How to Set Up DHCP on Windows Server

How to Set Up DHCP on Windows Server

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) automates IP address assignment for devices on your network. Setting up a DHCP server on your Kazepute Breeze eliminates the need to manually configure IP addresses on each client. This guide covers installation, scope configuration, and ongoing management.

Prerequisites

• A Kazepute Breeze running Windows Server 2019 or 2022
• A static IP address on the server (DHCP servers must have static IPs)
• Administrator access
• A planned IP address range for clients

Install the DHCP Server Role

# Install DHCP Server
Install-WindowsFeature -Name DHCP -IncludeManagementTools

# Verify installation
Get-WindowsFeature DHCP

Authorize the DHCP Server

If your server is part of an Active Directory domain, you must authorize it:

# Authorize the DHCP server in Active Directory
Add-DhcpServerInDC -DnsName "server.corp.example.com" -IPAddress 10.0.0.5

# Verify authorization
Get-DhcpServerInDC

For standalone servers (not domain-joined), this step is not required.

Create a DHCP Scope

A scope defines the range of IP addresses the server can assign:

# Create a new scope
Add-DhcpServerv4Scope -Name "Office Network" `
    -StartRange 10.0.0.100 `
    -EndRange 10.0.0.200 `
    -SubnetMask 255.255.255.0 `
    -LeaseDuration 8.00:00:00 `
    -State Active

# Verify the scope
Get-DhcpServerv4Scope

Configure Scope Options

Set the default gateway, DNS servers, and other options for clients:

# Set the default gateway (router)
Set-DhcpServerv4OptionValue -ScopeId 10.0.0.0 -Router 10.0.0.1

# Set DNS servers
Set-DhcpServerv4OptionValue -ScopeId 10.0.0.0 -DnsServer 10.0.0.5, 8.8.8.8

# Set the domain name
Set-DhcpServerv4OptionValue -ScopeId 10.0.0.0 -DnsDomain "corp.example.com"

# View all scope options
Get-DhcpServerv4OptionValue -ScopeId 10.0.0.0

Add Exclusion Ranges

Exclude specific IP addresses from being assigned by DHCP:

# Exclude a range (for static devices like printers)
Add-DhcpServerv4ExclusionRange -ScopeId 10.0.0.0 -StartRange 10.0.0.100 -EndRange 10.0.0.110

# View exclusions
Get-DhcpServerv4ExclusionRange -ScopeId 10.0.0.0

Create IP Reservations

Reserve specific IP addresses for devices by MAC address:

# Reserve an IP for a specific device
Add-DhcpServerv4Reservation -ScopeId 10.0.0.0 `
    -IPAddress 10.0.0.150 `
    -ClientId "AA-BB-CC-DD-EE-FF" `
    -Name "Office Printer" `
    -Description "Main office printer"

# List all reservations
Get-DhcpServerv4Reservation -ScopeId 10.0.0.0 | Format-Table IPAddress, ClientId, Name

Configure DHCP Failover

For high availability, set up DHCP failover between two Breezes:

# Configure load-balance failover
Add-DhcpServerv4Failover -Name "DHCP-Failover" `
    -PartnerServer "dhcp2.corp.example.com" `
    -ScopeId 10.0.0.0 `
    -LoadBalancePercent 50 `
    -SharedSecret "FailoverSecret123!" `
    -AutoStateTransition $true `
    -MaxClientLeadTime 1:00:00

# Verify failover
Get-DhcpServerv4Failover

Monitoring and Troubleshooting

# View current leases
Get-DhcpServerv4Lease -ScopeId 10.0.0.0 | Format-Table IPAddress, ClientId, HostName, LeaseExpiryTime

# View scope statistics
Get-DhcpServerv4ScopeStatistics -ScopeId 10.0.0.0

# View DHCP server statistics
Get-DhcpServerv4Statistics

# Check DHCP audit logs
Get-Content "C:\Windows\System32\dhcp\DhcpSrvLog-*.log" -Tail 50

Best Practices

• Always use a static IP on the DHCP server itself.
• Set appropriate lease durations — shorter for wireless networks, longer for wired.
• Configure DHCP failover for redundancy in production environments.
• Use IP reservations for servers, printers, and other infrastructure devices.
• Monitor scope utilization and expand address ranges before they are exhausted.
• Enable DHCP audit logging for troubleshooting and compliance.
• Document all scopes, exclusions, and reservations.