If you are running a Windows Server environment, especially with Active Directory, it is recommended that you utilize Window Server’s ability to serve DHCP requests. In this guide, I will show you how to install the DHCP Server role on Windows Server 2016 (for this example, Windows Server 2016 Essentials, however the process is identical to the full Standard version of Windows Server).
Installing the DHCP Role (Server Manager)
- Log into your server with administrative credentials, either through remote desktop or console access.
- Verify that your server has a static IP address assigned. If it does not, follow this guide.
- Open the Server Manager
- On the Dashboard, click Add Roles and Features
- Click Next on the Before you Begin page
6. Make sure that Role-based or feature based installation is selected, then click Next
7. Select the server that you will be installing the role on, then click Next
8. Select DHCP Server from the list, then click Add Features on the popup to also install the management tools. Click Next to continue.
9. Click Next on the Select Features screen (unless you have features you would like to add as well)
10. Review the notes about DHCP on the DHCP Server Screen, then click Next
11. Finally, click Install to start the installation of DHCP
Installing the DHCP Role (Powershell)
- Log into your server with administrative credentials, either through remote desktop or console access.
- Verify that your server has a static IP address assigned. If it does not, follow this guide.
- Open a Powershell Console by Right Clicking and choosing Run as Administrator
- Enter the command Add-WindowsFeature -IncludeManagementTools dhcp
Post Deployment Role Configuration
Once the installation has finished, we will need to configure some options for DHCP to be used within the network.
- In Server Manager, locate and click on the Notifications Button
at the top right side of the screen. - Click Complete DHCP configuration
- Click Next on the Description Page
- Choose credentials for Authorization in Active Directory Domain Services (Normally a domain administrator) and click Commit.
- On the Summary Screen, review that everything completed, then click Close.
Configuring DHCP Scopes and Options
- Open the DHCP Management Console (Start > type DHCPMgmt.msc)
- In the DHCP Management Console, Right Click the IPv4 icon and choose New Scope..
- Click Next on the Wizard Start Page
- Enter a name for the scope then click Next
- Enter a Start and End Address, as well as the Subnet Mask, then click Next
- If you would like to exclude any addresses from the range you specified, enter them here, then click Next.
- Select the duration of the leases, then click Next (Default is 8 Days)
- You will need to configure DHCP and Default Gateway Options for the clients through DHCP as well. On the Configure DHCP Options screen, choose Yes and click Next.
- Enter the IP Address of your Default Gateway or the Router in your network, click Add then click Next
- If you are using Active Directory, ensure that the Parent Domain is your internal domain name and the IP Address of the DNS Server is your Domain Controller’s address (and add additional DNS Servers to the list as well), then click Next
- If you are using a WINS Server, enter the IP Address of the server, then click Next
- Choose whether to Activate the scope now or not, then click Next
- Finally, click Finish to complete the configuration
