setting up a dhcp server in

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Setting up a DHCP server in Windows 2003"Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) i s an IP standard designed to reduce the complexity of administering IP address

configurations." - Microsoft's definition. A DHCP server would be set up with the appropriate settings for a given network. Such settings

would include a set of fundamental parameters such as the gateway, DNS, subnet masks, and a range of IP addresses. Using DHCP on a

network means administrators don't need to configure these settings individually for each client on the network. The DHCP would

automatically distribute them to the clients itself.

Published: Jan 15, 2004

Updated: Jul 16, 2004

Section: Articles & Tutorials :: Windows 2003

Author: Andrew Z. Tabona

Rating: 3.6/5 - 1561 Votes

The DHCP server assigns a client an IP address taken from a predefined scope for a given amount of time. If an IP address is required for longer than the lease has been set

for, the client must request an extension before the lease expires. If the client has not requested an extension on the lease time, the IP address will be considered free and

can be ass igned to another cli ent. If the user wishes to change IP address then they can do so by typing "ipconfig /release", followed by "ipconfig /renew" in the command

prompt. This wi ll remove the current IP address and request a new one. Reservations can be defined on the DHCP server to allow certain clients to have their own IP

address (this will be discussed a little later on). Addresses can be reserved for a MAC address or a host name so these clients will have a fixed IP address that is

configured automatically. Most Internet Service Providers use DHCP to assign new IP addresses to c lient computers w hen a customer connects to the internet - this

simplifies things at user level.

The above diagram diplays a simple structure consisting of a DHCP server and a number of c lient computers on a network.

The DHCP Server itself contains an IP Address Database which holds all the IP addresses avai lable for distribution. If the client (a member of the network with a

Windows 2000 Professional/XP operating system, for example) has "obtain an IP address automatically" enabled in TCP/IP settings, then it is abl e to rece ive an IP

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address from the DHCP server.

Setting up a DHCP Server

This will serve as a step-by-step guide on how to setup a DHCP server.

Installing the DHCP server is made quite easy in Windows 2003. By using the "Manage your server" wizard, you are able to enter the details you require and have thewizard set the basics for you. Open to "Manage your server" wizard, select the DHCP server option for the list of server ro les and press Next.

You will be asked to enter the name and descr iption of your scope.

Scope: A scope is a collection of IP addresses for computers on a subnet that use DHCP.

The next window will ask you to define the range of addresses that the scope wi ll dis tribute across the network and the subnet mask for the IP address. Enter the

appropria te details and click next.




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You are shown a window in which you must add any exclusions to the range of IP addresses you speci fied in the previous wi ndow. If for example, the IP address

10.0.0.150 i s that of the company router then you won't want the DHCP server to be able to distribute that address as well. In this example I have excluded a range of IP

addresses, 10.0.0.100 to 10.0.0 .110, and a single address , 10.0.0.150. In this case, eleven IP's will be reserved and not distributed amongst the network clients.




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It is now time to set the lease duration for how long a client can use an IP address assigned to it from this scope. It is recommended to add longer leases for a fixed

network (in the office for example) and shorter leases for remote connections or l aptop computers. In this example I have set a l ease duration of twelve hours since the

network clients would be a fixed desktop computer in a local office and the usual working time is eight hours.




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You are given a choice of whether or not you wish to configure the DHCP options for the scope now or later. If you choose Yes then the upcoming screenshots will be of

use to you. Choosing No wi ll all ow you to configure these options at a later stage.




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The router, or gateway, IP address may be entered in next. The client computers will then know which router to use.




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In the followi ng window, the DNS and domain name settings can be entered. The DNS server IP address will be dis tributed by the DHCP server and given to the client.




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If you have WINS setup then here is where to enter the IP Address of the WINS server. You can just input the server name into the appropria te box and press "Resolve" to

allow it to find the IP address itself.




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The last step is to activate the scope - just press next when you see the window below. The DHCP server will not work unless you do this.




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The DHCP server has now been installed wi th the basic settings in place. The next stage is to configure it to the needs of your network structure.

Configuring a DHCP server

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Hereunder is a simple explanation of how to configure a DHCP server.

The address pool displays a l ist of IP ranges assigned for distribution and IP address exclusions. You are able to add an exclusion by right clicking the address pool text

on the left hand side of the mmc window and selecting "new exclusion range". This will bring up a window (as seen below) w hich will allow you to enter an address

range to be added. Entering only the start IP will add a single IP address.

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DHCP servers permit you to reserve an IP address for a client. This means that the specific network client will have the same IP for as long as you wanted it to. To do this

you will have to know the physical address (MAC) of each network card. Enter the reservation name, desired IP address, MAC address and description - choose whether

you want to support DHCP or BOOTP and press add. The new reservation will be added to the list. As an example, I have reserved an IP address (10.0.0.115) for a cl ient

computer cal led Andrew.




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If you right click scope options and press "configure options" you will be taken to a window in which you can configure more servers and their parameters. These settings

will be distributed by the DHCP server along with the IP address. Server options act as a default for all the scopes in the DHCP server. However , scope options take

preference over server options.

In my opinion, the DHCP server in Windows 2003 is excellent! It has been improved from the Windows 2000 version and is classified as essential for large networks.

Imagine having to configure each and every client manually - i t would take up a lot of time and require far more troubleshooting if a problem was to arise. Before touchingany settings related to DHCP, it is best to make a plan of your network and think about the range of IPs to use for the computers.

About Andrew Z. Tabona

Andrew Z. Tabona ( MCSA, Network+, Security+, etc) heads a QA/CRM team at GFI Software, a leading global security and messaging software firm.

Prior to this he plied his trade as a Network Administrator and an independent technical trainer. He has written a wealth of articles, manuals, white

papers, etc and tries to bridge the gap with his easy going style of writing.

Click here for Andrew Z. Tabona's section.




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Latest articles by Andrew Z. Tabona

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Windows 2003: Data Backup and Recovery (Part 2) - Windows 2003 Backup UtilityWindows 2003: Data Backup and Recovery (Part 1) - A General Overview

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