ipconfig

In computing, ipconfig (internet protocol configuration) is a console application of some operating systems that displays all current TCP/IP network configuration values and refresh Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) and Domain Name System (DNS) settings.[1]

ipconfig
Screenshot of ipconfig /all output in Windows XP
Developer(s)Microsoft, ReactOS Contributors, Apple Inc.
Operating systemMicrosoft Windows, ReactOS, macOS
TypeCommand
LicenseMicrosoft Windows: Proprietary commercial software
ReactOS: GNU General Public License

Implementations

The command is available in Microsoft Windows, ReactOS, and in Apple macOS. The ReactOS version was developed by Ged Murphy and is licensed under the GPL.[2]

Microsoft Windows, ReactOS

The ipconfig command supports the command-line switch /all. This results in more detailed information than ipconfig alone.

An important additional feature of ipconfig is to force refreshing of the DHCP IP address of the host computer to request a different IP address. This is done using two commands in sequence. First, ipconfig /release is executed to force the client to immediately give up its lease by sending the server a DHCP release notification which updates the server's status information and marks the old client's IP address as "available". Then, the command ipconfig /renew is executed to request a new IP address.[3][4] Where a computer is connected to a cable or DSL modem, it may have to be plugged directly into the modem network port to bypass the router, before using ipconfig /release and turning off the power for a period of time, to ensure that the old IP address is taken by another computer.[5]

The /flushdns parameter can be used to clear the Domain Name System (DNS) cache to ensure future requests use fresh DNS information by forcing hostnames to be resolved again from scratch.[6]

Apple macOS

ipconfig in Mac OS X serves as a wrapper to the IPConfiguration agent, and can be used to control the Bootstrap Protocol and DHCP client from the command-line interface.[7] Like most Unix-based operating systems, Mac OS X also uses ifconfig for more direct control over network interfaces, such as configuring static IP addresses.

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See also

References
  1. Microsoft Windows XP ipconfig support page
  2. https://github.com/reactos/reactos/blob/master/base/applications/network/ipconfig/ipconfig.c
  3. Release and Renew Your IP Address
  4. Windows – Displaying, Releasing and Renewing a DHCP Lease
  5. whatsmyipaddress: How to change your IP address
  6. Windows 8.1 PCs Connect to the Network but not the Internet
  7. OS X developer manual

Further reading
  • Frisch, Æleen (2001). Windows 2000 Commands Pocket Reference. O'Reilly. ISBN 978-0-596-00148-3.
  • Stanek, William R. (2008). Windows Command-Line Administrator's Pocket Consultant, 2nd Edition. Microsoft Press. ISBN 978-0735622623.
  • Barrett, Daniel J. (2012). Macintosh Terminal Pocket Guide: Take Command of Your Mac. O'Reilly. ISBN 978-1449328986.
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