Setting up a DHCP server for serving IP addresses

Most network appliances you purchase nowadays often come with their own DHCP server, and allow you to configure it via a web console. Often, this is totally fine and meets your needs. In my experience though, network appliances you purchase can be very hit or miss. Some of them are great, while others are not so impressive. One of the main problems is that manufacturers will often stop supporting the hardware prematurely, exposing your network to unpatched vulnerabilities. It's important to always purchase network hardware that's future-proof. Or, you can set up your own router with the features that you need. Although the burden of management is placed on you, this gives you ultimate flexibility. Ubuntu servers make great DHCP servers, and rolling your own server is actually easier than it sounds. And that's exactly what we're going to work through in this section.

First, the server that serves DHCP will...