CompTIA Network+ Practice Test

What is a limitation of DHCP in an enterprise environment?

1. High bandwidth requirements

2. Limited communication range

3. Requires multiple devices

4. Only works in local networks

The correct answer is: Limited communication range

The correct choice highlights a significant limitation of DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) in enterprise environments. DHCP operates by allowing a server to assign IP addresses dynamically to devices on a network, facilitating the management of IP address allocation. However, its communication range can be limited by the broadcast nature of its messages. In a typical scenario, DHCP uses broadcast messages to communicate with clients, which means that devices can only receive these messages within the same local area network (LAN). When it comes to larger enterprise networks that span multiple subnets or VLANs, this can pose a challenge. Routers, which connect different networks, typically do not forward broadcast messages. As a result, in order for devices in different subnets to acquire IP addresses, additional configurations or DHCP relay agents (using the IP Helper address feature, for example) are required to enable DHCP traffic forwarding across routers. This limitation makes the efficient use and administration of IP addresses more complex in larger, segmented networks, where devices need to communicate across different segments. Consequently, enterprises often need to implement additional strategies or infrastructures, such as DHCP relay agents or multiple DHCP servers, to ensure smooth operation across their networks. The other options pertain to concerns that are not intrinsic limitations of DHCP itself, making