linux guide

In a TCP/IP network, each host should have a unique IP address according to the Network address.The clients may also require other information to access different services and resources.In a large network it increase the overhead for an administrator. DHCP Server automates this. DHCP Server provides clients with an IP address along with some host specific configuration parameters. A DHCP Server can be used for dynamic allocation, or it can be used just as a bearer.
In RedHat linux, the main configuration file is /etc/dhcpd.conf

DHCP related information are stored in /var/lib/dhcp/dhcpd.leases file
By default, the /etc/dhcpd.conf file not exists in your system. Though you can copy a
sample file, /usr/share/doc/dhcp-3.0.1/dhcpd.conf.sample, to /etc/dhcpd.conf.

Some options and systaxes in /etc/dhcpd.conf file:

default-lease-time 720;
max-lease-time 86400;
(Values are in seconds)
subnet 192.168.100.0 netmask 255.255.255.0 {
range 192.168.100.10 192.168.100.50;
range 192.168.100.101 192.168.100.150;
}
(Specifies subnet address with mask followed by subnet address range. Here, addresses
from 192.168.100.51 to 192.168.100.100 will never allocated to any systems)

host comp1 {
hardware Ethernet 00:04:5A:4F:8E:4B;
fixed address 192.168.100.60;
}
(You are supplying ip address ( 192.168.100.60) to comp1 whose NIC mac address is
00:04:5A: 4F:8E:4B.)

option routers 192.168.100.1;
(Gateway address)

option domain-name-servers 192.168.100.2,192.168.100.3;
(Ip address of your Primary and Secondary DNS Server)

option time-servers 192.168.100.2;
(Clients synchronizes time from this Time Server)
option netbios-name-servers 192.168.100.4;
(Microsoft WINS Server)

Check out the following example of a /etc/dhcpd.conf file for your perusal: -




To start the DHCP Server –

/etc/init.d/dhcpd start or
service dhcpd start

To start the service automatically during the boot time –
chkconfig dhcpd on

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