A user is unable to obtain an IP address automatically. What should be checked first?

Question

Options

• AThe status of the firewall rules
• BThe availability of DHCP server leases
• CThe physical location of the user
• DThe presence of a default static route

• B
  91% (21)
• C
  4% (1)
• D
  4% (1)

Explanation

When a user cannot obtain an IP address automatically, the DHCP server's lease pool is the first thing to investigate - if the pool is exhausted (all available addresses are already leased out), no new devices can receive an IP, which is the most direct cause of automatic IP assignment failure. A (firewall rules) is a secondary concern; firewalls can block DHCP traffic, but an empty lease pool is a more common and immediate culprit to rule out first. C (physical location) is irrelevant to IP assignment unless you suspect a physical connectivity issue, which would be a separate diagnostic step. D (default static route) affects traffic routing after an IP is assigned - it has no bearing on the address assignment process itself.

Memory tip: Think "DHCP = Delivery of IPs" - if delivery fails, check whether the warehouse (lease pool) is empty before looking at who's blocking the door (firewall) or the road map (routes).

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