Home » Hosting Encyclopedia » Web Terms » DHCP Server

DHCP Server

DHCP stands for Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol. This protocol is used by any kind of device (computer, router) which needs to obtain IP Address remotely in order to connect to the Internet. These IP addresses are acquired by the DHCP client from the DHCP server which stores and manages them. The DHCP server also ensures that each IP is unique and that a single IP is not used by 2 or more devices at the same time. On the other hand, it is normal that if a device disconnects from the network then its IP can be assigned to another computer that has just connected. That’s why the DHCP protocol is mostly used by Internet service providers who want to save on IP addresses’ costs.

 

Dynamic IPs and Web Hosting

Only static IPs are suitable for use on web hosting servers although a web site visitor can use any kind of IP no matter if it is static or dynamic as long as it is a valid one. Static IP is mandatory for web servers because the website administrators may need to use some custom records to point their domains such as the A record, which requires an IP address. If that IP address changes after 24 hours and the A record has not been updated then the website visitors won’t be able to display the web page. Zettahost guarantees 99.9% uptime on our web servers and you can test us by getting one of our free web hosting plans with no ads displayed on your web site!

 

How Does the DHCP Protocol Work?

The DHCP protocol uses a client-server based architecture. The DHCP client sends a broadcast query for Internet configuration details contained in the so-called DHCP DISCOVER package which is used to identify the available server. The DHCP server responds to the query with a DHCP OFFER packet which contains assigned dynamic IP Address, Subnet Mask, Default Gateway, DNS servers and the time for which the dynamic IP address is assigned to this specific device. The DHCP client can receive multiple DHCP OFFER packets in case there are more than one DHCP servers on this network. If that is the case then a broadcast query with DHCP REQUEST packet is being sent. This packet will identify the exact DHCP server and get the dynamic IP address.

Was this article useful?

Click on a star to rate it!

Average rating 0 / 5. Vote count: 0

No votes so far! Be the first to rate this post.

Newest Articles:

KVM

What you need to know: KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine) is a virtualization technology that is free, open-source, and available in most modern Linux distributions. Thanks to it, you can create and run Linux and Windows-based virtual machines that are independent of...

Second Level Domain (SLD)

The Second Level Domain or SLD is essential to the hierarchical Domain Name System. It is the second part of the full domain name after the Top Level Domain, on its left side. The Second Level Domain is often the same as the website name, the company, or the...

Top-Level Domain (TLD)

The Top Level Domain name (TLD) is the last or right-most fragment of the domain name. The parts of the domain name are separated with dots and form their own hierarchy in the Domain Name System (DNS). There is a Top-Leveл Domain list where you can see all available...

IANA

What is IANA? Although the Internet is not really a centralized system, there are some key infrastructure elements that need to be coordinated. The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) is an organization that was founded in 1988 by the government of the U.S.A....

ICANN

What is ICANN? ICANN is an abbreviation from Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. It is the non-profit organization that’s responsible for the assignment and coordination of unique Internet addresses and names for all devices connected to the Internet,...

Ready to Create Your Website?