How do I determine what my DHCP server is?

Solution 1:

ipconfig /all will show you the location of your DHCP server. There's a line item that says "DHCP Server"

If you want to use ninja skills, you can use the command ipconfig /all | find /i "DHCP Server"

Solution 2:

Your gateway is not always the same thing (server, firewall, proxy, whatever) as your DHCP server. To find your DHCP server, go to the status of your network connection and go to the details and find the "DHCP Server" address.

Chances are good that it's a Windows DHCP server, so if you open up the DHCP MMC snapin and click on Action => Managed authorised DHCP servers it should hopefully list the DHCP servers that are authorised in Active Directory. You can then manage the DHCP server(s) from that same console and see what scopes and options you have defined.

Solution 3:

One can also list all of the authorized DHCP servers in the domain by issuing the command, e.g. if you need to have it inventoried via script:

netsh dhcp show server

There is also a way to view all of the authorized DHCP servers in the domain via ADSI Edit tool.

1. Open ADSI Edit tool.
2. Right click on root on the left pane and click Connect to.
3. Choose Configuration in the Select a well known Naming Context: drop-down list.
4. Navigate to "CN=NetServices,CN=Services,CN=Configuration,DC=yourdomain,DC=com".
5. The list of authorized DHCP servers will be on the right pane.