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IntermediatePublished 2026-07-02

Lab 7: DHCP Manual Bindings (Reservations)

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Configure a Cisco IOS router as a DHCP server with a general LAN pool and a per-host manual binding (reservation) so that CLIENT-A always receives 172.20.10.5 based on its MAC, while CLIENT-B receives a normal dynamic address from the same subnet. Verify with router show commands and Linux host tools. Focus strictly on DHCP: pool scope, excluded addresses, options, and a hardware-address-tied manual binding.

Track
Est. time
35 minutes
Difficulty
Intermediate
Topics

Learning objectives

  • Build a correctly scoped DHCP pool on an IOS router for a /24 LAN
  • Reserve a fixed IP for a specific client using a manual binding tied to the client's MAC (hardware-address)
  • Exclude the reserved address block from the general pool
  • Set DHCP options: default-router, dns-server, domain-name, and lease time
  • Verify bindings and pool utilization with IOS show commands and Linux client tools

Troubleshooting focus

  • Wrong MAC format or value in the manual-binding pool prevents the reservation from taking effect
  • General pool overlaps with excluded addresses or host reservation
  • Pool network/mask does not match the router’s interface subnet
  • DHCP service not effectively reachable due to interface down or client not renewing
  • Clients retain old leases; force a renew (udhcpc) to test new configuration

Topology

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Grade your work

How this lab is graded
  • Build it your way. Where a lab lets you choose a value — a VLAN name, an interface description — grading checks that you configured it, not which name you picked. Names that another line has to reference, like an ACL applied with access-class, are stated in the guide and do have to match.
  • Addresses, modes and protocol keywords are exact. An IP address, a subnet mask, switchport mode trunk, an encapsulation — these carry the meaning of the lab, so they are graded as written in the guide.
  • Grading reads your saved configuration. Export the lab from CML after you have configured it, and make sure anything you set is in the running-config — a change that only exists in a terminal session never reaches the grader.
  • You can submit as many times as you like. Your best score stands, and each attempt tells you which checks passed so you can work the gaps.
  • Scored something you believe is correct? Use Report an issue on this page — that is exactly how the grading fixes in the changelog got found.

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