CCNA Practice Exam 2026 – Complete Study Resource

The correct understanding of lease time in the context of DHCP is that it refers to the period during which the DHCP server reserves an IP address for a client. This means the IP address is "leased" to the client for the specified duration, allowing the client to use it without needing to renew until the lease period expires.

When the lease time expires, the DHCP client must request a new lease of the same address or a different one. This mechanism allows for efficient use of the available IP address pool, helping to prevent IP address exhaustion.

The other options involve misunderstandings about the lease concept. For instance, the maximum time an IP address can be assigned is part of the lease configuration but is not a direct description of what lease time means operationally. Similarly, while the stated requirement to request a new address is indeed a function of the lease time, it doesn't directly define what lease time is. The response time from a DHCP server to requests is unrelated to the concept of lease time altogether.

Understanding lease time helps network administrators manage IP address allocation effectively, especially in dynamic networking environments where devices frequently connect and disconnect from the network.