Lab 7: Configuring DHCP on a Router
Make the router hand out addresses: build a DHCP pool with excluded addresses, gateway and DNS options, then flip PCs to DHCP and watch DORA happen. Difficulty: Beginner+ · Time: ~25 min.
Lab objectives
- Exclude reserved addresses from the pool
- Create a DHCP pool with network, default-router and dns-server
- Lease addresses to PCs automatically
- Verify bindings on the router
Topology & addressing
1× router (Gi0/0 = 192.168.50.1/24), 1× switch, 3× PCs set to DHCP.
Step-by-step configuration
ip dhcp excluded-address 192.168.50.1 192.168.50.10 | Keep .1–.10 for infrastructure |
ip dhcp pool LAN50network 192.168.50.0 255.255.255.0default-router 192.168.50.1dns-server 8.8.8.8 | The pool: range, gateway and DNS handed to clients |
Verification
On each PC choose DHCP — they should lease .11 upward (exclusions respected). show ip dhcp binding on the router lists each lease with its MAC. On a PC, ipconfig /all style output in PT shows gateway and DNS delivered too.
Next lab: labs hub · test yourself: CCNA practice test.
Frequently asked questions
Why exclude addresses before defining the pool?
So statically assigned devices (routers, servers, printers) never clash with DHCP leases.
What does default-router configure?
The default gateway option handed to clients — without it, clients get an IP but can't leave the subnet.
How do I see current leases?
show ip dhcp binding lists leased IPs with client MAC addresses and lease details.
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