aid: dhcp
name: DHCP
description: >-
  Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) is a network management protocol
  used to automate the process of configuring devices on IP networks. DHCP
  dynamically assigns IP addresses and other network configuration parameters to
  each device on a network, enabling them to communicate with other IP networks.
  Defined in IETF RFC 2131, the protocol supports automatic, dynamic, and manual
  allocation modes and uses message types including DHCPDISCOVER, DHCPOFFER,
  DHCPREQUEST, DHCPACK, DHCPNAK, DHCPDECLINE, DHCPRELEASE, and DHCPINFORM. DHCP
  builds on BOOTP (RFC 951) and is supplemented by RFCs covering options and
  clarifications.
type: Index
image: https://kinlane-images.s3.amazonaws.com/shared/apis-json/apis-json-logo.jpg
tags:
  - BOOTP
  - DHCP
  - IETF
  - IP Addresses
  - Lease Management
  - Network Configuration
  - Networking
  - Protocol
  - RFC 2131
  - TCP/IP
url: https://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2131.txt
created: '2025-01-01'
modified: '2026-04-28'
specificationVersion: '0.19'
apis: []
common:
  - type: Specification
    url: https://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2131.txt
  - type: BOOTP RFC
    url: https://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc951.txt
  - type: DHCP Options RFC
    url: https://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2132.txt
maintainers:
  - FN: Kin Lane
    email: kin@apievangelist.com