When configuring a network, what does DHCP help to prevent?

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) is a network management protocol used to automate the process of configuring devices on IP networks. One of its primary functions is to assign unique IP addresses to devices within a network dynamically. By doing so, DHCP helps to prevent overlapping IP addresses, which can occur if static IP addresses are manually set for devices.

When devices are assigned static IP addresses without a coordinated scheme, there is a risk that two devices may end up with the same IP address, leading to conflicts. An IP address conflict can cause network communication issues for the affected devices, as the network cannot reliably distinguish between two devices with the same address. DHCP mitigates this risk by maintaining a pool of available addresses and ensuring that each device receives a unique address when it connects to the network.

This automatic management of IP addresses enhances network efficiency and reliability, ensuring that devices can communicate effectively without disruptions caused by overlapping IP addresses. Other options such as slow Internet speeds, hardware conflicts, and unauthorized access involve different aspects of network management and security that are not directly addressed by the DHCP protocol.