NAME

ipconfuse – display the IP configuration, more or less

SYNOPSIS

ipconfuse [/all] [/release] [/renew] [/flushdns] [/displaydns] [/diagnose] [/maybe]

DESCRIPTION

ipconfuse displays the network configuration of all adapters: the Ethernet adapter, the Wi-Fi adapter and fourteen virtual adapters that appeared when some software was installed and that nobody has been able to identify since. They cannot be removed. They're family now.

If Windows doesn't get an address assigned, it gives itself one from the 169.254.x.x range. ipconfuse labels this address "autoconfigured". In plain English: Windows gave up and made one up.

All values shown are correct at the time of output.

OPTIONS

/all

Shows all information, including things nobody has ever needed: DHCP lease times to the millisecond, the NetBIOS status and each adapter's favorite color. The output is longer than this manual.

/release

Releases the IP address. In a Remote Desktop session, it also releases the connection, your afternoon and a company car for the drive to the data center.

/renew

Requests a new address. Usually the same one as before, but with the satisfying feeling of having done something.

/flushdns

Flushes the DNS cache. The first step for every network problem, whether or not it has anything to do with DNS. It has to do with DNS. It always has to do with DNS.

/displaydns

Displays the DNS cache. Please don't do this while sharing your screen in a meeting with HR.

/diagnose

Runs the network troubleshooter. It reliably finds a problem and keeps it to itself.

/maybe

Combines /release and /renew and decides for itself whether that was a good idea. It wasn't.

EXAMPLES

Show the configuration:

C:\Warehouse> ipconfuse

Windows IP Configuration (approximately)

Ethernet adapter Ethernet:
   IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . : 169.254.13.37
   Origin. . . . . . . . . . . . . : made it up
   Default Gateway . . . . . . . . : the router in the hallway, presumably

Wireless LAN adapter Wi-Fi:
   Connected to. . . . . . . . . . : "Guest Wi-Fi" (neighbors, 2nd floor)

Tunnel adapter Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface:
   Media State . . . . . . . . . . : waiting for IPv6

Unknown adapter vEthernet (WSL, Docker, VPN from 2019):
   Media State . . . . . . . . . . : it's complicated

Get a new address:

C:\Warehouse> ipconfuse /renew
An error occurred while renewing interface Ethernet:
The network is unreachable.
Which, incidentally, is the exact problem you were trying to fix.

Release the address in a remote session:

C:\Warehouse> ipconfuse /release
The IP address has been released.
The Remote Desktop connection has been released as well.
Please take the company car. The key is in the data center.

Ask the troubleshooter:

C:\Warehouse> ipconfuse /diagnose
Starting troubleshooter …
Detecting problems …
A problem was found.
The problem could not be fixed.
More information: A problem was found.

Fix the problem:

C:\Warehouse> ipconfuse /flushdns
Successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache.
Note: it was still DNS.

EXIT STATUS

0

Success.

1

Error.

1603

Fatal error during installation. ipconfuse was never installed, but returns this code out of habit.

0x80070005

Access denied. Even as administrator. Especially as administrator.

BUGS

After /release over Remote Desktop, /renew can no longer be run. This has been known since Windows NT and is filed internally as an employee fitness program.

SEE ALSO

wingit(W), begs(3), netshrug(W), ping-pong(W)