How does a Device Obtain an IP Address and Subnet Mask?
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This type of IP Address operates on a subnet mask of ‘255.255.0.0’.
See an example about how a network (only four computers represented)
and a Router might be configured.
IP Addressing and Subnet Masking
How does a Device
Obtain an IP
Address and Subnet
Mask?
There are three different ways to obtain an IP address and the subnet
mask. These are:
■
Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) Addressing
■
Static Addressing
■
Automatic Addressing (Auto-IP Addressing)
DHCP Addressing
The Router contains a DHCP server, which allows computers on your
network to obtain an IP address and subnet mask automatically. DHCP
assigns a temporary IP address and subnet mask which gets reallocated
once you disconnect from the network.
DHCP will work on any client Operating System such as Windows
®
95,
Windows 98 or Windows NT 4.0. Also, using DHCP means that the same
IP address and subnet mask will never be duplicated for devices on the
network. DHCP is particularly useful for networks with large numbers of
users on them.
Static Addressing
You must enter an IP Address and the subnet mask manually on every
device. Using a static IP and subnet mask means the address is
permanently fixed.
Auto-IP Addressing
Network devices use automatic IP addressing if they are configured to
acquire an address using DHCP but are unable to contact a DHCP server.
Device
IP Address
Subnet Mask
PC 1
192.168.100.8
255.255.0.0
PC 2
192.168.201.30
255.255.0.0
PC 3
192.168.113.155
255.255.0.0
PC 4
192.168.002.230
255.255.0.0
Router
192.168.002.72
255.255.0.0