DHCP

DHCP stands for Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol. This is the service on the IT-100 that lets you automatically assign IP addresses to computers connected to the device. When you enable the DHCP server on the IT-100 and create a DHCP pool, the device accesses the IP addresses in the DHCP pool to assigns them to your client computers on your internal network. Without DHCP, you would have to assign those addresses by hand on each of your computers. DHCP also assigns the subnet mask of your network, the IP addresses for the relevant DNS and WINS servers and the IP address for your network's gateway to the Internet.

DHCP can be enabled on any network interface on the IT-100 including the WAN, LAN, and wireless interfaces. It would be rare for your to enable DHCP on the WAN interface since it is typically used to connect the IT-100 to the Internet and will be receiving a dynamic address from your ISP. You only enable DHCP on a network interface that you want to send dynamic addressing. See DHCP Pool in this Glossary for more information. Also see the DHCP sections in the FAQs and HOW TOs for additional details.