DHCP Server Configuration on Windows Server 2003

DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) is a protocol that allows clients on a network to request network configuration settings from a server running the DHCP server service which, in our case, will be Windows Server 2003. Additionally the protocol allows the clients to self-configure those network configuration settings without the intervention of an administrator. Some of the settings that a DHCP server can provide to its clients include the IP addresses for the DNS servers, the IP addresses for the WINS servers, the IP address for the default gateway (usually a router) and, of course, an IP address for the client itself.

This article will discuss and walk you through the steps of installing and configuring DHCP on a Windows Server 2003 member server, specifically focusing on setting up a scope and its accompanying settings. The same configuration can be applied to a standalone server even though the step-by-step details differ slightly. The upcoming ‘Advanced DHCP Server Configuration on Windows 2003’ article will discuss other DHCP options and features such as superscopes, multicast scopes, dynamic DNS, DHCP Backup and more.

While our articles make use of specific IP addresses and network settings, you can change these settings as needed to make them compatible with your LAN — This won’t require you to make changes to your LAN, but you’ll need to have a slightly stronger understanding of DHCP and TCP/IP.

source by NetworkingForBeginners

windows server dhcp