Final answer:
The Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) is used to automatically configure TCP/IP settings for a computer. If a DHCP server is unavailable, the computer can assign itself an IP address within the APIPA range of 169.254.0.1 to 169.254.255.254.
Step-by-step explanation:
In computer networks, the protocol used to automatically configure TCP/IP settings is called the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP). If a DHCP server is unavailable, a computer can assign itself an IP address within the range of 169.254.0.1 to 169.254.255.254. This range is known as the Automatic Private IP Addressing (APIPA) range. APIPA allocates an IP address in the private range of 169.254.0.1 to 169.254.255.254, allowing devices within the same network to communicate with each other even without DHCP. This is especially useful in small networks without a DHCP server or in situations where the server has failed and cannot be immediately repaired.
For example, if a computer is unable to obtain an IP address from a DHCP server, it may assign itself the IP address 169.254.123.456. This allows the computer to communicate with other devices on the same network segment using an APIPA address.