Abstract: A configuration agent allows a network node seeking to be automatically configured with an IP address and a default gateway address to be configured as its own gateway. In first and second embodiments of the present invention, the configuration agent resides on a network device (such as a switch or bridge) that is coupled to two network segments, with one network segments including a node to be configured and another network segment including a server capable of automatically providing configuration parameters. In the first embodiment, the configuration agent acts as a snoopy agent. Messages from the configuration server to the node to be configured are "snooped" to discover messages containing an IP address and a default gateway address. Such messages are altered to copy the IP addresses offered to the nodes seeking configuration to the default gateway addresses, and the messages are sent on their way, thereby causing the node seeking to be configured to be its own default gateway.