Changing the maximum number of hops to a BootP relay server

Each BootP or DHCP request includes a Hop Count field. The Hop Count field indicates how many routers the request has passed through.

When the Layer 3 switch receives a BootP or DHCP request, the Layer 3 switch looks at the value in the Hop Count field.

If the hop count value is equal to or less than the maximum hop count the Layer 3 switch allows, the Layer 3 switch increments the hop count by one and forwards the request.

If the hop count is greater than the maximum hop count the Layer 3 switch allows, the Layer 3 switch discards the request.

You can change the maximum number of hops the Layer 3 switch allows for forwarded BootP or DHCP requests.

Note: The BootP and DHCP hop count is not the TTL parameter.

Enter the global configuration mode by issuing the configure terminal command.
```
device# configure terminal
```

Modify the maximum number of BootP or DHCP.
```
device(config)# bootp-relay-max-hops 10
```
The example allows the Layer 3 switch to forward BootP or DHCP requests that have passed through ten previous hops before reaching the Layer 3 switch. Requests that have traversed 11 hops before reaching the switch are dropped. Since the hop count value initializes at zero, the hop count value of an ingressing DHCP Request packet is the number of Layer 3 routers that the packet has already traversed.