DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) provides a means for dynamically assigning IP addresses and configuration parameters to devices on an Ethernet network. This is in contrast to an Ethernet network whose devices are assigned fixed IP addresses as they are added to the network. DHCP is commonly used on office networks because it allows computers and other devices to be added or removed from the network with a minimum amount of Ethernet configuration required.
A DHCP Ethernet network typically consists of one or more computers and other Ethernet devices configured as DHCP clients, and one preconfigured DHCP server that assigns reusable IP addresses and additional configuration parameters to the clients when requested to do so.
DHCP enables each client to obtain an IP address from the DHCP server for a fixed length of time, otherwise known as a lease period. A lease period for Ethernet I/O can range from 10 hours to infinity. Before a given lease period expires, the client device will send a request for the server to "renew" the lease. The DHCP server will then renew the lease or it will assign a new IP address and lease period to the client device.
Currently, the SIXNET products that support DHCP are all IPm products including the SixTRAK IPm, VersaTRAK IPm, Mini-VersaTRAK mIPm, Micro-VersaTRAK µIPm, SixTRAK I/O Controller (ST-GT-1210) and the Ethernet version RemoteLog RTU and Datalogger.
Note: Do not select DHCP in IPm-based controllers that will be sending or replying to I/O Transfer messages to/from other IPm-based controllers. I/O Transfer messages require that all involved controllers have fixed IP addresses.