Which protocol is primarily used for assigning IP addresses dynamically?

Which protocol is primarily used for assigning IP addresses dynamically?

• A. FTP
• B. ICMP
• C. DHCP
• D. TCP

Answer: (C)

The protocol primarily used for assigning IP addresses dynamically is Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP). DHCP automates the process of configuring devices on IP networks, allowing them to obtain an IP address and other related configuration parameters (such as subnet mask, default gateway, and DNS server addresses) from a centralized server. This eliminates the need for manual IP address configuration, making network management more efficient, especially in environments with a large number of devices. In contrast, File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is designed for transferring files, Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) is primarily used for error messaging and operational queries, and Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) is focused on providing reliable, ordered, and error-checked delivery of data between applications. None of these protocols are intended for the dynamic assignment of IP addresses, which is the specific function of DHCP.

The protocol primarily used for assigning IP addresses dynamically is Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP). DHCP automates the process of configuring devices on IP networks, allowing them to obtain an IP address and other related configuration parameters (such as subnet mask, default gateway, and DNS server addresses) from a centralized server. This eliminates the need for manual IP address configuration, making network management more efficient, especially in environments with a large number of devices.

In contrast, File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is designed for transferring files, Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) is primarily used for error messaging and operational queries, and Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) is focused on providing reliable, ordered, and error-checked delivery of data between applications. None of these protocols are intended for the dynamic assignment of IP addresses, which is the specific function of DHCP.