

If you have a network connected printer or media server (such as a NAS unit or Plex Server), it would be inconvenient for them to have their IP addresses changed. Static IP Addresses are Necessary For Some Devices But using dynamic IP addresses should prevent this type of scenario. Without that permission, it can’t connect to the network until a new IP is assigned. When the VM is brought back up, it still has a record of the old IP address (especially if restored from a snapshot), but it won’t be able to use that IP address since it is taken. The VM machine won’t be able to send the renew signal, so its IP address will be handed out to another machine.

It’s possible for two devices to end up with the same IP, such as a VM machine that spends most of its time offline. This is why your IP address may appear to change from time to time if you use the ipconfig option often. When the renewal signal is detected, the device retains its IP address for another set of days. If no renewal signal is sent (such as a decommissioned machine), then the DHCP server reclaims the IP address to assign to another device. The machine retains this IP address for a set number of days, after which it can try to renew the IP address. When a DHCP server assigns an IP Address, it does so under a lease system. Dynamically Assigned Addresses are Temporary To allow for a lower range of IP addresses, DHCP servers only lease out IP addresses to devices. But the downside is if you set the range too small you can unintentionally prevent connection of new devices. The upside to this is you can control how many devices connect to your network simultaneously (no more than 100 in this example). Some routers only list a starting address and then include an option for a maximum number of users (which determines the end address). Also, bear in mind that the start IP (192.168.0.1 in this example) is reserved for the router. You’ll never see a device assigned to 192.168.0.101. If you state that range as starting at 192.168.0.1 and the end as 192.168.0.100, then all available addresses will fall somewhere within that range. You can configure DHCP to control the range of IP addresses available for use.
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Finally, the DHCP server acknowledges the request, and the client is free to connect to the network. The client acknowledges the information and asks permission to use the assigned address (a DHCPREQUEST message). The server responds with all the rules and settings for the network and an IP address for use (a DHCPOFFER). When a client (a computer, IOT device, tablet, cell phone, etc.) connects to the network, it sends out a signal (called DHCPDISCOVER) to the DHCP server (or router). Most routers are set to use a 192.168.0.x range, for instance, so you’ll commonly see IP addresses like this in home networks. DHCP servers or routers handle this process based on a set of defined rules.


DHCP, in part, automates this process, which makes connecting devices to the network far easier. In the early days of networking, users manually assigned themselves an IP address, but that’s a cumbersome task, especially for places with many devices, such as a corporate office. Every device that connects to a network needs an IP address.
