-up networking clients that use DHCP to obtain a lease, including remote access clients that cannot be configured with a Routing and Remote Access user class or a Routing and Remote Access user class ID. See DHCP and Routing and Remote Access later in this topic for details about the interaction between a Routing and Remote Access server and a DHCP server and how DHCP servers identify remote access clients. This class is used by the Windows 2000 Server or Windows Server 2003 DHCP Server service to classify any clients recognized as BOOTP clients.

Default BOOTP class

BOOTP

Use the Microsoft default user classes to isolate specific configuration details for clients with special needs, such as older clients or clients that use BOOTP or Routing and Remote Access. For example, you might want to include and assign special BOOTP option types (such as option codes 66 and 67) for clients that are BOOTP type, or shorten the lease time for remote access clients. You can also add and configure custom user classes for use by DHCP clients running Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003. For a custom user class to work properly, the client must use the same custom identifier when requesting options as was used when the class was defined on the DHCP server The user class option field permits only one ASCII text string to be used for identifying clients. This means each client computer can be identified only as a member of a single user class by the DHCP server. You can use additional user classes to make new hybrids from your other user classes to accommodate clients that need configuration for multiple user classes. For example, if you have two user classes, one called mobile with short lease times assigned and another called engineer with an option assigned to configure a high-performance server for its clients, you can make a new hybrid user class called mobile-engineer that contains both special option value settings.

MADCAP and Multicast DHCP

Multicast Address Dynamic Client Allocation Protocol (MADCAP) is modeled after the DHCP standard. MADCAP assists in simplifying and automating configuration of multicast groups on your network, but it is not required for the operation of multicast groups or for the DHCP Server service. Multicast scopes provide only multicast address configuration and do not support or use other DHCP-assignable options. Multicast scopes configured on the DHCP server define ranges of IP multicast addresses. Similar to allocating unicast IP addresses, IP multicast addresses are allocated to MADCAP clients. A MADCAP address is configured separately from a primary IP address. Computers that use either static or dynamic IP configuration through a DHCP server can be MADCAP clients. In Windows Server 2003, the DHCP Server service supports both DHCP and MADCAP, although these services function separately. Clients of one do not depend on the use or configuration of the other. Clients that do not support the MADCAP service or are unable to contact and obtain multicast configuration from a MADCAP server can be configured in other ways so that they participate in either permanent or temporary multicast groups on the network. In all TCP/IP networks, each computer requires a unique primary unicast IP address for each network interface. You must assign this required primary unicast IP address before you can configure a computer to support and use secondary IP addresses such as multicast IP addresses. Top of page

DHCP Protocols
In Windows Server 2003, the DHCP Server service includes support for the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), the Multicast Address Dynamic Client Allocation Protocol (MADCAP), and the Bootstrap Protocol (BOOTP).

DHCP
DHCP servers communicate with DHCP clients by using a series of DHCP messages. The format of DHCP messages is based on the message format used with the BOOTP protocol. RFC 2131 defines the format for each message sent between a DHCP client and a DHCP server. The following table shows the possible fields in the DHCP messages. DHCP Message Fields

Field Friendly Name Name op Message Type htype Hardware Address Type hlen Hardware Address Length hops Hops

Field Length Description (Octets) 1 Message type 1 Hardware address type. Defined at http://www.iana.org/assignments/arp-parameters Hardware address length in octets

xid secs flags

Transaction 4 ID Seconds 2 Flags 2

ciaddr Client IP Address yiaddr Your IP Address siaddr DHCP Server IP Address giaddr Gateway IP Address chaddr Client Hardware Address sname Server Host Name file Boot File Name options Options

4 4 4

Value is set to zero by DHCP clients. Optionally used to count the number of relay agents that forwarded the message. A random number used to associate messages and responses between a client and a server. Seconds elapsed since client began address acquisition or renewal process. Flags set by client. The Broadcast flag is set if the client cannot receive unicast IP datagrams (for example, before it is configured with an IP address). This field is only filled in if the client has an IP address and can respond to ARP requests. Address given to the DHCP client by the DHCP server IP address of the server that is offering a lease

4 16

DHCP relay agent IP address Client hardware address

64

Optional server host name. Not used in Windows Server 2003 128 The name of the file containing the boot image for a BOOTP client variable Optional parameters field. In the DHCP protocol packet, each option begins with a single octet tag, which holds the option code, and a second octet, which describes the option data length, in bytes. For a complete list of the DHCP options available by default on a DHCP server running on Windows Server 2003, see DHCP Tools and Settings.

For a complete view of how these fields are used in each DHCP message, see RFC 2131 or use a network monitoring tool, such as Netmon, to view the DHCP messages.

MADCAP
Windows Server 2003 includes a Multicast Address Dynamic Client Allocation Protocol (MADCAP) Server service to support dynamic assignment and configuration of IP multicast addresses on TCP/IP-based networks. Whereas DHCP unicast scopes provide client configurations by allocating ranges of IP addresses for point-to-point communication between two networked computers, multicast scopes provide ranges for multicast IP addresses. These addresses are reserved for multicast operation using directed transmission from one point to multiple points. A multicast address is shared by many computers. A group of TCP/IP computers can use a single multicast IP address to send directed communication to all computers with which they share the use of the group address. An IP datagram that is sent to the multicast address is forwarded to all members of that multicast group. Dynamic Membership Multicast addresses support dynamic membership, allowing individual computers to join or leave the multicast group at any time. The size of the group is not limited, and computers can be members of multiple groups. In addition, any computer that uses TCP/IP can send datagrams to any multicast group. Multicast Address Ranges You can permanently reserve multicast group addresses or temporarily assign and use them. A permanent group is made by permanently reserving a multicast IP address (224.0.0.0 to 239.255.255.255) with the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA). The reserved address then becomes a well-known address, indicating a specific multicast group that exists regardless of whether group member computers are present on the network. Any multicast IP address that is not permanently reserved with the IANA can then be used dynamically to assign and form temporary multicast groups. These temporary groups can exist as long as one or more computers on the network are configured with the groups address and actively share in its use.

BOOTP
Bootstrap Protocol (BOOTP) is a computer configuration protocol developed before DHCP. DHCP improves on BOOTP and resolves specific limitations that BOOTP had as a computer configuration service. RFC 951 defines BOOTP. Whereas BOOTP configures diskless workstations with limited boot capabilities, DHCP configures networked computers, that have local hard drives and full boot capabilities. Likewise, although both BOOTP and DHCP allocate IP addresses to clients during startup, they use different methods of allocation. BOOTP typically provides fixed

allocation of a single IP address for each client, permanently reserving this address in the BOOTP server database. DHCP typically provides dynamic, leased allocation of available IP addresses, reserving each DHCP client address temporarily in the DHCP database. Because of the relationship between BOOTP and DHCP, both protocols share some defining characteristics. BOOTP and DHCP use nearly identical request messages and reply messages. Both protocols enclose each protocol message in a single User Datagram Protocol (UDP) datagram of 576 bytes. Message headers are the same for both BOOTP and DHCP, except for the final message header field that carries optional data. For BOOTP, this optional field is called the vendor-specific area and is limited to 64 bytes. For DHCP, this optional field is called the options field and is at least 312 bytes long. Both BOOTP and DHCP use the same reserved protocol ports for sending and receiving messages between servers and clients. Both BOOTP and DHCP servers use UDP port 67 to listen for and receive client request messages. BOOTP and DHCP clients typically reserve UDP port 68 for accepting message replies from either a BOOTP server or DHCP server. Because DHCP and BOOTP messages use nearly identical format types and packet structures, and use the same well-known service ports, BOOTP or DHCP relay agent programs usually treat BOOTP and DHCP messages as the same message type and do not differentiate between them. BOOTP clients do not rebind or renew configuration with the BOOTP server except when the system restarts, whereas DHCP clients do not require a system restart to rebind or renew configuration with the DHCP server. Instead, clients automatically enter the rebinding state at defined intervals to renew their leased address allocation with the DHCP server. This process occurs in the background and is transparent to the user. BOOTP uses a two-phase bootstrap configuration process in which clients contact BOOTP servers to perform address determination and boot file name selection, and clients also contact Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) servers to perform file transfer of their boot image. DHCP uses a single-phase boot configuration process whereby a DHCP client negotiates with a DHCP server to determine its IP address and obtain any other initial configuration details it needs for network operation. Because BOOTP clients contact TFTP servers to perform file transfer of their boot image and Windows Server 2003 does not provide a TFTP file service, you need a third-party TFTP server to support BOOTP clients that must boot from an image file (usually diskless workstations). You also need to configure your DHCP server to provide supported BOOTP/DHCP options. DHCP Options Supported for BOOTP Clients

To obtain other options, BOOTP clients must specify DHCP option code 55 (the Options Request List parameter) in the BOOTP request. BOOTP clients that do not specify option 55 can still retrieve the options listed in the following table from DHCP servers running Windows NT Server 4.0 or later, if they are configured on the server. DHCP Options for BOOTP Clients CodeOption Name 1 Subnet Mask 3 Router 4 Time Server 5 Name Server 9 LPR Server 12 Computer Name 15 Domain Name 17 Root Path 42 NTP Servers 44 WINS Server 45 NetBIOS over TCP/IP Datagram Distribution Server 46 NetBIOS over TCP/IP Node Type 47 NetBIOS over TCP/IP Scope 48 X Window System Font Server 49 X Window System Display Manager 69 SMTP Server 70 POP3 Server DHCP servers running Windows Server 2003 return the options in the order listed above and return as many options as can fit in a single datagram response. For more information about individual DHCP options, see DHCP Tools and Settings. Note When configuring client reservations for use with BOOTP clients, remember that DHCP options can apply equally to DHCP and BOOTP clients. BOOTP Table Each record in the BOOTP table has three fields of information that is returned to the BOOTP client: Boot Image. Identifies the generic file name (such as unix) of the requested boot file, based on the BOOTP clients hardware type. File Name. Identifies the full path of the boot file (such as /etc/vmunix) that the BOOTP server returns to the client by using TFTP. File Server. Identifies the name of the TFTP server used to store the boot file.

To add entries in the BOOTP table, use the DHCP snap-in. Top of page

DHCP Processes and Interactions

In Windows Server 2003, the DHCP Server service interacts with several other services, including the Active Directory directory service, DNS, and the Routing and Remote Access service.

Detecting Unauthorized DHCP Servers

An unauthorized DHCP server on a network can cause a variety of problems, such as the leasing of incorrect IP addresses and options. To protect against this type of problem, when a DHCP server running Windows 2000 or Windows Server 2003 starts on the network, it first attempts to determine if it is authorized to service clients. There are different methods used depending on how the network is configured. Unauthorized Domain Member DHCP Servers A domain member DHCP server queries Active Directory. The DHCP server compares its IP address and server name to the list of authorized DHCP servers. If either the server name or IP address is found on the list of authorized DHCP servers, the server is authorized as a DHCP server. If no match is found, the server is not authorized in Active Directory, the server does not respond to DHCP traffic, and a system event is logged. Note This process of authorizing DHCP servers is useful for only DHCP servers running Windows 2000 or Windows Server 2003. This process cannot be used for DHCP servers running Windows NT Server 4.0, or servers running non-Windows-based DHCP Server services. Only a member of the Enterprise Admins group can authorize or unauthorize a DHCP server in Active Directory. Unauthorized Workgroup DHCP Servers A Windows Server 2003 workgroup member DHCP server uses the following process to detect other DHCP servers currently running on the reachable network and to determine if it is authorized to provide service. 1.When the DHCP Server service starts, it sends a DHCPInform request message to the reachable network, using the local limited broadcast address (255.255.255.255), to locate other DHCP servers on the network. This message includes several vendor-specific option types that are known and supported by other DHCP servers running Windows Server 2003. These other DHCP

servers will respond with a DHCPAck containing information indicating if they are authorized domain member or workgroup member servers. 2.When queried, other DHCP servers running Windows 2000 and Windows Server 2003 reply with DHCPAck messages to acknowledge and answer with workgroup or domain membership information. 3.If an Active Directory domain member DHCP server is found, then the workgroup member server determines that it is not authorized and does not service clients. If other workgroup servers are found, the workgroup member server determines that it is authorized to service clients, and begins service. It then performs the check again at one-hour intervals.

DHCP and DNS

Domain Name System (DNS) servers provide name resolution for network clients. DNS resolves a fully qualified domain name (FQDN) to its corresponding IP address. Although DHCP provides a powerful mechanism for automatically configuring client IP addresses, prior to Windows 2000, the DHCP Server service did not notify DNS to update the DNS records on behalf of the client. Specifically, DHCP did not map the client name to an IP address and did not update IP address-to-name mappings using DNS dynamic update. Without a way for DHCP to interact with DNS, the information maintained by DNS for a DHCP client might be incorrect. For example, a client can acquire its IP address from a DHCP server, but the DNS records might not reflect the IP address acquired nor provide a mapping from the new IP address to the FQDN. DNS Dynamic Updates In Windows 2000 and Windows Server 2003, DHCP servers and clients can register record updates if the DNS server supports DNS dynamic updates. In Windows 2000 Server and Windows Server 2003, the DNS service supports DNS dynamic updates. A DHCP server running Windows Server 2003 can register with a DNS server and update pointer (PTR) and address (A) resource records on behalf of its DHCP-enabled clients by using the DNS dynamic update protocol. The ability to register A and PTR resource records lets a DHCP server act as a DNS registration proxy for clients using Windows NT 4.0, Windows 98, or Windows Millennium Edition, and possibly other clients that are not able to register the updates on their own, as shown in the following figure. DHCP Server Performing DNS Dynamic Update on Behalf of DHCP Client

DHCP clients running Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003 interact with DNS differently than DHCP clients running earlier versions of Windows. DHCP clients running Windows XP, Windows 2000, or Windows Server 2003 typically update their own dynamic forward lookup names, as shown in the following figure. DHCP Client and DHCP Server Performing DNS Dynamic Update

An additional DHCP option code (option code 81) enables the return of a clients FQDN to the DHCP server. If implemented, the DHCP server can dynamically update an individual computers resource records on a DNS server by using the DNS dynamic update protocol. For more information about DNS dynamic updates, see DNS Technical Reference. Secure DNS Dynamic Updates By itself, DNS dynamic update is not secure; any client can modify DNS records. When secure DNS dynamic update is configured, the authoritative name server accepts updates only from clients and servers that are authorized to make DNS dynamic updates to the appropriate objects in Active Directory. Secure DNS dynamic update is available only on Active Directoryintegrated zones. Secure DNS dynamic update protects zones and resource records from being modified by unauthorized users by allowing you to specify the users and groups that can modify zones and resource records. By default, Windows Server 2003, Windows XP Professional, and

Windows 2000 clients attempt unsecured DNS dynamic updates first. If that request fails, they attempt secure updates. When using multiple DHCP servers and secure DNS dynamic updates, add each of the DHCP servers as members of the DnsUpdateProxy global security group so that any DHCP server can perform a secure DNS dynamic update for any record. Otherwise, when a DHCP server performs a secure DNS dynamic update for a record, that DHCP server is the only computer that can update the record.

DHCP and Routing and Remote Access

The Windows Server 2003 DHCP Server service interacts with the Windows Server 2003 Routing and Remote Access Server service in two specific ways. When Routing and Remote Access is used to provide remote access to PPP clients, the remote access server obtains IP addresses from the DHCP server, which it then assigns to the PPP clients. DHCP also interacts with routers when DHCP clients and DHCP servers are on different subnets from each other. In this situation, a router that can act as a DHCP relay agent must be present on the subnet of the DHCP client. You can use the Windows Server 2003 Routing and Remote Access service to act as a DHCP relay agent. Configuration of PPP Clients When the Routing and Remote Access service is configured to use DHCP to obtain IP addresses for TCP/IP based clients, the Routing and Remote Access service instructs the DHCP Client service to obtain 10 IP addresses from a DHCP server when the first PPP client connects. The Routing and Remote Access service uses the first IP address obtained from DHCP for the Internal interface, which is a logical interface that represents the connections to all PPP-based clients. Subsequent addresses are assigned to TCP/IPbased PPP clients as they connect. After the PPP client disconnects, the now-unassigned IP address is reused for a future PPP connection. The remote access server uses the IP addresses from these leases to configure PPP clients, but discards all options contained in the leases. When all 10 IP addresses are used, the Routing and Remote Access service obtains another block of 10 IP addresses from the DHCP server. With a Windows NT 4.0based remote access server, DHCP-allocated addresses are recorded and reused when the remote access service is restarted. In Windows Server 2003 and Windows 2000 Server, the Routing and Remote Access service releases all DHCPallocated IP addresses by using DHCPRelease messages each time the service is stopped. If the DHCP server becomes unavailable, the DHCP Client service on the Routing and Remote Access server assigns APIPA addresses to TCP/IP-based PPP clients. APIPA addresses for remote access connectivity work only if the network to which the remote

access client is attached is also using APIPA addresses (which is not a recommended configuration). If the local network is not using APIPA addresses, remote access clients can only obtain point-to-point remote access connectivity. The Routing and Remote Access service uses a specific LAN interface to obtain DHCPallocated IP addresses for remote access clients. You can select which LAN interface to use on the IP tab of the Properties dialog box of a server in the Routing and Remote Access snap-in. If the Routing and Remote Access server has more than one LAN interface installed, the Routing and Remote Access Server Setup Wizard prompts you to select the LAN interface.
Options for PPP Clients

Although the remote access server running Windows Server 2003 discards all options from the leases it obtains from the DHCP server, PPP clients do receive specific configuration information, such as WINS server and DNS server assignments, from the settings of the remote access server as part of the negotiation of the PPP connection. However, clients running Windows 2000, Windows XP, or Windows Server 2003 can receive additional configuration information from the DHCP server, by using a DHCPInform message after the connection has been established. These options are available only if the VPN server has the DHCP Relay Agent routing protocol component configured with the IP address of the DHCP server. The following three figures show the three steps of the remote access server obtaining leases from the DHCP server. First, when the first PPP client connects to the remote access server, the remote access server obtains 10 IP addresses from the DHCP server as shown in the following figure. Remote Access Server Obtains IP Addresses

Next, the remote access server uses Internet Protocol Control Protocol (IPCP) to configure the IP address of the client, as well as assign the DNS server and WINS server settings that are configured on the selected interface of the remote access server, as shown in the following figure. Remote Access Server Configures PPP Client

After the remote access client has an IP address, it sends a unicast DHCPInform message to request options from the DHCP server to the remote access server. The remote access server must also be configured with the DHCP Relay Agent routing protocol component. The remote access server, acting in its role as a DHCP relay agent, then sends the DHCPInform message to the DHCP server. The DHCP server responds with the options in a DHCPAck message, which is sent back to the remote access server. Finally, the DHCP relay agent on the remote access server sends the DHCPAck message to the remote access client, as shown in the following figure. PPP Client Obtains DHCP Options

The following table lists the DHCP options that are requested by the client in the DHCPInform message. DHCP Options Requested in DHCPInform Message CodeDescription 1 Subnet mask 6 DNS servers 15 DNS domain name 43 Vendor-specific information 44 WINS/NBNS servers 249 Classless static routes

DHCP Relay Agents

A DHCP relay agent is a hardware device or software program that can pass DHCP or BOOTP messages between DHCP clients and servers, according to the RFC 2131 specification for DHCP. DHCP relay agents act as proxies, forwarding messages from a subnet to one or more DHCP servers. Some DHCP messages are sent as broadcasts, so without relay agents and the ability to pass DHCP and BOOTP messages across routers, every subnet on a network must have its own DHCP server.

Most routers support acting as a DHCP relay agent. Alternatively, if a router cannot function as a DHCP relay agent, a computer that can function as a DHCP relay agent must be configured on each subnet to which the router is connected. In cases where it is impractical or impossible to configure routers to act as a DHCP relay agent, you can configure a computer running Windows Server 2003 or Windows 2000 Server, to act as a relay agent by enabling the Routing and Remote Access service and installing the DHCP Relay Agent routing protocol component. How Relay Agents Work The following figure shows how Client C on Subnet 2 obtains a DHCP address lease from DHCP Server 1 on Subnet 1. Using a Relay Agent

1.DHCP Client C broadcasts a DHCPDiscover message on Subnet 2 as a UDP datagram over well-known UDP port 67, which is the port reserved and shared for BOOTP and DHCP server communication. 2.The relay agent, in this case a DHCP relay-enabled router, examines the Gateway IP Address field (also known as the giaddr field) in the DHCP message header. If the field has an IP address of 0.0.0.0, the agent fills the Gateway IP Address field with the IP address assigned to the interface on which the DHCPDiscover was received, and forwards the DHCPDiscover message as a unicast message to the DHCP server on Subnet 1. 3.When DHCP Server 1 receives the DHCPDiscover message, it examines the Gateway IP Address field to determine if the packet was relayed. The DHCP server then determines whether it can supply an IP address lease to clients on the subnet indicated by the address in the Gateway IP Address field. For example, if the Gateway IP Address field has an IP address of 192.168.45.2, the DHCP server checks its DHCP scopes for a scope range that includes 192.168.45.2 (the gateway IP address in the packet). To find a match, the DHCP server determines whether the IP address 192.168.45.2 matches the network ID of each scope. It determines the network ID of each scope by ANDing any IP address in the scope with

its corresponding subnet mask. In this case, the DHCP server checks to see which scope includes addresses for Subnet 2. If a scope exists that matches this criterion, the DHCP server selects an available address from the matched scope to use in an IP address lease offer response to the client. 4.DHCP Server 1 sends a DHCPOffer message directly to the relay agent identified in the Gateway IP Address field. 5.The relay agent relays the DHCPOffer message to the DHCP client. Depending on the value of the Broadcast flag in the DHCPOffer message (which was copied from the DHCPDiscover message), the DHCP relay agent either unicasts or broadcasts the DHCPOffer message. 6.By using a similar process, a DHCPRequest message is relayed from client to server, and a DHCPAck message is relayed from server to client.