User's Manual

Table Of Contents
99
8.8b IP Address Distribution
The TG590’s DHCP server makes it possible to easily add computers configured as DHCP clients to the
network. It provides a mechanism for allocating IP addresses to these hosts and for delivering network
configuration parameters to them.
For example, a client (host) sends out a broadcast message on the network requesting an IP address for itself.
The DHCP server then checks its list of available addresses and leases a local IP address to the host for a
specific period of time and simultaneously designates this IP address as “taken.” At this point, the host is
configured with an IP address for the duration of the lease.
The host can choose to renew an expiring lease or let it expire. If it chooses to renew a lease, it will also
receive current information about network services,
as it did with the original lease, allowing it to update its network configurations to reflect any changes that
occurred since it first connected to the network. If the host wishes to terminate a lease before its expiration, it
can send a release message to the DHCP server, which will then make the IP address available for use by
others.
The TG590’s DHCP server:
Displays a list of all DHCP hosts devices connected to the TG590.
Defines the range of IP addresses that can be allocated in the network.
Defines the length of time for which dynamic IP addresses are allocated.
Provides the above configurations for each network device and can be configured and
enabled/disabled separately for each network device.
Can assign a static lease to a network computer so that it receives the same IP address each time it
connects to the network, even if this IP address is within the range of addresses that the DHCP server
may assign to other computers.
Provides the DNS server with the host name and IP address of each computer connected to the
network.