This read-create Integer32 (1-16) sets the upper limit on the 'hops' field of DHCP requests the relay agent will forward, dropping any request whose hop count exceeds it. An admin raises this if DHCP clients sit behind multiple layers of relay agents before reaching this device, since each hop increments the counter and a too-low limit would drop legitimate distant requests. For example, in a network with two relay hops between the client and this device's relay agent, this max-hops value must be set high enough to allow requests that have already passed through one relay to still get through.