This section describes the DHCP Client on the switch.
DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) Client is an Internet host using DHCP to obtain configuration parameters such as an IP address.The figure below shows the basic steps that occur when a DHCP client requests an IP address from a DHCP server. The client, Host A, sends a DHCP DISCOVER broadcast message to locate a DHCP server. A DHCP server offers configuration parameters (such as an IP address, a MAC address, a domain name, and a lease for the IP address) to the client in a DHCP OFFER unicast message.
The Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) is a communication protocol used for discovering the link layer address, such as a MAC address, associated with a given Internet layer address, typically an IPv4 address. The ARP uses a simple message format containing one address resolution request or response. The size of the ARP message depends on the link layer and network layer address sizes. The message header specifies the types of network in use at each layer as well as the size of addresses of each. The message header is completed with the operation code for request (1) and reply (2). The payload of the packet consists of four addresses, the hardware and protocol address of the sender and receiver hosts.