Setting up Server 2012 as a DCHP server

Setting up server 2012 as a DHCP server is really not to hard of a task as long as you do some research first. I have done the research and now will help you through the proper steps on setting up your 2012 Server as a DHCP server.

First you will want to start by installing the DNS and DHCP roles.

In order to do this you must open SERVER MANAGER and click on MANAGE and then ADD ROLES AND FEATURES.

You will then be presented with the add roles and features wizard.

Click next, then select Role Based or Feature Based Installation and click next.

The next screen that will appear will ask you to select your server please do so and click next.

 

After these steps have been completed you will be redirected to the Roles selections page.

From this list you will select DHCP SERVER and DNS SERVER and click next followed by add roles when the next window pops up.

After you have selected the appropriate roles (DHCP AND DNS servers) you will click next when the features windows pops up.

Then continue by again pressing next and inform yourself about the DHCP and DNS SERVERS by reading the captions presented to you.

When you arrive at the Confirmation section you will want to select "Restart the destination server automatically if required" and select the INSTALL tab.

Your DHCP and DNS SERVER Roles will now begin Installing, this may take a few minutes depending on you internet connection.

After your Server has finished installing your DHCP and DNS roles be sure to click on finish the installation by committing the server, this option will appear before the DHCP server can be configured.

Your DCHP SERVER is almost ready to be configured, one final step is required.

You must make sure to assign your DHCP server a STATIC IP address, I covered how this is done through POWER SHELL in my previous post.

After you have set your server with a static ip address you will want to navigate back to the SERVER MANAGER and select your DHCP tab on the left side. This will bring up a selection box.

Left click on your listed server then right click and select DHCP MANAGER.

Your DHCP wizard will appear.

You will now want to left click on your server and right click on IPv4 selecting NEW SCOPE.

Your new scope wizard will now appear and you may select next to continue.

The following menu will ask you to type a name and description for the scope and click next.

 You will then be presented with a new window allowing you to select your DHCP IP RANGE.

 Now you must fill in the following boxes with the IP address rang you prefer. This range must be associated with the IP address you server is statically set too. For example i have selected 192.168.1.100 - 192.168.1.150, this will allow my DHCP server to hand out addresses between 100 and 150. After you have selected you range click next to move on to the exclusions menu.

In this window you may select what ip range will be excluded from your DHCP pool. the IP address rang you select here will not be handed out to computers over the network. 

I would suggest putting aside 10 to 20 ip addresses in the range that your server is statically set to. For example my server is 192.168.1.106 i have selected ranges 192.168.1.100 - 192.168.1.110. This will allow for future static ip address assignments.

After you have selected your excluded range click the ADD button and click next to move to LEASE DURATION.

Here you will configure the length of time a computer can keep an assigned DHCP address before a it must renew its lease. I have left it to the default of 8 days as i believe it is sufficient. After you have made your selection click next.

You will not be asked to configure your DHCP actions you may choose to configure these actions later, if you choose to do so just select no and click next, if you select yes you will be directed to set up the routers default gateway. 

Here you will enter your routers default gateway and click ADD then NEXT.

The next menu that appears allows you too enter you DOMAIN NAME if you have a domain set up and your DNS SERVER name this is why we installed the DNS SERVER as well, for name resolution.

As you can see here you will want to add your DOMAIN NAME if you have one set up and SERVER NAME, after you have completed the name entry you may either click resolve and your server will auto populate the ip address or you may enter it manually and click ADD.

Your DNS SERVER will now be validated. Shown below and DHCP server IP address added to the list.

Click next to Continue.

You will now be at the WINS Servers menu. For most new networks this can be skipped by clicking next then FINISH.

You DHCP service has now been properly set up. 

ENJOY!