Network

The dhcpd command

DHCP server: hands out IP addresses automatically to the machines on a network. With -t it only validates the config.

Syntax

sudo dhcpd [-t] [-cf /etc/dhcp/dhcpd.conf]

Most useful options

-tCheck the config without starting
-cfUse another config file

Copy-ready examples

$ sudo dhcpd -tValidate the config

You can try them in the browser terminal: it does not touch your computer.

Typical mistakes

  • The configuration lives in /etc/dhcp/dhcpd.conf: subnet, range, routers...
  • Before starting it, check with dhcpd -t: a missing semicolon breaks it.

Related commands

dhclientsystemctlip

FAQ

Where is the IP range defined?

In /etc/dhcp/dhcpd.conf, inside the subnet block with the range directive.

How do I apply changes?

Validate with dhcpd -t and restart with systemctl restart isc-dhcp-server.

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