DHCP stands for "dynamic host control protocol". It is the method for which machines on a local network automatically retrieve an IP address in order to identiy itself. It requires both a server and a client to work as-expected. This process includes 4 steps:
- A client that requires an IP address sends a UDP packet to the local network, asking if there are any DHCP servers on the network. This step is called
DHCPDiscover
1a) This request is then ignored by anything that isn't a DHCP server
- The DHCP Server responds with an IP address suggestion. It doesn't know where to send it back to, since the requester does not have an IP address yet it will respond using UDP to every machine on the network. This step is called
DHCPOffer