Cisco Networking Essentials 25B Practice Exam 2025 – Complete Prep Guide

When a PC is configured out of the box, it typically has Dynamic IP configuration enabled by default. This means the computer is set up to automatically obtain an IP address from a DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) server on the network. This is advantageous in most home and business environments where devices frequently join and leave the network. By using DHCP, the management of IP addresses is simplified, as the DHCP server handles the allocation and release of IP addresses, reducing the likelihood of address conflicts.

Static IP addresses must be configured manually, which is not ideal for devices that may be frequently moved or connected to different networks. Meanwhile, APIPA (Automatic Private IP Addressing) is used when a device attempts to use DHCP but cannot find a DHCP server. In such cases, the device assigns itself a link-local IP address, which is only usable within the local network segment, and not appropriate for typical configurations when connecting to broader networks like the Internet.

Therefore, the use of Dynamic IP configuration allows for easier connectivity and is the standard practice for most systems out of the box.