Which packets are transmitted in unicast mode during the IP address application by the DHCP client?

In a DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) exchange, the behavior of packet transmission varies according to the stage of the process. During the IP address allocation, the DHCP client sends specific message types to the server and expects particular responses.

The DHCP client initially broadcasts a DHCP Discover packet to locate available DHCP servers within the network. This packet is sent as a broadcast message, reaching every device on the local network segment.

Once the DHCP server receives the Discover packet, it responds with a DHCP Offer packet. Here’s where the concept of unicast comes into play. The DHCP server sends the Offer packet directly back to the client using a unicast approach, which means the packet is directed specifically to the unique MAC address of the client's network interface. This method ensures that the response reaches the intended recipient instead of being broadcast to all devices on the network.

The subsequent packet, which is the DHCP Request, is again sent as a broadcast since the client requests an IP assignment that can be acknowledged by multiple DHCP servers. Following that, the DHCP server sends a DHCPACK packet, confirming the IP address assignment. However, it also does this using unicast since it addresses the specific client that requested the IP address.

In summary, the correct choice reflects the nature of how