Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) is a method by which each computer

When an IP-based local area network is installed, each computer must be configured with an IP address. If the computers need to access the Internet, they should also be configured with a gateway address and one or more DNS server addresses. As an alternative to manual configuration, Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) is a method by which each computer on the network can automatically obtain this configuration information. A device on the network may act as a DHCP server. The DHCP server stores a list or pool of IP addresses, along with other information (such as gateway and DNS addresses) that it may assign to the other devices on the network. Some NETGEAR products can act as DHCP servers.

Some NETGEAR products also function as DHCP clients when connecting to the ISP. Such NETGEAR products can automatically obtain an IP address, subnet mask, DNS server addresses, and a gateway address if the ISP provides this information by DHCP.