Th Dynmc Hst Cnfgrtn Prtcl (DHCP) s ntwrk mngmnt prtcl sd n ntrnt Prtcl (P) ntwrks fr tmtclly ssgnng P ddrsss nd thr cmmnctn prmtrs t dvcs cnnctd t th ntwrk sng clnt–srvr rchtctr.
Th tchnlgy lmnts th nd fr ndvdlly cnfgrng ntwrk dvcs mnlly, nd cnssts f tw ntwrk cmpnnts, cntrlly nstlld ntwrk DHCP srvr nd clnt nstncs f th prtcl stck n ch cmptr r dvc. Whn cnnctd t th ntwrk, nd prdclly thrftr, clnt rqsts st f prmtrs frm th srvr sng DHCP.
DHCP cn b mplmntd n ntwrks rngng n sz frm rsdntl ntwrks t lrg cmps ntwrks nd rgnl SP ntwrks. Mny rtrs nd rsdntl gtwys hv DHCP srvr cpblty. Mst rsdntl ntwrk rtrs rcv nq P ddrss wthn th SP ntwrk. Wthn lcl ntwrk, DHCP srvr ssgns lcl P ddrss t ch dvc.
DHCP srvcs xst fr ntwrks rnnng ntrnt Prtcl vrsn 4 (Pv4), s wll s vrsn 6 (Pv6). Th Pv6 vrsn f th DHCP prtcl s cmmnly clld DHCPv6.