How to Use ipconfig on Windows
ipconfig is a built-in Windows command that shows your complete network configuration — including your Default Gateway (router IP), IP address, subnet mask, and DNS servers — in seconds.
Opening Command Prompt
Press Win + R, type cmd, and press Enter. Alternatively, search for "Command Prompt" in the Start menu. You do not need administrator mode to run ipconfig — it works in a standard user prompt.
Keyboard shortcut: Press Win + X then press C to open Command Prompt directly. On Windows 11, this opens Windows Terminal instead.
Basic ipconfig Commands
| Command | What It Shows / Does |
|---|---|
ipconfig | IPv4 address, subnet mask, and Default Gateway for each network adapter |
ipconfig /all | Full detail — adds MAC address, DHCP server, DNS servers, lease times, IPv6 |
ipconfig /release | Releases the current DHCP-assigned IP address |
ipconfig /renew | Requests a new IP address from the DHCP server (your router) |
ipconfig /flushdns | Clears the local DNS resolver cache — fixes stale DNS entries |
ipconfig /displaydns | Shows current DNS cache entries |
ipconfig /registerdns | Re-registers DNS with the DHCP server (enterprise networks) |
Reading the ipconfig Output
Type ipconfig and press Enter. The output shows a section for each network adapter. Find the one for your active connection — either "Wireless LAN adapter Wi-Fi" for Wi-Fi or "Ethernet adapter Ethernet" for a wired connection. Ignore sections that say "Media disconnected."
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.42
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
Your device's local IP address. This is what other devices on your network use to reach you.
Your router's IP address. Type this in a browser to reach the router admin panel.
Defines which part of the IP address identifies the network vs individual devices. 255.255.255.0 means the first 3 octets are the network.
ipconfig /all — Full Detail
Running ipconfig /all adds several important additional fields:
| Field | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Physical Address | Your device's MAC address — a unique hardware identifier for the network adapter |
| DHCP Enabled | Whether the IP was automatically assigned (Yes) or manually configured (No) |
| DHCP Server | The IP of the DHCP server that assigned your address — usually your router |
| DNS Servers | The DNS servers your device uses for domain lookups — often your router or ISP |
| Lease Obtained / Expires | When DHCP assigned the IP and when it will be renewed |
| IPv6 Address | Your device's IPv6 address if IPv6 is enabled |
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I use ipconfig /release then /renew?
This sequence is useful when your device has an IP address problem — a conflict with another device, a stale IP from a previous network, or failure to get an IP after connecting. Release drops the current IP, and renew requests a fresh one from your router's DHCP server. Run them in order: ipconfig /release first, wait a second, then ipconfig /renew. This often resolves "Limited connectivity" and "No internet access" errors.
What does ipconfig /flushdns actually fix?
Windows caches DNS lookups to speed up repeated visits to the same sites. If a website moved to a new IP, or if you changed your router's DNS servers, the old cached entries can cause failed connections even though everything is configured correctly. Flushing the DNS cache clears all these stored entries, forcing fresh lookups. This fixes issues like websites loading but others not, "server not found" errors after changing DNS settings, and redirect problems after website migrations.