How to Release and Renew an IP Address in Windows

You can release and renew an IP address in Windows when a device has an incorrect DHCP address or cannot obtain normal network configuration. These commands affect dynamically assigned addresses and may temporarily interrupt connectivity.

Open Command Prompt

1. Open Start and search for Command Prompt.
2. For standard renewal, a normal window is often sufficient. Use administrator access only when required by the environment.
3. Run ipconfig /all to record the current address, gateway, DHCP server, and DNS servers.

Release the IPv4 Address

ipconfig /release

The adapter may temporarily lose its IPv4 configuration. Remote sessions can disconnect, so do not run this casually on a remote production system.

Request a New Address

ipconfig /renew

Windows requests configuration from a DHCP server. Verify the result with ipconfig /all.

Useful Related Commands

• ipconfig /flushdns clears the local DNS resolver cache.
• ipconfig /displaydns displays cached DNS entries.
• ping gateway-address tests local gateway reachability.
• nslookup hostname helps test DNS resolution.

If Renewal Fails

Check the cable or Wi-Fi connection, adapter state, VLAN, DHCP availability, and firewall or access-control policy. An address in 169.254.0.0/16 often indicates that normal IPv4 configuration was not obtained.

CCNA Study Resource

Review our network troubleshooting guide. For structured practice, see the CCNA 200-301 Premium PDF with the latest available questions and answers.

CiscoForAll provides independent study and practice material. Always use official Cisco documentation as a primary preparation source.