Dhcp Protocol Transaction - Bay Networks Nautica 200 Reference Manual

DHCP Protocol Transaction

117237-C Rev. A
The DHCP Protocol Transaction takes the following pattern
(Figure 1-2):
1. The client broadcasts a discover message. This discover
message contains basic information from the client, for
example the MAC address.
2. Multiple servers can respond to this message with an offer
message. Servers need not offer all the parameters requested
by the client and may choose not to respond at all.
3. The client selects a server and sends a request message to this
server. The request contains all the parameters the client
wishes to receive and, if these parameters are not met, the
client may send out another discover message and start the
process once more.
4. All DHCP servers that sent an offer message wait a period
for the client to send a request. If this is not received, these
servers play no further part in the transaction. The selected
server fulfils the DHCP request by sending an
ACKnowledge message which contains all the information
the DHCP server wishes to send to the client.
5. If, upon receipt of the ACKnowledge message, the client
finds that it is unsuitable, a decline message may be sent and
the configuration process can restart. Otherwise the
ACKnowledge is accepted and the client is configured.
6. If the client is leasing the IP address from a server, it will, at
a suitable time, send a DHCP release message to the server to
indicate that it is no longer making any use of the assigned IP
address and that the server may return it to its pool of free
addresses.
Understanding the Technology
1-19