Quiz Entry - updated: 2026.07.14
What are the steps to configure a Cisco IOS router as a DHCPv4 (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol v4) server?
Exclude static addresses, create a named pool, then configure the network, default-router, DNS (Domain Name System), and optional parameters.
Step 1 — Exclude addresses (global config):
R1(config)# ip dhcp excluded-address 192.168.10.1 192.168.10.9
R1(config)# ip dhcp excluded-address 192.168.10.254
Exclude IPs (Internet Protocol) assigned to routers, servers, printers, or any statically-configured device. You can use multiple exclude commands.
Step 2 — Create the pool (global config):
R1(config)# ip dhcp pool LAN-POOL-1
Step 3 — Configure pool parameters (DHCP config mode):
| Command | Purpose | Required? |
|---|---|---|
network 192.168.10.0 255.255.255.0 |
Define the address range | Yes |
default-router 192.168.10.1 |
Set the default gateway | Yes |
dns-server 192.168.11.5 |
Set DNS server | Optional |
domain-name example.com |
Set domain name | Optional |
lease 7 |
Lease duration (days) | Optional (default varies) |
netbios-name-server |
WINS server | Optional |
Important: Always exclude addresses first, then create the pool. The router won't assign excluded addresses even if they fall within the pool's network range.
Go deeper:
RFC 2131 — DHCP — grounds the pool/network/excluded-address concepts the Cisco commands implement.