In Microsoft Windows how do I enable or disable DHCP?

Question

In Microsoft Windows how do I enable or disable DHCP?

Answer

The majority of corporate and home networks today are configured for DHCP, which enables your computer to be automatically assigned an IP address.

  1. Open Control Panel.
  2. Double-click "Network connections" or "Network and Internet connections" and then "Network connections."
  3. Right-click "Local Area Connection" and click Properties.
  4. Highlight Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and click Properties.
  5. If you wish to enable DHCP, make sure "Obtain an IP address automatically" is selected.  If you wish to not use DHCP and manually define your network settings, choose "Use the following IP address" and enter the values you wish to use.

How can I tell if I'm using DHCP?

An easy method of determining this is to use the ipconfig /all command from the command prompt. When typing this command, one of the lines will say if DHCP is enabled as shown below.

Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes

Additional information

  • See the DHCP definition for further information and related links.