Which information is typically provided by DHCP to clients?

Which information is typically provided by DHCP to clients?

• A. IP address, subnet mask, and default gateway
• B. IP address and subnet mask
• C. IP address, subnet mask, and DNS server addresses
• D. IP address, subnet mask, default gateway, and DNS server addresses

Answer: (D)

DHCP delivers the network settings a client needs to operate on an IP network automatically. This usually includes the IP address, the subnet mask, the default gateway, and DNS server addresses. The IP address assigns the device on the local network; the subnet mask defines the network size and hosts within that network; the default gateway provides the path to destinations outside the local subnet; and the DNS server addresses enable resolving domain names to IP addresses. Providing all four pieces lets the device communicate locally, reach other networks, and resolve names efficiently. The other options miss at least one critical piece—one leaves out DNS, another misses the gateway (and DNS), and another misses the gateway entirely—so they don’t give a complete, usable set of network configurations.

DHCP delivers the network settings a client needs to operate on an IP network automatically. This usually includes the IP address, the subnet mask, the default gateway, and DNS server addresses. The IP address assigns the device on the local network; the subnet mask defines the network size and hosts within that network; the default gateway provides the path to destinations outside the local subnet; and the DNS server addresses enable resolving domain names to IP addresses.

Providing all four pieces lets the device communicate locally, reach other networks, and resolve names efficiently. The other options miss at least one critical piece—one leaves out DNS, another misses the gateway (and DNS), and another misses the gateway entirely—so they don’t give a complete, usable set of network configurations.