Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) Practice Exam

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Study for the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) exam with our comprehensive quiz featuring multiple-choice questions and detailed explanations. Prepare effectively and enhance your understanding of networking concepts!

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When configuring a DHCP server, what is the purpose of specifying a lease time?

To limit the number of devices connected
To define how long IP addresses are assigned to clients
To establish the maximum speed of the network
To specify the authentication type

The correct answer is: To define how long IP addresses are assigned to clients

Specifying a lease time in DHCP server configuration is crucial because it defines the duration that an IP address is allocated to a client device. When a DHCP client connects to the network and requests an IP address, the DHCP server assigns an IP address along with a lease time. This lease time indicates how long the client can use this address before it must either release it back to the server or renew its lease. Once the lease time expires, the DHCP server is free to reassign that IP address to other devices if needed, helping to manage the limited address pool effectively. This ensures that network resources are utilized efficiently, avoiding situations where IP addresses might be unnecessarily "held" by inactive clients. The other options do not align with the purpose of lease time. Limiting the number of devices connected relates more to network capacity planning rather than lease time. Maximum network speed pertains to bandwidth capabilities, while authentication types are relevant to security protocols, none of which are influenced by the lease duration of DHCP addresses.