Windows IP Configuration Tool (ipconfig)

The Windows IP Configuration tool (ipconfig) is the command-line equivalent of the

accessory "Winipcfg" that was present in Windows 9X/Me. It is used to display the
TCP/IP network configuration values. To open it, enter "ipconfig" in the command
prompt. If you are connected directly to the Internet, you will obtain your IP address. The
figure below shows the result for a broadband connection where the IP is assigned
automatically. Here the IP is your computer's temporary address on the Internet.

Switches for IPConfig

There are also a variety of switches for ipconfig that add functions. These are invoked by
entering "ipconfig /{switch}". To obtain a list of switches, enter "ipconfig /?" or
"ipconfig -?". These are shown in the figure below. The switches of most interest to
everyday use are "release" and "renew". Note that IP addresses are typically assigned or
"leased" for a period of time, often a day or more. It sometimes happens that IP addresses
are no longer valid or are in conflict. Problems can often be solved by first releasing the
IP address and then renewing it. Sometimes cable or DSL modems that seem to be
disabled can be restored this way. If you travel and use broadband connections elsewhere,
you will often find this procedure of releasing and renewing the IP address to be
necessary.
Tracert

Tracert (traceroute) is another old tool borrowed from Unix. The actual path between two
computers on the Internet is not a straight line but consists of numerous segments or
"hops" from one intermediate computer to another. Tracert shows each step of the path
taken. It can be interesting to see just how convoluted it is. The times for each hop and
the IP addresses for each intermediate computer are displayed. Tracert shows up to 30
hops. It is convenient for finding if there is one particular segment that is causing a slow
or bad connection. A typical command might be "tracert dell.com".

Netstat

Netstat displays the active TCP connections and ports on which the computer is listening,
Ethernet statistics, the IP routing table, statistics for the IP, ICMP, TCP, and UDP
protocols. It comes with a number of switches for displaying a variety of properties of the
network and TCP connections. (One tricky point: the switches must be prefixed with a
minus, not a slash.) More detail is at this page. One possible use for Netstat is to
determine if spyware or Trojans have established connections that you do not know
about. The command "netstat -a" will display all your connections. The command "netstat
-b" will show the executable files involved in creating a connection. A figure showing all
the switches and syntax is given below.
Nslookup

This command helps diagnose the Domain Name System (DNS) infrastructure and comes
with a number of sub-commands. These are mainly for systems administrators. The
primary interest for average PC users is its use to find the computer name corresponding
to a numeric IP. For example, if you want to know who is "216.109.112.135" , enter
"nslookup 216.109.112.135" and you will find that it is (or was anyway) a Yahoo
computer. My firewall keeps a log of the IPs involved in the attempts to probe my
computer and I sometimes look a few up to see who they are. (There are also Whois
search sites available on the Web as mentioned in the Ipconfig section.)

ARP

Short for Address Resolution Protocol, ARP is a protocol used with the IP protocol for
mapping a 32-bit Internet Protocol address to a MAC address that is recognized in the
local network specified in RFC 826. Once recognized, the server or networking device
returns a response containing the required address.

FINGER
The finger command available in Unix / Linux variants allows a user to find sometimes
personal information about a user. This information can include the last time the user
logged in, when they read their e-mail, etc... If the user creates a .PLAN or other related
file the user can also display additional information.

HOSTNAME

The hostname command displays the host name of the Windows XP computer currently
logged into.

PATHPING

Pathping is a MS-DOS utility available for Microsoft Windows 2000 and Windows XP
users. This utility enables a user to find network latency and network loss.

NET

The net command is available in MS-DOS / Windows and is used to set, view and
determine network settings.

NET Adjust account settings.

ACCOUNTS
[/FORCELOGOFF:{minutes | NO}] [/MINPWLEN:length]
[/MAXPWAGE:{days | UNLIMITED}] [/MINPWAGE:days]
[/UNIQUEPW:number] [/DOMAIN]
NET Add other networked computers with Windows Domain Controller.
COMPUTER
\\computername {/ADD | /DEL}
NET CONFIG Displays your current server or workgroup settings.

[SERVER | WORKSTATION]
NET Continues the use of service.
CONTINUE
[service]
NET FILE Display opened shared files on the server.

[id [/CLOSE]]
NET GROUP Add, delete, view, and otherwise manage network workgroups.

[groupname [/COMMENT:"text"]] [/DOMAIN]

groupname {/ADD [/COMMENT:"text"] | /DELETE}
[/DOMAIN]
groupname username [...] {/ADD | /DELETE} [/DOMAIN]
NET Add, delete, view, and otherwise manage network groups.
LOCALGROUP
[groupname [/COMMENT:"text"]] [/DOMAIN]
groupname {/ADD [/COMMENT:"text"] | /DELETE}
[/DOMAIN]
groupname name [...] {/ADD | /DELETE} [/DOMAIN]
NET NAME Create or delete name used for messaging.

[name [/ADD | /DELETE]]

NET PAUSE Pause the specified network service.

[service]
NET PRINT Manage network print jobs.

\\computername\sharename
[\\computername] job# [/HOLD | /RELEASE | /DELETE]
NET SEND Sends messages to other users, computers, or messaging names on
the network. The Messenger service must be running to receive
messages.

You can send a message only to an name that is active on the

network. If the message is sent to a username, that user must be
logged on and running the Messenger service to receive the message.

{name | * | /DOMAIN[:name] | /USERS} message

NET SESSION Display all sessions connected to the computer and deletes them if
specified.

[\\computername] [/DELETE]
NET SHARE Create and manage a local network share.

sharename
sharename=drive:path [/USERS:number | /UNLIMITED]
[/REMARK:"text"]
[/CACHE:Manual | Documents| Programs | None ]
sharename [/USERS:number | /UNLIMITED]
[/REMARK:"text"]
[/CACHE:Manual | Documents | Programs | None]
{sharename | devicename | drive:path} /DELETE
NET START Start the specified network service.

[service]
NET Display network statistics of the workstation or server.
STATISTICS
[WORKSTATION | SERVER]
NET STOP Stop the specified network service.

service
NET TIME Display the time and date of another network computer.

[\\computername | /DOMAIN[:domainname] |
/RTSDOMAIN[:domainname]] [/SET]
[\\computername] /QUERYSNTP
[\\computername] /SETSNTP[:ntp server list]
NET USE Connects or disconnects your computer from a shared resource or
displays information about your connections.

[devicename | *] [\\computername\sharename[\volume]
[password | *]]
[/USER:[domainname\]username]
[/USER:[dotted domain name\]username]
[/USER:[username@dotted domain name]
[/SMARTCARD]
[/SAVECRED]
[[/DELETE] | [/PERSISTENT:{YES | NO}]]

NET USE {devicename | *} [password | *] /HOME

NET USE [/PERSISTENT:{YES | NO}]

NET USER Displays users on the computer or domain.

[username [password | *] [options]] [/DOMAIN]

username {password | *} /ADD [options] [/DOMAIN]
username [/DELETE] [/DOMAIN]
NET VIEW Displays a list of computers in a specified workgroup or the shared
resources available on a specified computer.

[\\computername [/CACHE] | /DOMAIN[:domainname]]

NET VIEW /NETWORK:NW [\\computername]

Windows 2000 syntax

NET CONFIG Displays your current workgroup settings.

 NET CONFIG [/YES]

/YES Carries out the NET CONFIG command without

first prompting you to provide information or
confirm actions.
NET DIAG Runs the Microsoft Network Diagnostics program to test the
hardware connection between two computers and to display
information about a single computer.

NET DIAGNOSTICS [/NAMES | /STATUS]

/NAMES Specifies a diagnostic server name in order to avoid

conflicts when NET DIAG is used simultaneously by
multiple users. This option works only when the network
uses a NetBIOS protocol.
/STATUS Enables you to specify a computer about which you want
network diagnostics information.
NET HELP Displays information about NET commands and error messages.

command /?
NET HELP [suffix]
NET HELP errornum

command /?Specifies the Microsoft NET command that you want

information about.
suffix Specifies the second word of the command you want
information about. For example, the suffix of NET
VIEW is VIEW.
errornum Specifies the number of the error message that you want
information about.
NET INIT Loads protocol and network-adapter drivers without binding them to
Protocol Manager. This command may be required if you are using a
third-party network-adapter driver. You can then bind the drivers to
Protocol Manager by typing NET START NETBIND.

NET INITIALIZE [/DYNAMIC]

/DYNAMIC Loads the Protocol Manager dynamically. This is

useful with some third-party networks, such as
Banyan(R) VINES(R), to resolve memory problems.
NET LOGOFF Breaks the connection between your computer and the shared
resources to which it is connected.
 NET LOGOFF [/YES]

Carries out the NET LOGOFF command without first

/YES
prompting you to provide information or confirm actions.
NET LOGON Identifies you as a member of a workgroup.

NET LOGON [user [password | ?]] [/DOMAIN:name] [/YES]

[/SAVEPW:NO]

user Specifies the name that identifies you in your

workgroup. The name you specify can contain up to
20 characters.
password The unique string of characters that authorizes you to
gain access to your password-list file. The password
can contain up to 14 characters.
? Specifies that you want to be prompted for your
password.
/DOMAIN Specifies that you want to log on to a Microsoft
Windows NT or LAN Manager domain. name
Specifies the Windows NT or LAN Manager domain
you want to log on to.
/YES Carries out the NET LOGON command without first
prompting you to provide information or confirm
actions.
/SAVEPW:NO Carries out the NET LOGON command without
prompting you to create a password-list file.

If you would rather be prompted to type your user name and

password instead of specifying them in the NET LOGON command
line, type NET LOGON without options.
NET Changes your logon password.
PASSWORD
NET PASSWORD [oldpassword [newpassword]]
NET PASSWORD \\computer | /DOMAIN:name [user
[oldpassword [newpassword]]]

oldpassword Specifies your current password.

newpassword Specifies your new password. It can have as many as
14 characters.
computer Specifies the Windows NT or LAN Manager server
on which you want to change your password.
/DOMAIN Specifies that you want to change your
password on a Windows NT or LAN Manager
domain.
 Name Specifies the Windows NT or LAN Manager
domain on which
you want to change your password.
user Specifies your Windows NT or LAN Manager user
name.

The first syntax line above is for changing the password for your
password-list file. The second syntax line above is for changing your
password on a Windows NT or LAN Manager server or domain.
NET PRINT Displays information about print queues and controls print jobs.

NET PRINT \\computer[\printer] | port [/YES]

NET PRINT \\computer | port [job# [/PAUSE | /RESUME |
/DELETE]] [/YES]

computer Specifies the name of the computer whose print

queue you want information about.
printer Specifies the name of the printer you want
information about.
port Specifies the name of the parallel (LPT) port on your
computer that is connected to the printer you want
information about.
job# Specifies the number assigned to a queued print job.
You can specify the below options.
/PAUSE Pauses a print job.
/RESUME Restarts a print job that has been paused.
/DELETE Cancels a print job.
/YES Carries out the NET PRINT command without first
prompting you to provide information or confirm
actions.

When you specify the name of a computer by using the NET PRINT
command, you receive information about the print queues on each of
the shared printers that are connected to the computer.
NET SEND NET SEND {name | * | /DOMAIN[:name] | /USERS} message

Sends messages to other users, computers, or messaging names on

the network. The Messenger service must be running to receive
messages.

You can send a message only to an name that is active on the

network. If the message is sent to a username, that user must be
logged on and running the Messenger service to receive the message.

name Is the username, computername, or messaging

 name to send the message to. If the name is a
computername that contains blank characters,
enclose the alias in quotation marks (" ").
* Sends the message to all the names in your group.
/DOMAIN[:name]Sends the message to all the names in the
workstation domain. If name is specified, the
message is sent to all the names in the specified
domain or workgroup.
/USERS Sends the message to all users connected to the
server.
message Is text to be sent as a message.
NET SHARE NET SHARE sharename
sharename=drive:path [/USERS:number |
/UNLIMITED]
[/REMARK:"text"]
[/CACHE:Manual | Automatic |
No ]
sharename [/USERS:number |
/UNLIMITED]
[/REMARK:"text"]
[/CACHE:Manual | Automatic |
No ]
{sharename | devicename | /DELETE
drive:path}
NET START Starts services. NOTE: Services cannot be started from a command
prompt within Windows.

NET START [BASIC | NWREDIR | WORKSTATION |

NETBIND | NETBEUI | NWLINK] [/LIST] [/YES] [/VERBOSE]

BASIC Starts the basic redirector.

NWREDIR Starts the Microsoft Novell(R) compatible
redirector.
WORKSTATION Starts the default redirector.
NETBIND Binds protocols and network-adapter drivers.
NETBEUI Starts the NetBIOS interface.
NWLINK Starts the IPX/SPX-compatible interface.
/LIST Displays a list of the services that are running.
/YES Carries out the NET START command without
first prompting you to provide information or
confirm actions.
/VERBOSE Displays information about device drivers and
services as they are loaded.

To start the workgroup redirector you selected during Setup, type

 NET START without options. In general, you don't need to use any
of the options.
NET STOP Stops services. NOTE: Services cannot be stopped from a command
prompt within Windows.

NET STOP [BASIC | NWREDIR | WORKSTATION |

NETBEUI | NWLINK] [/YES]

NET STOP Stops the basic redirector.

BASIC Stops the basic redirector.
NWREDIR Stops the Microsoft Novell(R) compatible
redirector.
WORKSTATION Stops the default redirector.
NETBEUI Stops the NetBIOS interface.
NWLINK Stops the IPX/SPX compatible interface.
/YES Carries out the NET STOP command without first
prompting you to provide information or confirm
actions.

To stop the workgroup redirector, type NET STOP without options.

This breaks all your connections to shared resources and removes the
NET commands from your computer's memory.
NET TIME Displays the time on or synchronizes your computer's clock with the
shared clock on a Microsoft Windows for Workgroups, Windows
NT, Windows 95, or NetWare time server.

NET TIME [\\computer | /WORKGROUP:wgname] [/SET]

[/YES]

computer Specifies the name of the computer (time server)

whose time you want to check or synchronize
your computer's clock with.
/WORKGROUP Specifies that you want to use the clock on a
computer (time server) in another workgroup.
wgname Specifies the name of the workgroup containing a
computer whose clock you want to check or
synchronize your computer's clock with. If there
are multiple time servers in that workgroup, NET
TIME uses the first one it finds.
/SET Synchronizes your computer's clock with the
clock on the computer or workgroup you specify.
/YES Carries out the NET TIME command without first
prompting you to provide information or confirm
actions.
NET USE Connects or disconnects your computer from a shared resource or
displays information about your connections.

NET USE [drive: | *] [\\computer\directory [password | ?]]

[/SAVEPW:NO] [/YES] [/NO]
NET USE [port:] [\\computer\printer [password | ?]]
[/SAVEPW:NO] [/YES] [/NO]

NET USE drive: | \\computer\directory /DELETE [/YES]

NET USE port: | \\computer\printer /DELETE [/YES]
NET USE * /DELETE [/YES]

NET USE drive: | * /HOME

drive Specifies the drive letter you assign to a shared

directory.
* Specifies the next available drive letter. If used
with /DELETE, specifies to disconnect all of your
connections.
port Specifies the parallel (LPT) port name you assign
to a shared printer.
computer Specifies the name of the computer sharing the
resource.
directory Specifies the name of the shared directory.
printer Specifies the name of the shared printer.
password Specifies the password for the shared resource, if
any.
? Specifies that you want to be prompted for the
password of the shared resource. You don't need
to use this option unless the password is optional.
/SAVEPW:NO Specifies that the password you type should not be
saved in your password-list file. You need to
retype the password the next time you connect to
this resource.
/YES Carries out the NET USE command without first
prompting you to provide information or confirm
actions.
/DELETE Breaks the specified connection to a shared
resource.
/NO Carries out the NET USE command, responding
with NO automatically when you are prompted to
confirm actions.
/HOME Makes a connection to your HOME directory if
one is specified in your LAN Manager or
Windows NT user account.
 To list all of your connections, type NET USE without options.
NET VER Displays the type and version number of the workgroup redirector
you are using.

NET VER
NET VIEW Displays a list of computers in a specified workgroup or the shared
resources available on a specified computer.

NET VIEW [\\computer] [/YES]

NET VIEW [/WORKGROUP:wgname] [/YES]

computer Specifies the name of the computer whose shared

resources you want to see listed.
/WORKGROUP Specifies that you want to view the names of the
computers in another workgroup that share
resources.
wgname Specifies the name of the workgroup whose
computer names you want to view.
/YES Carries out the NET VIEW command without first
prompting you to provide information or confirm
actions.