1. Question 1. What Is Dhcp?

Answer :
Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) is a network protocol that enables a
server to automatically assign an IP address to a computer from a defined range
of numbers (i.e., a scope) configured for a given network.
2. Question 2. What Is The Dhcp Process For Client Machine?
Answer :
1. A user turns on a computer with a DHCP client.
2. The client computer sends a broadcast request (called a DISCOVER
or DHCPDISCOVER), looking for a DHCP server to answer.
3. The router directs the DISCOVER packet to the correct DHCP server.
4. The server receives the DISCOVER packet. Based on availability and
usage policies set on the server, the server determines an appropriate
address (if any) to give to the client. The server then temporarily
reserves that address for the client and sends back to the client an
OFFER (or DHCPOFFER) packet, with that address information. The
server also configures the client’s DNS servers, WINS servers, NTP
servers, and sometimes other services as well.
5. The client sends a REQUEST (or DHCPREQUEST) packet, letting the
server know that it intends to use the address.
6. The server sends an ACK (or DHCPACK) packet, confirming that the
client has a been given a lease on the address for a server-specified
period of time.
Networking Interview Questions
o Question 3. What Is Dhcp Scope?
Answer :
DHCP scopes are used to define ranges of addresses from which a DHCP server
can assign IP addresses to clients.
o Question 4. Types Of Scopes In Windows Dhcp?
Answer :
Normal Scope – Allows A, B and C Class IP address ranges to be specified
including subnet masks, exclusions and reservations. Each normal scope defined
must exist within its own subnet.
Multicast Scope – Used to assign IP address ranges for Class D networks.
Multicast scopes do not have subnet masks, reservation or other TCP/IP options.
Multicast scope address ranges require that a Time To Live (TTL) value be
specified (essentially the number of routers a packet can pass through on the way
to its destination).
Superscope – Essentially a collection of scopes grouped together such that they
can be enabled and disabled as a single entity.
1. Question 5. What Is Authorizing Dhcp Servers In Active Directory?
Answer :
 1. If a DHCP server is to operate within an Active Directory domain (and
is not running on a domain controller) it must first be authorized.
2. This can be achieved either as part of the DHCP Server role
installation, or subsequently using either DHCP console or at the
command prompt using the netsh tool.
3. If the DHCP server was not authorized during installation, invoke the
DHCP console (Start -> All Programs -> Administrative Tools -> DHCP),
4. right click on the DHCP to be authorized and select Authorize. 
5. To achieve the same result from the command prompt, enter the
following command:
netsh dhcp server serverID initiate auth
In the above command syntax, serverID is replaced by the IP address or full UNC
name of system on which the DHCP server is installed.
1. Question 6. What Ports Are Used By Dhcp And The Dhcp Clients?
Answer :
Requests are on UDP port 68, Server replies on UDP 67 .
1. Question 7. List Some Benefits Of Using Dhcp?
Answer :
DHCP provides the following benefits for administering your TCP/IP-based
network:
Safe and reliable configuration.DHCP avoids configuration errors caused by the
need to manually type in values at each computer. Also, DHCP helps prevent
address conflicts caused by a previously assigned IP address being reused to
configure a new computer on the network.
Reduces configuration management.
Using DHCP servers can greatly decrease time spent to configuring and
reconfiguring computers on your network. Servers can be configured to supply a
full range of additional configuration values when assigning address leases.
These values are assigned using DHCP options. Also, the DHCP lease renewal
process helps assure that where client configurations need to be updated often
(such as users with mobile or portable computers who change locations
frequently), these changes can be made efficiently and automatically by clients
communicating directly with DHCP servers.
The following section covers issues that affect the use of the DHCP Server
service with other services or network configurations. Using DNS servers with
DHCP Using Routing and Remote Access servers with DHCP Multihomed DHCP
servers.
1. Question 8. Describe The Process Of Installing A Dhcp Server In An Ad
Infrastructure?
Answer :
Open Windows Components Wizard. Under Components , scroll to and click
Networking Services. Click Details . Under Subcomponents of Networking
Services , click Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) and then click OK.
 Click Next . If prompted, type the full path to the Windows Server 2003 distribution
files, and then click Next. Required files are copied to your hard disk.
1. Question 9. How To Authorize A Dhcp Server In Active Directory Open
Dhcp?
Answer :
In the console tree, click DHCP
o On the Action menu, click Manage authorized servers.
o The Manage Authorized Servers dialog box appears. Click Authorize.
o When prompted, type the name or IP address of the DHCP server to
be authorized, and then click OK.
2. Question 10. What Is Dhcpinform?
Answer :
DHCPInform is a DHCP message used by DHCP clients to obtain DHCP options.
While PPP remote access clients do not use DHCP to obtain IP addresses for the
remote access connection, Windows 2000 and Windows 98 remote access
clients use the DHCPInform message to obtain DNS server IP addresses, WINS
server IP addresses, and a DNS domain name.
The DHCPInform message is sent after the IPCP negotiation is concluded. The
DHCPInform message received by the remote access server is then forwarded to
a DHCP server. The remote access server forwards DHCPInform messages only if
it has been configured with the DHCP Relay Agent.
1. Question 11. Describe The Integration Between Dhcp And Dns?
Answer :
Traditionally, DNS and DHCP servers have been configured and managed one at a
time. Similarly, changing authorization rights for a particular user on a group of
devices has meant visiting each one and making configuration changes.
DHCP integration with DNS allows the aggregation of these tasks across devices,
enabling a company’s network services to scale in step with the growth of
network users, devices, and policies, while reducing administrative operations and
costs. This integration provides practical operational efficiencies that lower total
cost of ownership.
Creating a DHCP network automatically creates an associated DNS zone, for
example, reducing the number of tasks required of network administrators. And
integration of DNS and DHCP in the same database instance provides unmatched
consistency between service and management views of IP address-centric
network services data.
1. Question 12. What Protocol And Port Does Dhcp Use?
Answer :
DHCP, like BOOTP runs over UDP, utilizing ports 67 and 68.
1. Question 13. Can A Dhcp Server Back Up Another Dhcp Server?
Answer :
You can have two or more servers handing out leases for different addresses. If
each has a dynamic pool accessible to the same clients, then even if one server is
 down, one of those clients can lease an address from the other server. However,
without communication between the two servers to share their information on
current leases, when one server is down, any client with a lease from it will not be
able to renew their lease with the other server.
Such communication is the purpose of the “server to server protocol”. It is
possible that some server vendors have addressed this issue with their own
proprietary server-to-server communication.
1. Question 14. What Is A Mac Address?
Answer :
A MAC address (also called an Ethernet address or an IEEE MAC address) is a
number (typically written as twelve hexadecimal digits, 0 through 9 and A through
F, or as six hexadecimal numbers separated by periods or colons, i.e.
0080002012ef, 0:80:0:2:20:ef) which uniquely identifes a computer that has an
Ethernet interface.
Unlike the IP number, it includes no indication of where your computer is located.
In DHCP’s typical use, the server uses a requesting computer’s MAC address to
uniquely identify it.
1. Question 15. Can Dhcp Support Statically Defined Addresses?
Answer :
Yes. At least there is nothing in the protocol to preclude this and one expects it to
be a feature of any DHCP server. This is really a server matter and the client
should work either way. The RFC refers to this as manual allocation.
1. Question 16. Is A Dhcp Server “supposed To” Be Able To Support A Bootp
Client?
Answer :
The RFC on such interoperability (1534) is clear: “In summary, a DHCP server:
MAY support BOOTP clients,” (section 2). The word “MAY” indicates such support,
however useful, is left as an option. A source of confusion on this point is the
following statement in section 1.5 of RFC 1541: “DHCP must provide service to
existing BOOTP clients.”
However, this statement is one in a list of “general design goals for DHCP”, i.e.
what the designers of the DHCP protocol set as their own goals. It is not in a list
of requirements for DHCP servers.
1. Question 17. How Can I Relay Dhcp If My Router Does Not Support It?
Answer :
A server on a net(subnet) can relay DHCP or BOOTP for that net. Microsoft has
software to make Windows NT do this.
1. Question 18. What Is A Client Id?
Answer :
What is termed the Client ID for the purposes of the DHCP protocol is whatever is
used by the protocol to identify the client computer. By default, DHCP
implementations typically employ the client’s MAC address for this purpose, but
the DHCP protocol allows other options. Some DHCP implementations have a
 setup option to specify the client ID you want. One alternative to the MAC address
is simply a character string of your choice.
In any case, in order for DHCP to function, you must be certain that no other client
is using the client ID you choose, and you must be sure the DHCP server will
accept it.
1. Question 19. Is A Dhcp Client “supposed To” Be Able To Use A Bootp
Server?
Answer :
The RFC on such interoperability (1534) is clear: “A DHCP client MAY use a reply
from a BOOTP server if the configuration returned from the BOOTP server is
acceptable to the DHCP client.”. The word “MAY” indicates such support, however
useful, is left as an option.
2. Question 20. How Long Should A Lease Be?
Answer :
A very relevant factor is that the client starts trying to renew the lease when it is
halfway through: thus, for example, with a 4 day lease, the client which has lost
access to its DHCP server has 2 days from when it first tries to renew the lease
until the lease expires and the client must stop using the network.
During a 2- day outage, new users cannot get new leases, but no lease will expire
for any computer turned on at the time that the outage commences. Another
factor is that the longer the lease the longer time it takes for client configuration
changes controlled by DHCP to propogate.
1. Question 21. What Is Dhcp Spoofing?
Answer :
Ascend Pipeline ISDN routers (which attach Ethernets to ISDN lines) incorporate a
feature that Ascend calls “DHCP spoofing” which is essentially a tiny server
implementation that hands an IP address to a connecting Windows 95 computer,
with the intention of giving it an IP number during its connection process.
2. Question 22. What Is A Dhcp Lease?
Answer :
A DHCP lease is the amount of time that the DHCP server grants to the DHCP
client permission to use a particular IP address. A typical server allows its
administrator to set the lease time.
1. Question 23. Can Dhcp Work With Apple Talk Or Ipx?
Answer :
No, it is too tied to IP. Furthermore, they don’t need it since they have always had
automated mechanisms for assigning their own network addresses.
1. Question 24. Can A Bootp Client Boot From A Dhcp Server?
Answer :
Only if the DHCP server is specifically written to also handle BOOTP queries.
1. Question 25. How Can I Prevent Unauthorized Laptops From Using A
Network That Uses Dhcp For Dynamic Addressing?
 Answer :
This would have to be done using a mechanism other than DHCP. DHCP does not
prevent other clients from using the addresses it is set to hand out nor can it
distinguish between a computer’s permanent MAC address and one set by the
computer’s user. DHCP can impose no restrictions on what IP address can use a
particular port nor control the IP address used by any client.
1. Question 26. Can Dhcp Support Remote Access?
Answer :
PPP has its own non-DHCP way in which communications servers can hand
clients an IP address called IPCP (IP Control Protocol) but doesn’t have the same
flexibility as DHCP or BOOTP in handing out other parameters. Such a
communications server may support the use of DHCP to acquire the IP addresses
it gives out.
This is sometimes called doing DHCP by proxy for the client. I know that Windows
NT’s remote access support does this. A feature of DHCP under development
(DHCPinform) is a method by which a DHCP server can supply parameters to a
client that already has an IP number. With this, a PPP client could get its IP
number using IPCP, then get the rest of its parameters using this feature of DHCP.
SLIP has no standard way in which a server can hand a client an IP address, but
many communications servers support non-standard ways of doing this that can
be utilized by scripts, etc.
Thus, like communications servers supporting PPP, such communications
servers could also support the use of DHCP to acquire the IP addressees to give
out. The DHCP protocol is capable of allocating an IP address to a device without
an IEEE-style MAC address, such as a computer attached through SLIP or PPP,
but to do so, it makes use of a feature which may or may not be supported by the
DHCP server: the ability of the server to use something other than the MAC
address to identify the client. Communications servers that acquire IP numbers
for their clients via DHCP run into the same roadblock in that they have just one
MAC address, but need to acquire more than one IP address.
One way such a communications server can get around this problem is through
the use of a set of unique pseudo-MAC addresses for the purposes of its
communications with the DHCP server. Another way (used by Shiva) is to use a
different “client ID type” for your hardware address. Client ID type 1 means you’re
using MAC addresses. However, client ID type 0 means an ASCII string.
1. Question 27. What Is Dhcp’s Purpose?
Answer :
DHCP’s purpose is to enable individual computers on an IP network to extract
their configurations from a server (the ‘DHCP server’) or servers, in particular,
servers that have no exact information about the individual computers until they
request the information. The overall purpose of this is to reduce the work
necessary to administer a large IP network. The most significant piece of
information distributed in this manner is the IP address.
1. Question 28. What Is Dora In Dhcp?
Answer :
o DORA – Discover, Offer , Request , Acknowledgement.
o DORA means DHCP server Lease process short-form.
2. Question 29. What Are The Switches Are Used With Ipconfig?
Answer :
IPCONFIG/ all, Release/ Renew/ FLUSHDNS
3. Question 30. Where We Can Change The Default Dhcp Database Interval
Time?
Answer :
We can change the default interval time for DHCP database by modifying the
Registry value BackupInterval in the following location in registry
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetServicesDHCPServerParamete
rs
4. Question 31. Dhcp Automatic Backup Default Interval Time?
Answer :
The interval time was 60 minutes.
5. Question 32. What Is Dhcp Database File Extension?
Answer :
DHCP database file extension is .mdb
6. Question 33. Dhcp Database Storage Default Location?
Answer :
SystemrootSystem32Dhcp
example:
C:windowssystem32dhcp
1. Question 34. What Is Bootp?
Answer :
BOOTP (bootstrap protocol) is a host configuration protocol. It is developed
before DHCP.
2. Question 35. What Is Dhcpnak Message?
Answer :
If the Server is unable to satisfy the DHCPREQUEST message (The requested
network address has been allocated) the Server Should sent DHCPNAK message
to client. It can also be Sent if client's notion of network address is incorrect
(Client has moved to new subnet) or client's lease expired.
3. Question 36. What Is The Purpose Of Relay Agent?
Answer :
A DHCP relay agent is any host that forwards DHCP packets between clients and
servers if server is not on the same physical subnet. Relay agents are used to
forward requests and replies between clients and servers when they are not on
the same physical subnet.DHCP relay agent can be configured using the ip helper-
address command.
1. Question 37. What Is The Reason For Getting Apipa Address?
Answer :
With APIPA, DHCP clients can automatically self-configure an IP address and
subnetmask when a DHCP server is not available. When DHCP client boots up, it
first looks for a DHCP server in order to obtain an IP address and subnet mask.A
client uses the self-configured IP address until a DHCP server becomes available.
The APIPA service also  checks regularly for the presence of a DHCP server. If it
detects a DHCP server on the network, APIPA stops and the DHCP server replaces
the APIPA networking addresses with dynamically assigned addresses.
2. Question 38. What Is The Range Of Apipa Address?
Answer :
The IP address range is 169.254.0.1 through 169.254.255.254. The client also
configures itself with a default Class B subnet mask of 255.255.0.0.
3. Question 39. What Is Dhcp Decline Message?
Answer :
It is Sent by Client to server indicating network address is already in use (already
assigned to another device).
1. Question 40. How Dhcp Works?
Answer :
DHCP works on DORA Process (DISCOVER - OFFER - REQUEST -
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT).
1. When a Client needs an IP configuration, it tries to locate a DHCP
server by sending a broadcast called a DHCP DISCOVER. This message
will have a Destination IP of 255.255.255.255 and Destination MAC
of ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff.[Source IP - 0.0.0.0 , Destination IP - 255.255.255.255,
Source Mac - Mac address of Host, Destination Mac -FF:FF:FF:FF:FF:FF]
2. On Receiving DHCP Discover, Server sends a DHCP OFFER message
to the client. The DHCPOFFER is a proposed configuration that may
include IP address, DNS server address, and lease time. This message
will be unicast and have the destination mac address of DHCP client's
mac address. The source mac address will be that of the DHCP server.
[S.Mac - Mac address of Server , D.Mac - Mac address of Host]
3. If the Client finds the Offer agreeable, it sends DHCP REQUEST
Message requesting those particular IP parameters. This message will
be a Broadcast message. [Source Mac - Mac address of Host,
Destination Mac - FF:FF:FF:FF:FF:FF]
4. The Server on receiving the DHCP REQUEST makes the configuration
official by sending a unicast DHCP ACK acknowledgment.
5. [Source Mac - Mac address of Server, Destination Mac - Mac address
of Host]
o Question 41. What Information A Dhcp Server Can Provide To A
Host?
Answer :
 DHCP server can provide following information:
1. IP address
2. Subnet mask
3. Default gateway
4. Domain Name Server
5. WINS information
o Question 42. Who Created Dhcp? How Was It Created?
Answer :
DHCP was created by the Dynamic Host Configuration Working Group of
theInternet Engineering Task Force (IETF; a volunteer organization which
definesprotocols for use on the Internet). As such, it's definition is recorded in
anInternet RFC and the Internet Activities Board (IAB) is asserting its status as
toInternet Standardization.
As of this writing (June 1998), DHCP is an Internet Draft Standard Protocol and is
Elective. BOOTP is an Internet Draft StandardProtocol and is recommended. For
more information on Internet standardization,see RFC2300 (May 1998).
1. Question 43. How Is It Different Than Bootp Or Rarp?
Answer :
DHCP is based on BOOTP and maintains some backward compatibility. The
maindifference is that BOOTP was designed for manual pre-configuration of the
hostinformation in a server database, while DHCP allows for dynamic allocation
of network addresses and configurations to newly attached hosts.
Additionally,DHCP allows for recovery and reallocation of network addresses
through aleasing mechanism.
RARP is a protocol used by Sun and other vendors that allows a computer to
findout its own IP number, which is one of the protocol parameters typically
passedto the client system by DHCP or BOOTP. RARP doesn't support other
parametersand using it, a server can only serve a single LAN. DHCP and BOOTP
aredesigned so they can be routed.
2. Question 44. Can Dhcp Work With Appletalk Or Ipx?
Answer :
No, it is too tied to IP. Furthermore, they don't need it since they have alwayshad
automated mechanisms for assigning their own network addresses.
3. Question 45. How Does Dhcp And Bootp Handle Multiple Subnets?
Answer :
For the situations where there is more than one LAN, each with its own
subnet number, there are two ways. First of all, you can set up a seperate server
oneach subnet. Secondly, a feature of some routers known as "BOOTP
forwarding"to forward DHCP or BOOTP requests to a server on another subnet
and toforward the replies back to the client.
The part of such a router (or server actingas a router) that does this is called a
"BOOTP forwarding agent". Typically youhave to enable it on the interface to the
subnet to be served and have toconfigure it with the IP address of the DHCP or
 BOOTP server. On a Cisco router,the address is known as the "UDP Helper
Address". 
4. Question 46. Can A Dhcp Client Boot From A Bootp Server?
Answer :
Only if the DHCP client were specifically written to make use of the answer froma
BOOTP server. It would presumably treat a BOOTP reply as an unending leaseon
the IP address.In particular, the TCP/IP stack included with Windows 95
5. Question 47. How Can I Prevent Unauthorized Laptops From Using A
Network That Usesdhcp For Dynamic Addressing?
Answer :
This would have to be done using a mechanism other than DHCP. DHCP does
notprevent other clients from using the addresses it is set to hand out nor can
itdistinguish between a computer's permanent MAC address and one set by
thecomputer's user. DHCP can impose no restrictions on what IP address can use
aparticular port nor control the IP address used by any client.
6. Question 48. When Will The Server To Server Protocol Be Defined?
Answer :
The DHC WG of the IETF is actively investigating the issues in inter-
servercommunication. The protocol should be defined "soon"
7. Question 49. Where Is Dhcp Defined?
Answer :
In Internet RFCs.
8. Question 50. Can A Dhcp Client Or Server Make A Dns Server Update The
Client's Dnsentry To Match The Client's Dynamically Assigned Address?
Answer :
RFCs 2136 and 2137 indicate a way in which DNS entries can be
updateddynamically. Using this requires a DNS server that supports this feature
and aDHCP server that makes use of it. The RFCs are very recent (as of 5/97)
andimplementations are few. In the mean time, there are DNS and DHCP
serversthat accomplish this through proprietary means.