Dictionary · Protocols and Ports
DHCP
DHCP — Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol
Address configuration · Beginner
A client-server protocol that leases addresses and related settings, including the gateway and recursive name servers, for a limited time.
When a device joins, it can ask for a complete set of network settings instead of someone typing them. The server loans an address from a scope and renews that loan until it expires.
Picture it
The client asks, a server offers a lease from its scope, the client requests it, and the server confirms. The lease also carries settings such as the gateway and name servers.
Example: A laptop joins a wireless network, receives 192.168.10.42 for eight hours, and also learns its gateway and name servers.
Ports
- UDP 67 — Server
- UDP 68 — Client
Common misconception
- A lease is not permanent ownership of an address, and this protocol is not the directory that translates names.