Default Switch Information; Understanding Dhcp-Based Autoconfiguration; Dhcp Client Request Process - Cisco Catalyst 2950 Software Configuration Manual

Chapter 4 Assigning the Switch IP Address and Default Gateway

Default Switch Information

Table 4-1
Table 4-1
Feature
IP address and subnet mask
Default gateway
Enable secret password
Host name
Telnet password
Cluster command switch functionality
Cluster name

Understanding DHCP-Based Autoconfiguration

The DHCP provides configuration information to Internet hosts and internetworking devices. This
protocol consists of two components: one for delivering configuration parameters from a DHCP server
to a device and a mechanism for allocating network addresses to devices. DHCP is built on a
client-server model, in which designated DHCP servers allocate network addresses and deliver
configuration parameters to dynamically configured devices.
During DHCP-based autoconfiguration, your switch (DHCP client) is automatically configured at
startup with IP address information and a configuration file.
With DHCP-based autoconfiguration, no DHCP client-side configuration is needed on your switch.
However, you need to configure the DHCP server for various lease options associated with IP addresses.
If you are using DHCP to relay the configuration file location on the network, you might also need to
configure a Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) server and a Domain Name System (DNS) server.
The DHCP server can be on the same LAN or on a different LAN than the switch. If the DHCP server
is running on a different LAN, you should configure a DHCP relay. A relay device forwards broadcast
traffic between two directly connected LANs. A router does not forward broadcast packets, but it
forwards packets based on the destination IP address in the received packet.
DHCP-based autoconfiguration replaces the BOOTP client functionality on your switch.

DHCP Client Request Process

When you boot your switch, the DHCP client can be invoked and automatically request configuration
information from a DHCP server when the configuration file is not present on the switch.
Figure 4-1
server.
78-11380-04
shows the default switch information.
Default Switch Information
shows the sequence of messages that are exchanged between the DHCP client and the DHCP
Default Setting
No IP address or subnet mask are defined.
No default gateway is defined.
No password is defined.
The factory-assigned default host name is Switch.
No password is defined.
Disabled.
No cluster name is defined.
Catalyst 2950 Desktop Switch Software Configuration Guide
Assigning Switch Information
4-3