Windows Server® 2012 Unleashed

Link-Layer Filtering

Link-layer filtering or MAC address filtering is a feature of the Windows Server 2012 DHCP service that can be enabled to provide a higher level of security to DHCP leases.

Link-layer filtering basically can restrict which devices are allowed and which devices are denied the ability to obtain a DHCP lease from the DHCP server. For this feature to function, the server must be enabled to support the Allow / Deny Link Layer Filter lists, and the lists must be populated.

In many DHCP deployments, it can be cumbersome for administrators to manually enter each network-connected device’s MAC address before it can be granted a DHCP lease, so link-layer filtering may seem like it is out of reach. One way to avoid this issue is to ...