DHCP server TCP/IP has become for more and more installations the preferred networkprotocol, also pushed by the explosive growth of the Internet, which isbased on TCP/IP. When using a network with only Windows95 and WindowsNT4 based systems,you will have to assigned the IP-addresses manually, but more and more server-systems offer the automatic assignment of IP-addresses via:DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) The installation of the DHCP-server on Windows NT4 server (the DHCP-server is NOT included in Windows NT4 workstation ) is very simple: In the Network-configuration, tab: Services, click on "Add" and then select: "Microsoft DHCP Server" The following notice will be displayed: The system running the DHCP-server itself MUST use a static IP-address (manually assigned) , it can NOT requestto receive an IP-address from any DHCP-server (itself or another DHCP server). Like after all changes to the network configuration, you have to reboot: Configuration of the DHCP-server Although the DHCP-server is listed as a Networking service, it is NOT configured from the Network applet (the Properties button is grayed out) The "DHCP - Manager" has been added to the menu for the "Administrative Tools" You need to define now a range of IP-addresses to be distributed. This range is called: "Scope". To be able to define Scope, click first on the entry "Local Machine" to expand the entry, the "+" -sign needs to change to the "-"-sign. Only then you are able to select from the menu: "Scope" the option "Create" You assign the range of IP-addresses to be assigned by DHCP-server ( in the example: all IP-addresses between 102.54.107.1 and 192.54.107.49): usually, an IP-address is NOT assigned permanently, but only for a limited time, called the "Lease Duration". On selected the "OK"-button, you will be asked on whether to activate the scope, select "Yes": The yellow light-bulb indicates, that the scope is now active and that the DHCP-server is ready to assign the IP-addresses. To display the IP-range ("Scope") for viewing/editing, select from the menu "Scope" the option "Properties" Setting up a connected Windows systems to use the DHCP-server is very simple: In the Network-configuration, select the properties for the TCP/IP-protocol and just make sure, that it defines to "obtain an IP address automatically" To verify the assigned IP-address on a Windows95/98 system, run the "WINIPCFG" program In this example, DHCP assigned the IP-address 192.54.107.1. But there is no "Default gateway" defined ! TCP/IP requires more than just the IP-address, for communication outside the local network-cable (the local "subnet"), it needs to know the IP-address of the Gateway DHCP can be configured to provide also this information to the clients: make sure, that your Scope is selected (highlighted in blue), then select from the menu: "DHCP Options", then "Scope" From the list of "Unused Options", select "Router", then use the "Add"-button. Once the "Router" is an "Active Option", click on the button "Value" to define the IP-address for the Router. On the expanded Windows, click on "Edit Array", allowing then to enter the IP-address of the Router, then select the "Add"-button to get the new values displayed in the list of IP-addresses. Press "OK" to exit this window. The IP-address of the Router is displayed. Press "OK" to close the DHCP-Options window. The DHCP-Mananger is now displayed for the scope also the option for the Router. When now checking on Windows95/98 with WINIPCFG: the IP-address for the "Default Gateway" is defined. If your configuration requires the use of WINS, it can be also configured as an option of the DHCP-server. DHCP can also be used to assigned IP-addresses for incoming RAS- connections: To view the list of IP-address already assigned, select from the menu: "Scope" the option "Active Leases" In this example, 192.54.107.1 is assign to a LAN user, while 192.54.107.2 is assigned to the Modem to handle incoming RAS TCP/IP-connections.