DHCP questions cover server configuration, relay agents (ip helper-address), DHCP snooping, and the four-step DORA handshake. Common exam scenarios: a host isn't getting an IP, a relay agent isn't forwarding requests, or a rogue DHCP server is handing out wrong addresses.
Start Scenario PracticeDrag and drop the following steps into the correct order to configure a Cisco switch as a DHCP relay agent with DHCP snooping, where the DHCP server is located on a remote router.
Explanation: First, the DHCP server must be properly configured on the router. Next, DHCP snooping is enabled globally on the switch to protect against rogue servers. Then, the specific client VLANs must be added to the snooping database. After that, the uplink interface to the DHCP server must be trusted to allow legitimate server responses. Finally, the ip helper-address command is placed on the client's SVI to forward DHCP broadcasts to the remote server.
A user reports that their computer cannot access the network. The technician checks the computer's IP configuration and finds an APIPA address (169.254.x.x). The computer is connected to a switch port on VLAN 20. The DHCP server is located on VLAN 1. The technician then examines the router's interfaces using 'show ip interface brief' and sees that all interfaces shown are up/up. What should the technician do next?
Explanation: The APIPA address (169.254.x.x) indicates the host failed to obtain a DHCP lease. Since the DHCP server is on VLAN 1 and the host is on VLAN 20, a DHCP relay (ip helper-address) must be configured on the router's VLAN 20 interface to forward DHCP broadcast messages to the server. The 'show ip interface brief' shows all interfaces are up/up, so the next logical step is to verify the relay configuration.
Drag and drop the following steps into the correct order to configure a Cisco IOS-XE router as a DHCP server for a VLAN 10 subnet and enable DHCP relay for a remote client on VLAN 20.
Explanation: The correct sequence is to globally exclude IP addresses first, preventing the DHCP server from assigning reserved addresses. Then define the DHCP pool for VLAN 10 with network parameters, enable DHCP relay on the VLAN 20 interface so it forwards requests to the server, and finally verify the service is functioning. Options that place relay before pool or exclusions after pool misorder these essential configuration steps and deviate from recommended practice.
You are troubleshooting a PC (PC-A) connected to switch SW1, which is connected to router R1. PC-A has an APIPA address (169.254.23.45) and cannot reach the internet (203.0.113.1). You confirm that R1 has a correctly configured DHCP pool for the 192.168.10.0/24 subnet, but the DHCP service is not enabled. The network uses VLAN 10 with subnet 192.168.10.0/24. Verify and correct the configuration on PC-A, SW1, and R1 to restore full connectivity.
Explanation: The APIPA address (169.254.x.x) indicates that PC-A failed to obtain a DHCP lease. The correct solution is to enable the DHCP service on R1 with 'service dhcp', which is not running despite the configured pool. Option B is incorrect because setting a default gateway on PC-A with a static IP would still require a valid address in the subnet; the APIPA address cannot communicate with 192.168.10.1. Option C is wrong because the PC-A interface on SW1 is correctly assigned to VLAN 10. Option D is unnecessary since R1 is directly connected to the same subnet, so 'ip helper-address' is only used to forward DHCP broadcasts across router boundaries.
You are connected to R1. Configure DHCP services so that hosts on VLAN 10 (192.168.10.0/24) can obtain IP addresses from R1. Additionally, configure the switch SW1 to prevent rogue DHCP server attacks on that VLAN. The current configuration has a misconfigured helper-address and an excluded-address range that is too broad.
Explanation: The helper-address on R1's subinterface points to 10.0.0.2 instead of the DHCP server's IP (R1 itself, which is the server). The excluded-address range excludes all addresses in the subnet, preventing any host from getting an IP. The fix: change helper-address to 192.168.10.1 (loopback or interface IP of R1), and narrow the excluded range to the first 10 addresses (or just the gateway). On SW1, enable DHCP snooping globally and for VLAN 10, and mark the port facing R1 (G0/1) as trusted; other ports should be untrusted to block rogue servers.
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Practice all DHCP Troubleshooting ScenariosDHCP questions cover server configuration, relay agents (ip helper-address), DHCP snooping, and the four-step DORA handshake. Common exam scenarios: a host isn't getting an IP, a relay agent isn't forwarding requests, or a rogue DHCP server is handing out wrong addresses. These appear throughout the 200-301 and require you to apply your knowledge, not just recall facts.
Cisco doesn't publish an exact breakdown, but scenario-based questions (especially exhibit and command-output formats) make up a significant portion of the 200-301. Practicing each scenario type ensures you're ready for any format.
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