What is the role of DHCP in a wireless network?

• A. To authenticate users before allowing access.
• B. To automatically assign IP addresses to devices that connect to the network.
• C. To route data between subnets.
• D. To manage wireless channel selection.

Answer: (B)

DHCP automates IP configuration for devices on a network, including wireless ones. When a wireless device connects, it uses DHCP to obtain an IP address and other network settings such as the subnet mask, default gateway, and DNS servers. This happens through a quick exchange where the device requests an address, a DHCP server offers one, the device confirms, and the server finalizes the assignment with a lease. This process lets devices join and communicate on the network without manual setup and helps prevent IP address conflicts by using a managed pool of addresses.

This is the best fit because DHCP is specifically about giving devices their IP configuration automatically. It doesn’t handle user authentication (that’s done by authentication services like 802.1X and RADIUS), it doesn’t route traffic between subnets (that’s the job of a router), and it doesn’t manage wireless channel selection (that’s handled by access points or controllers).