What range is assigned by APIPA and when is it used?

• A. 192.168.0.0/16; used for private networks.
• B. 169.254.0.0/16; used when no DHCP server is available to assign an address.
• C. 127.0.0.0/8; loopback.
• D. 10.0.0.0/8; used for private networks.

Answer: (B)

APIPA automatically assigns a 169.254.0.0/16 address when a device cannot reach a DHCP server to obtain an IP. This is a link-local range, meaning it works only on the local network segment and isn’t routable beyond that segment. It lets devices on the same LAN communicate and perform basic network functions even without a DHCP server, though there’s typically no default gateway available. The other ranges shown are for different purposes: 192.168.0.0/16 and 10.0.0.0/8 are private address spaces for internal networks, and 127.0.0.0/8 is the loopback range used for testing the local device. Therefore, the range assigned by APIPA and its use are correctly described by 169.254.0.0/16, used when no DHCP server is available to assign an address.