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What is the Difference Between ipconfig and netsh?

Published in Networking Tools 4 mins read

Ipconfig and netsh are both command-line tools used in Windows for network configuration, but they serve different purposes: ipconfig primarily displays network configuration information, while netsh allows you to modify those settings and perform more advanced network management tasks.

Key Differences Explained

Feature ipconfig netsh
Primary Function Display network configuration Configure and manage network settings
Scope Single network adapter information System-wide network configuration
Capabilities Display IP address, subnet mask, default gateway, DNS servers. Configure IP addresses, DNS servers, routing, firewall rules, wireless settings, and more.
Administrative Privileges Typically requires no special privileges for basic usage. Often requires administrative privileges.
Complexity Relatively simple to use. More complex and powerful, with a steeper learning curve.

Ipconfig in Detail

Ipconfig (IP Configuration) is used to view the current TCP/IP network configuration settings. Common uses include:

  • /all: Displays detailed configuration information for all network adapters. This includes MAC addresses, DHCP server information, and more.
  • /release: Releases the IP address for a specified adapter, forcing it to relinquish its current IP address. Requires the adapter name (e.g., ipconfig /release Ethernet).
  • /renew: Requests a new IP address from a DHCP server for a specified adapter (e.g., ipconfig /renew Ethernet). This is useful if your IP address has expired or is causing network connectivity issues.
  • /flushdns: Clears the DNS resolver cache. This can resolve issues where your computer is using outdated DNS information.

Example output from ipconfig /all:

Windows IP Configuration

   Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : MyComputer
   Primary Dns Suffix  . . . . . . . :
   Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
   IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
   WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Ethernet:

   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . :
   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek PCIe GbE Family Controller
   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-11-22-33-44-55
   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
   Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::xxxx:yyyy:zzzz:aaaa%12(Preferred)
   IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.100(Preferred)
   Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
   Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
   DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 123456789
   DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-1A-2B-3C-4D-5E-6F-7G-8H
   DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
                                       8.8.8.8
   NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Netsh in Detail

Netsh (Network Shell) is a powerful command-line scripting utility that allows you to configure and monitor almost all Windows network components. It uses a hierarchical structure of contexts, which allows you to target specific network services.

Common uses include:

  • Configuring IP addresses: Setting static IP addresses, subnet masks, and default gateways.
  • Managing DNS servers: Adding or removing DNS server addresses.
  • Configuring firewall rules: Creating, modifying, and deleting Windows Firewall rules.
  • Managing wireless networks: Connecting to wireless networks, configuring wireless profiles.
  • Troubleshooting network problems: Using diagnostic tools to identify and resolve network issues.

Example of setting a static IP address using netsh:

netsh interface ip set address name="Ethernet" static 192.168.1.100 255.255.255.0 192.168.1.1

This command sets the IP address of the "Ethernet" adapter to 192.168.1.100, the subnet mask to 255.255.255.0, and the default gateway to 192.168.1.1.

In Summary

Ipconfig is for viewing basic network configuration information and performing simple tasks like releasing/renewing IP addresses or flushing the DNS cache. Netsh is a more advanced tool for configuring a wide range of network settings and services. If you need to make changes to your network configuration, netsh is the tool to use. If you just need to check the current configuration, ipconfig is generally sufficient.

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