Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) provides computers essential information when connecting to an IP network. It is an Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) standard that is designed to reduce the administrative burden and complexity of configuring hosts on a TCP/IP-based network, such as a private intranet. By using the DHCP Server service, the process of configuring TCP/IP on DHCP clients is automatic. Kindly refer to the following related guides: Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol works, and DHCP Icons: DHCP specific reference console icons, Information on BOOTP Vendor Extensions and DHCP Options, and how to create and delete a DHCP reservation in Windows Server 2019.
Usecase: Since WDS interacts with DHCP, and Active Directory etc. As all of these functions are part of the Windows Server platform, it is cost-effective to use them. Note: DHCP can also be offered by a non-Windows server.In order to configure your home network devices using Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), you need to have a DHCP server on your network. It is often easiest to use the DHCP server that is built-in on most routers (either wired or wireless) and Ethernet switches because these devices are almost always left on, but this is not the case. I will be using Windows Server 2019 to install and setup DHCP role.
For more information on DHCP, see the following article Automatic IP Assignment: Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP).
Step 1: Add roles and features
Open Server Manager and click on manage as shown below
– Select Add roles and features.
Step 2: Select Server Pool
On the Before you begin page, click on next
– Choose Role-based or Feature-based installation and click on Next.
– If you have multiple servers, select the right server from the server pool. For me, I have just one server and it is automatically selected below.
Step 3: Add DHCP Server to Feature
Install DHCP Server role.
– This next page is titled “Select Server Roles” and has got a list of roles to install.
– When “DHCP server” is selected, it will pop a feature that are required for DHCP, click on the Add Feature as shown below
– Finally Click on next
Skip the Features windows by clicking on next as this is not a needed at the moment as non of the features.
Step 4: Install
On the next page titled “DHCP Server” simply click on “Next“.
– On the confirmation page, you can optionally click on restart the destination server automatically if required. This will ensure the restart process is automated.
– Finally, click on Install
As you can see below, the DHCP server role is being installed on the server.
– For more on roles and features, see the following article on “What are the differences between a role and a feature“.
This image below shows DHCP server installation is successful,
– Finally, click on Close
Note: A post-installation of DHCP is required, see the following article on Configuring DHCP: Post-deployment of Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol, see “Post-deployment of Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol“. . An alternative to this which is very effortless is the following solution.
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