How to change (Dynamic) IP address in Windows 7 or Vista?

Anonymous

Had same issue on Vista, upgraded to Win7 and issue remains.

I have a Dynamic ISP IP address, yet it remains as if it were static, everything that use to work in XP and previous versions of Windows no longer works in Vista or 7. I spoke to my ISP (3 times, 3 different techs), they said my IP is dynamic and confirmed it is not set by them as static. They charge more for a static IP, so would not just be giving me this "upgrade" for free. They had "no idea" how to force/change a new IP address in Vista or 7.

PLEASE! Do not bother suggesting to run ipconfig /flushdns, /release, /renew at a prompt to do this like every internet search suggests, THIS DOES NOT WORK. This was done with cmd prompt opened under "Run As Administrator".

PLEASE! Read everything I have already done here before suggesting something I've already tried or have tested and proven to work/not work.

Here are other things I have tried, THAT ALSO DO NOT WORK:

(NOTE: no router is being used, direct connected, CAT5, PC NIC to broadband modem)

-Left modem unplugged 72 hours. No change

-Had ISP send me a new modem. No change

-Uninstalled Network adapter. No change

-Changed IP4 settings from "Obtain Auto" to a made up forced IP, rebooted, then changed back to auto. No change

So, with all of this "old school" stuff already tried and failed, what have they changed in Vista and 7 that seems to keep even Dynamic IP's as static? Where is Windows caching or storing this information so I can clear it, none of the traditional methods work. I absolutely can not stand having a static IP on my home computer.

If you internet search this exact question you'll find what I have, everyone is suggesting the once working methods I've already tried above, yet people using Vista or 7 are repeatedly finding this no longer works.

Here's some more information, that confirms the IP isn't being stored in my modem, or assigned to the MAC address of my NIC...

If I boot this same PC to a LINUX Live type CD, using the same MAC address and NIC it obtains a different IP address everytime it reboots. The issue clearly has nothing to do with my ISP, modem, or PC in general.

If I hot swap my modem to a different PC, the other PC gets a fresh (different) IP address. If this other PC is using XP I can force the ipconfig /release /renew to change its IP address.

If the different PC is running Vista, the IP remains static no matter what I try unless the hard drive is wiped and Vista is reinstalled, then it obtains a new IP on the PC with the clean install, yet it can not be changed after this happens.

So clearly, Windows Vista and Windows 7 are holding onto IP configuration information somewhere and reusing this information when it detects you are using the same internet provider, WHERE is it being stored so I can clear it?

Thank you so much if you have a working solution and actually know the answer, instead of just reading what can already be found by a search engine and reposting info that is no longer valid like everyone else on the internet is currently doing when trying to answer this question.

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments

Answer accepted by question author

Anonymous

I think I have found a solution. It has worked for me so I guess it might work for you.

Find out your IP address e.g. go to a website like http://www.whatismyip.com/ it will show you your IP.
Copy It.
Open Network & Sharing Center
Open the Properties of the network you what your IP to change. In my case it is a EVDO modem.
On the Networking tab double-click TCP/IPv4 which will open a window to edit IP and DNS IP address.
On this window Click on "Use the following IP address" and paste that IP you copied at Step 2.
Change the last digit of the IP to any value above it e.g. if its 192.168.23.123 edit the last digit to something like 122 so that the IP becomes 192.168.23.122.
Click OK until all the windows close.
Disconnect from that network.
Reconnect to that network and if it goes as planned the ISP should force a Dynamic IP. Check http://www.whatismyip.com/ if it has changed. If you cannot browse go to Step 6 and select "Obtain an IP address automatically" then Disconnect -> Reconnect the network.

This worked for me so I'm not sure if it will work for you. Feedback will be greatly appreciated.

0 comments

71 additional answers

Anonymous

2011-06-08T01:04:34+00:00

hi.

i've been having a similar nightmare with the godawful windows 7.

we are running win7 clients on a subnet, with a dhcp server.

we recently changed the IP range of the subnet. and that's when it started going wrong. with win7 boxes claimed they were receiving a DHCP lease, but in reality they were using a months old, incorrect, lease from the old range.

cue ridiculous network issues

the only thing that seems to work is

netsh winsock reset

followed by all those commands you listed.

ipconfig /flushdns

ipconfig /release

ipconfig /renew

now i have ip addresses in rage, and a record on the dhcp server. the winsock reset is the key.
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments
Anonymous

2011-05-10T08:27:04+00:00

I have had a similar issue with a college's hp laptop running windows 7 i have also beens endlessly searching the web for an answer but have not yet found one.

I have tried all the usual commands in command prompt which did not make a difference at all.

The wireless connection is fine it obtains the correct ip address and connects to the internet but he cannot see any computers on the network nor connect to any of them once we connect through Ethernet it obtains a 169 ip address i am completely baffled.

The only odd and inexplicable solution we managed to come up with was set a static Ip address for the Ethernet connection and left the wireless on auto obtain ip, and this only seems to work when both ethernet and wireless is connected at the same time.
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments
Anonymous

2011-05-08T19:11:23+00:00

Here is how to change your ip address manually (or set it to dynamic) on windows 7 (and probably similar in vista):

The Quicker method:

-in the icon tray in the bottom right of the screen, click on the icon that represents your internet connection

-Then click "Open Network and Sharing Center"

-On the left hand menu, click "Change adapter settings"

-right click on your wireless connection and click "Properties"

-Highlight "Internet Protocol Version 4" and click "Properties"

-To set ip address dynamically, click "Obtain an ip address automatically" and "Obtain DNS server address automatically"

Alternative:

-go to start->control panel

-in the search bar, it should say: "Control Panel -> All Control Panel Items"

-click on "Control Panel"

-This should take you to a screen with headings like System and Security, Network and Internet, Hardware and Sound, etc

-Under Network and Internet, click "View network status and tasks"

-On the left hand menu, click "Change adapter settings"

-right click on your wireless connection and click "Properties"

-Highlight "Internet Protocol Version 4" and click "Properties"

-To set ip address dynamically, click "Obtain an ip address automatically" and "Obtain DNS server address automatically"

This helped for me... ALOT! Thanks Whoever-You-Are!
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments
Anonymous

2011-04-12T00:08:52+00:00

Okay, so I skimmed this thread, and the findings in this thread have sparked an idea in my head:

Say you have an external drive, and you transfer everything (personal files, not config files) over on that external. Then you wipe the HHD clean and reinstall Windows. Would that clear the cached IP that Windows keeps storing in wherever and allow the WLAN router to issue a new IP address?
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments