RFC 3396 · PROPOSED STANDARD · 2002

Encoding Long Options in the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol

Overview

RFC 3396, “Encoding Long Options in the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol”, is a Proposed Standard document published in November 2002 by T. Lemon, S. Cheshire. It updates RFC 2131. The canonical text is published by the RFC Editor.

Abstract

This document specifies the processing rules for DHCPv4 options that appear multiple times in the same message. Multiple instances of the same option are generated when an option exceeds 255 octets in size (the maximum size of a single option) or when an option needs to be split apart in order to take advantage of DHCP option overloading. When multiple instances of the same option appear in the options, file and/or sname fields in a DHCP packet, the contents of these options are concatenated together to form a single option prior to processing.

Abstract as published in the RFC, via rfc-editor.org.

What “Proposed Standard” means

An entry-level standards-track specification: stable, peer-reviewed and a solid basis for implementation, though it may still evolve before becoming an Internet Standard.

Read this RFC

The canonical text of RFC 3396 is hosted at rfc-editor.org. Available in TXT,HTML.

Relationships to other RFCs
This RFC updates
RFC 2131
Other RFCs from 2002

Who Is Online

In total there are 65 users online: 0 registered, 58 guests and 7 bots.

Most users ever online was 5,555 on 17 Jul 2026, 3:23 am.

Bots: Applebot Baiduspider Bingbot Googlebot Other Bot PetalBot SemrushBot

Users active in the past 15 minutes. Total registered members: 372