Difference Between DNS and DHCP

Connecting to the internet is a world filled with numbers, this might not be apparent to the ordinary user who would only open his browser or mail client and the content is already there. But this would not be possible without the proper numbers that are already set-up beforehand by the system administrator.

The first number we would discuss on is the IP address. The IP or Internet Protocol Address is a unique identifier in the network that allows packets to find its destination. Traditionally, a system administrator would need to assign an IP address to each and every computer attached to the network, but the need to assign IPs dynamically resulted in the creation of DHCP or Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol. DHCP only needs a single element of the network to act as the server; the server would then assign IP addresses to every network element that requests one. Depending on the setup of the administrator, it could be the same IP every time or different IPs given on a time lease.

It is also the responsibility of the DHCP server to provide its clients with a DNS (Domain Name Server). This server is another computer in the internet that serves a very special purpose in simplifying our browsing. As I’ve said above, each computer in a network has its own unique IP address. This also holds true for the internet. Every network or computer that connects to the internet also has a unique address. It would be quite a chore to remember each of the IP addresses of the sites we frequently visit, that is why we use domain names that we are already quite used to and no longer have any problem remembering. When we want to visit a site or a page in a site, we would enter the URL in the browser. The browser would then contact the DNS and ask for the associated IP address of the domain name we entered; using the obtained IP address the browser can then communicate with that computer and ask for its home page or the specific page that you’ve requested.

Although web browsing is filled with numbers, the processes are all transparent to the end user. Only the system administrator would have to deal with these numbers. Systems like DNS and DHCP, when working flawlessly, ensures that end users do not have to deal with the intricacies needed with internet communication.