Computer Networking › Section D · The network layer: data plane › Topic D.4
DHCP and network address translation
Open a laptop in a café and within seconds it has an address, a gateway and a DNS server, and it shares one public address with everyone else in the room. Two protocols make that happen: DHCP hands out addresses, and NAT lets many devices hide behind one.
In this topic
- Getting an address
- What DHCP provides
- The four-message exchange
- Leases, renewal and relays
- Worked example: a laptop joins Wi-Fi
- Private address ranges
- How NAT works
- Worked example: two laptops, one address
- The case against NAT, and carrier-grade NAT
- Common mistakes to avoid
- Key takeaways
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