DYNAMIC HOST CONFIGURATION

PROTOCOL (DHCP)
Dynamic Assignment of IP
addresses
Dynamic assignment of IP addresses is desirable for
several reasons:
• IP addresses are assigned on-demand
• Avoid manual IP configuration
• Support mobility of laptops

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Solutions for dynamic assignment of IP addresses

1. Reverse Address Resolution Protocol

(RARP)
• Works similar to ARP
• Broadcast a request for the IP address associated with a
given MAC address
• RARP server responds with an IP address
• Only assigns IP address (not the default router and
subnetmask)

ARP Ethernet MAC

IP address
address
(32 bit)
(48 bit)
RARP

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2. BOOTstrap Protocol (BOOTP)
• From 1985
• Host can configure its IP parameters at boot time.
• Three services.
IP address assignment.
Detectionof the IP address for a serving machine.
The name of a file to be loaded and executed by the client
machine (boot file name)

• Not only assign IP address, but also default router, network mask, etc.
• Sent as UDP messages (UDP Port 67 (server) and 68 (host))
• Use limited broadcast address (255.255.255.255):
• These addresses are never forwarded
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3. Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)
• From 1993
• An extension of BOOTP, very similar to DHCP
• Same port numbers as BOOTP
• Extensions:
Supports temporary allocation (“leases”) of IP
addresses
DHCP client can acquire all IP configuration
parameters needed to operate
• DHCP is the preferred mechanism for dynamic
assignment of IP addresses
• DHCP can interoperate with BOOTP clients.
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DHCP Interaction (simplified)
Argon
00:a0:24:71:e4:44 DHCP Server

DHCP Request
00:a0:24:71:e4:44
Sent to 255.255.255.255

Argon
128.143.137.144
00:a0:24:71:e4:44 DHCP Server
DHCP Response:
IP address: 128.143.137.144
Default gateway: 128.143.137.1
Netmask: 255.255.0.0

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DHCP Message Format
Hardware Address
OpCode Hardware Type Hop Count
Length
Unused (in BOOTP)
Number of Seconds
Flags (in DHCP)
Transaction ID

Client IP address

Your IP address

Server IP address

Gateway IP address

Client hardware address (16 bytes)

Server host name (64 bytes)

Boot file name (128 bytes)

Options

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(There are >100 different options)
DHCP Message Format Cont.
• OpCode: 1 (Request), 2(Reply)
Note: DHCP message type is sent in an option

• Hardware Type: 1 (for Ethernet)

• Hardware address length: 6 (for Ethernet)
• Hop count: set to 0 by client
• Transaction ID: Integer (used to match reply to response)
• Seconds: number of seconds since the client started to boot
• Client IP address, Your IP address, server IP address, Gateway
IP address, client hardware address, server host name, boot
file name:
client fills in the information that it has, leaves rest blank
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DHCP Message Type
• Message type is sent as an option. Value Message Type

1 DHCPDISCOVER

2 DHCPOFFER

3 DHCPREQUEST

4 DHCPDECLINE

5 DHCPACK

6 DHCPNAK

7 DHCPRELEASE

8 DHCPINFORM

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Other options (selection)
• Other DHCP information that is sent as an option:

Subnet Mask, Name Server, Hostname, Domain

Name, Forward On/Off, Default IP TTL, Broadcast
Address, Static Route, Ethernet Encapsulation, X
Window Manager, X Window Font, DHCP Msg Type,
DHCP Renewal Time, DHCP Rebinding, Time SMTP-
Server, SMTP-Server, Client FQDN, Printer Name, …

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 DHCP Operation(or Phases)
DHCP Client
00:a0:24:71:e4:44 DHCP Server

1. DCHP DISCOVER DHCPDISCOVER

Sent to 255.255.255.255

DHCP Server

DHCP Client
00:a0:24:71:e4:44 DHCPOFFER DHCP Server

2. DCHP OFFER DHCPOFFER

DHCP Server
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 DHCP Operation Cont.
DHCP Client
00:a0:24:71:e4:44 DHCP Server
DHCPREQUEST
3. DCHP DISCOVER
DHCPACK

At this time, the DHCP

client can start to use the IP DHCP Server
address

DHCP Client
00:a0:24:71:e4:44 DHCP Server
DHCPREQUEST
Renewing a Lease
DHCPACK
(sent when 50% of lease
has expired)
If DHCP server sends
DHCPNACK, then
DHCP Server
address is released. 12
 DHCP Operation Cont.
DHCP Client
00:a0:24:71:e4:44 DHCP Server
4. DCHP RELEASE DHCPRELEASE

At this time, the DHCP

client has released the IP
address

DHCP Server

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