The TCP/IP Guide  9  TCP/IP Application Layer Protocols, Services and Applications (OSI Layers 5, 6 and 7)       9  TCP/IP Network Configuration and Management Protocols (BOOTP, DHCP, SNMP and RMON)            9  Host Configuration and TCP/IP Host Configuration Protocols (BOOTP and DHCP)                 9  TCP/IP Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)

DHCP Parameter Configuration Process For Clients With Non-DHCP Addresses 1 DHCP Message Generation, Addressing, Transport and Retransmission

The topics on DHCP configuration and operation demonstrated how DHCP works by showing the processes by which various leasing and information-exchange activities are accomplished. All of these procedures rely heavily on the exchange of information between client and server, which are carried in DHCP messages. Like all protocols, DHCP uses a special message format, and a set of rules that govern how messages are created, addressed and transported.

In this section I provide the details of how DHCP creates and sends messages, and show the formats used for DHCP messages and options. I begin with a description of how DHCP creates, addresses and transports messages, and how it deals with message retransmission. I then outline the DHCP general message format, showing how it is similar to the BOOTP message format upon which it is based, and also where it differs. I describe DHCP options, the format used for them, and the special option “overloading” feature used for efficiency. I conclude the section with a complete list of DHCP options.

DHCP Parameter Configuration Process For Clients With Non-DHCP Addresses 1 DHCP Message Generation, Addressing, Transport and Retransmission