It's a broadcast query, as the IP address settings are not known at the time.
Basically, the for a DHCP request (which is how both PXE and assigning your laptop an IP address over DHCP work), the computer yells to everything that will listen "Hey, I'm here, give me an IP address." (The actual message is called DHCPDISCOVER).
The computer will accept the first DHCPOFFER it hears back.
The PXE boot settings are optional additional fields that can be set on the DHCP server.
To clarify, broadcast basically sends a message to the IP address 255.255.255.255 (an IP address where every bit is 1). Everything on the network that sees the message has the opportunity to respond to this.
It's a broadcast query, as the IP address settings are not known at the time.
Basically, the for a DHCP request (which is how both PXE and assigning your laptop an IP address over DHCP work), the computer yells to everything that will listen "Hey, I'm here, give me an IP address." (The actual message is called DHCPDISCOVER).
The computer will accept the first DHCPOFFER it hears back.
The PXE boot settings are optional additional fields that can be set on the DHCP server.
To clarify, broadcast basically sends a message to the IP address 255.255.255.255 (an IP address where every bit is 1). Everything on the network that sees the message has the opportunity to respond to this.