All devices in a local area network require a unique IP address in order for a TCP/IP network to function smoothly. They also require the addresses of DNS and NBNS servers and also of a standard gateway that can route data packets to addresses not located on the local network.
In a small network it is still possible to enter these addresses on all the computers in the network "by hand". However, in a large network with many workstations this soon becomes an unmanageable task. This is where the use of DHCP (dynamic host configuration protocol) comes in. A DHCP server in a TCP/IP-based LAN can use this protocol to assign the required addresses to the individual workstations dynamically.
LANCOM devices have an integrated DHCP server that can assume the task of assigning IP addresses. This process involves communicating the following parameters to the workstations:
- IP address
- Network mask
- Broadcast address
- Standard gateway
- DNS server
- NBNS server
- Lease (validity period) of the assigned parameters
The DHCP server either takes the IP addresses from a freely defined address pool or determines the addresses independently based on its own IP address. A completely unconfigured device in DHCP auto-mode can even specify IP addresses for itself and for network devices autonomously. Therefore in the most basic scenario you only need to connect a new out-of-the-box device to a network without a DHCP server and switch it on. The DHCP server will then manage all further address assignment in the LAN by itself in cooperation with LANconfig using a Wizard.