DSL/Cable Router User Guide
16
DHCP

What DHCP Does

A DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) server allocates a valid IP address to a
DHCP client (PC or device) upon request.
• The client request is made when the client device starts up (boots).
• The DHCP Server provides the Gateway and DNS addresses to the client, as well as
allocating an IP Address.
• The DSL/Cable Router can act as a DHCP server.
• Windows 95/98/ME and other non-Server versions of Windows will act as a DHCP client.
This is the default Windows setting for the TCP/IP network protocol. However, Windows
uses the term Obtain an IP Address automatically instead of "DHCP Client".
• You must NOT have two (2) or more DHCP Servers on the same LAN segment. (If your
LAN does not have other Routers, this means there must only be one (1) DHCP Server on
your LAN.)

Using the DSL/Cable Router's DHCP Server

This is the default setting. The DHCP Server settings are on the LAN screen. On this screen,
you can:
• Enable or Disable the DSL/Cable Router's DHCP Server function.
• Set the range of IP Addresses allocated to PCs by the DHCP Server function.
You can assign Fixed IP Addresses to some devices
while using DHCP, provided that the Fixed IP Addresses
are NOT within the range used by the DHCP Server.

Using another DHCP Server

You can only use one (1) DHCP Server per LAN segment. If you wish to use another DHCP
Server, rather than the DSL/Cable Router's, the following procedure is required.
1. Disable the DHCP Server feature in the DSL/Cable Router. This setting is on the LAN
screen.
2. Configure the DHCP Server to provide the DSL/Cable Router's IP Address as the Default
Gateway.

To Configure your PCs to use DHCP

This is the default setting for TCP/IP under Windows 95/98/Me. See Chapter 4 - Client Con-
figuration for the procedure to check these settings.