This LPIC-2 practice question tests your understanding of network client management. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
An administrator notices that clients are unable to obtain IP addresses from the DHCP server. The server logs show 'no free leases' error. What is the most likely cause?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
The DHCP server's subnet declaration does not match the client's network.
Why wrong: Would cause no offers, but different error.
The DHCP server's address range is exhausted.
Directly matches the error message.
The dhcpd.conf file has invalid syntax.
Why wrong: Would cause a parse error, not lease exhaustion.
The DHCP relay agent is misconfigured.
Why wrong: Would prevent requests from reaching the server.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
The DHCP server's address range is exhausted.
The 'no free leases' error indicates that the DHCP server has exhausted all available IP addresses in its configured pool. This occurs when the address range defined in the dhcpd.conf file has been fully allocated to clients and no leases are available for new requests. The server logs confirm this specific condition, making address exhaustion the most likely cause.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
The DHCP server's subnet declaration does not match the client's network.
Why it's wrong here
Would cause no offers, but different error.
The DHCP server's address range is exhausted.
Why this is correct
Directly matches the error message.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
The dhcpd.conf file has invalid syntax.
Why it's wrong here
Would cause a parse error, not lease exhaustion.
The DHCP relay agent is misconfigured.
Why it's wrong here
Would prevent requests from reaching the server.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates may confuse 'no free leases' with configuration or relay issues, but the error message directly points to address pool exhaustion, not connectivity or syntax problems.
Detailed technical explanation
The DHCP server maintains a lease database (typically /var/lib/dhcp/dhcpd.leases) that tracks all active leases. When the pool is exhausted, the server cannot allocate new addresses until existing leases expire or are released. In production, this often happens when the lease time is set too long relative to the pool size, or when a network has more clients than available addresses. Administrators can monitor lease utilization with 'dhcpd-pools' or by checking the lease file directly.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A network engineer segments a warehouse floor into three subnets: 20 scanners, 5 printers, and 2 management hosts. Picking the wrong mask wastes addresses or leaves too few usable hosts. Exam questions test whether you can apply CIDR notation, calculate block size, and identify the correct usable-host range for a given prefix.
What to study next
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FAQ
Network Client Management — This question tests Network Client Management — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: The DHCP server's address range is exhausted. — The 'no free leases' error indicates that the DHCP server has exhausted all available IP addresses in its configured pool. This occurs when the address range defined in the dhcpd.conf file has been fully allocated to clients and no leases are available for new requests. The server logs confirm this specific condition, making address exhaustion the most likely cause.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 25, 2026
This LPIC-2 practice question is part of Courseiva's free LPI certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the LPIC-2 exam.
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