DHCP(8)                 OpenBSD System Manager's Manual                DHCP(8)

NAME
     dhcp - configuring OpenBSD for DHCP

DESCRIPTION
     The Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) allows hosts on a TCP/IP
     network to configure one or more network interfaces based on information
     collected from a DHCP server in response to a DHCP request. This mecha-
     nism is often used, for example, by cable modem and DSL network providers
     to simplify network configurations for their clients/customers.

     Information typically contained within a DHCP response includes an IP ad-
     dress for the interface, subnet mask, broadcast address, router (gateway)
     listing, domain name server listing, and the interface's MTU.

     To setup OpenBSD as a DHCP client:

           1.   For each interface that is to be configured via DHCP, create a
                /etc/hostname.XXX file (where XXX is the interface's identifi-
                er, i.e., ep1) that starts with the word ``dhcp'', optionally
                followed by additional interface options. See hostname.if(5)
                for more information on the format of these files.

                The /etc/netstart script reads each of these hostname files at
                boot-time and runs the dhclient(8) program for each interface
                that is to be configured via DHCP.

           2.   [Optional] To tweak settings, edit /etc/dhclient.conf. This
                file is shipped with the system.  See dhclient.conf(5) and
                dhclient(8) for details.


     To setup OpenBSD as a DHCP server:

           1.   Edit /etc/dhcpd.conf. This file is shipped with the system.
                See dhcpd.conf(5) and dhcpd(8) for details.

           2.   Edit /etc/dhcpd.interfaces. This file should contain a list of
                interfaces you wish to serve by dhcpd(8). If you have only one
                broadcast network interface or you wish to serve all inter-
                faces, this step is not required. Be sure to leave this file
                empty (or even delete it) if this is the case.

           3.   Edit /etc/rc.conf and set dhcpd_flags="-q". This will cause
                OpenBSD to start the dhcpd(8) daemon at boot-time and listen
                for DHCP requests on the local network. To start it manually,
                execute the following commands:

                      # touch /var/db/dhcpd.leases
                      # /usr/sbin/dhcpd -q [netif1 netif2 ...]

           4.   Ensure the kernel has been compiled with BPF (Berkeley Packet
                Filter) support and at least one /dev/bpf* file exists per
                broadcast network interface that is attached to the system.
                This is almost always the case and should only be considered
                if all other troubleshooting options have failed.

     See dhcpd(8) for information on other available options; for example, -p,
     which allows specification of a port to listen on other than the default
     (67).  However, most of the flags are useful only for debugging purposes.

FILES



     /etc/dhcpd.conf        DHCP server configuration file
     /etc/dhcpd.interfaces  list of network interfaces served by dhcpd(8)
     /etc/rc.conf           configuration file where dhcpd_flags must be set
     /etc/dhclient.conf     DHCP client configuration file
     /etc/hostname.XXX      interface-specific configuration files

SEE ALSO
     dhclient.conf(5), dhcpd.conf(5), hostname.if(5), dhclient(8), dhcpd(8)

OpenBSD 2.9                      July 8, 1999                                2
