The DHCP operates based on the client–server model. When a computer or other device connects to a network, the DHCP client software sends a broadcast query requesting the necessary information. Any DHCP server on the network may service the request. The DHCP server manages a pool of IP addresses and information about client configuration parameters such as default gateway, domain name, the name servers, and time servers. On receiving a request, the server may respond with specific information for each client, as previously configured by an administrator, or with a specific address and any other information valid for the entire network and for the time period for which the allocation (lease) is valid. A client typically queries for this information immediately after booting, DHCP process goes through 4 stages while assigning an IP address to the client. These stages are often abbreviated as DORA for discovery, offer, request, and acknowledgement. DHCP discovery The client sends a broadcasts messages on the network subnet using the destination address 255.255.255.255 or the specific subnet broadcast address. DHCP offer When a DHCP server receives a DHCPDISCOVER message from a client, which is an IP address lease request, the server reserves an IP address for the client and makes a lease offer by sending a DHCPOFFER message to the client. This message contains the client's MAC address, the IP address that the server is offering, the subnet mask, the lease duration, and the IP address of the DHCP server making the offer. DHCP options 1 (subnet mask): 255.255.255.0 3 (Router): 192.168.1.1 51 (IP address lease time): 86400s (1 day) 54 (DHCP server): 192.168.1.1 6 (DNS servers): 9.7.10.15, 9.7.10.16, 9.7.10.18 DHCP request In response to the DHCP offer, the client replies with a DHCP request, broadcast to the server, requesting the offered address. A client can receive DHCP offers from multiple servers, but it will accept only one DHCP offer. Based on required server identification option in the request and broadcast messaging, servers are informed whose offer the client has accepted. When other DHCP servers receive this message, they withdraw any offers that they might have made to the client and return the offered address to the pool of available addresses. DHCP acknowledgement When the DHCP server receives the DHCPREQUEST message from the client, the configuration process enters its final stage. The acknowledgement stage involves sending a DHCPACK packet to the client. This packet includes the lease duration and any other configuration information that the client might have requested. At this point, the IP configuration process is completed. Source : DHCP Dora Process