How do you update and restart the DHCP service and the network adapter drivers on the DHCP server?

2 Update the DHCP service

Sometimes, the DHCP service might not work properly due to outdated or corrupted files. To fix this, you need to update the DHCP service to the latest version. To do this, you can use the Windows Update feature or the PowerShell command. To use the Windows Update feature, open the Settings app, click on Update & Security, and then click on Check for updates. Then, install any available updates for the DHCP service.

Alternatively, you can use the PowerShell command Install-WindowsFeature -Name Dhcp -IncludeAllSubFeature -IncludeManagementTools to update the DHCP service and its related features and tools.

3 Restart the DHCP service

After updating the DHCP service, you need to restart it to apply the changes and clear any errors. To do this, you can use the Services console or the PowerShell command. To use the Services console, right-click on the DHCP Server service and select Restart.

Alternatively, you can use the PowerShell command Restart-Service DhcpServer to restart the DHCP service.

4 Check the network adapter drivers

Another possible cause of DHCP server failure is outdated or incompatible network adapter drivers. The network adapter is the device that connects the server to the network, and its drivers are the software that enables it to communicate with the operating system. If the drivers are not up to date or compatible with the server's hardware and software, they might cause network problems and interfere with the DHCP service.

To check and update the network adapter drivers, you can use the Device Manager or the PowerShell command. To use the Device Manager, press Windows + X and select Device Manager. Then, expand the Network adapters category and right-click on the network adapter that is connected to the server's network. Select Properties and then click on the Driver tab. There, you can see the driver version and date. If they are old or mismatched, click on Update Driver and follow the instructions.

Alternatively, you can use the PowerShell command Get-NetAdapter | Update-NetAdapter to check and update all the network adapters on the server.

5 Restart the network adapter

After updating the network adapter drivers, you need to restart the network adapter to apply the changes and refresh the network connection. To do this, you can use the Device Manager or the PowerShell command. To use the Device Manager, right-click on the network adapter that is connected to the server's network and select Disable device. Then, right-click on it again and select Enable device.

Alternatively, you can use the PowerShell command Restart-NetAdapter -Name <adapter name> to restart the network adapter by specifying its name.

6 Test the DHCP server

The final step is to test if the DHCP server is working properly and responding to client requests. To do this, you can use the ipconfig command or the DHCP console. To use the ipconfig command, open a Command Prompt on a client device and type ipconfig /release to release its current IP address. Then, type ipconfig /renew to request a new IP address from the DHCP server. If the command succeeds, you should see a valid IP address and other network settings assigned by the DHCP server.

Alternatively, you can use the DHCP console to monitor the DHCP server's activity and status. To open the DHCP console, press Windows + R, type dhcpmgmt.msc, and hit Enter. Then, expand the server name and click on Address Leases. There, you should see the list of IP addresses that the DHCP server has leased to the client devices.