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Q: Awhile back, you answered a DOSBox question for me (Geek Note: IGTM #723, May 30, 2021 and IGTM #779, Jun 26, 2022). The solution at the time did not work for me, but oh well, on to the next. Now, I would like to ask a question about a couple of IP commands. I have used the ipconfig /release command, and then the ipconfig /renew command and have also used the netsh int ip reset command. What are the differences between the two commands and under what circumstances should the two (ipconfig vs. netsh) commands be used? Thanks.

 – Mike M.
Odessa, Texas

A:  Wow, sorry that my suggestions didn’t work out for you, Mike.  I wish you’d have told me more about whatever the ongoing problem is.  As I said at the time, DOSBox is a large and well-supported service.  I had every reason to believe it would be right up your alley.  It’s not really too late to continue the discussion if you like.  I’m always needing reader questions to keep the column going, so, ask away if you’re so led.  Also, I don’t know why I failed to mention this at the time, but if you feel you’ve missed an issue – especially one that might contain the answer to a question you’ve asked – you can always check the free column archive at ItsGeekToMe.co (NOT .com).  It contains every issue of It’s Geek To Me ever written, including one-off columns, such as the work I did for Gannet’s national ION magazine, and welcome/farewell columns to various papers and geographic areas as they’ve come and gone in the column’s distribution history.  To date, that’s over 934 issues dating back to July 2007.  For a more high-tech solution, get yourself an RSS feed reader.  This will deliver all issues of It’s Geek To Me right to your inbox as they publish.

So, on to your question.  You’re doing some work beyond what a typical user should be expected to do if you’re using commands like ipconfig and netsh.  I’m curious why you’re even using these, as a typical home Internet user has little reason to tinker with their IP configuration in such a manner.  But you asked, so I’ll do my best to explain it to you.

Ipconfig is a Windows command-line utility that is primarily used to display and manage a PC’s network configuration.  Chief among these is, of course the IP address, but you can also check and set the subnet mask, default gateway, DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) setting, DNS (Domain Name System) setting, and, as you asked about, you can release and renew IP addresses, which is only useful when your IP is assigned by DHCP.  Ipconfig is a single-line command, initiated by literally typing ipconfig into a Windows Command Prompt window, followed by command line options for whatever you’re trying to accomplish.

Netsh, (short for Network Shell) is also a command-line utility, but along with the one-shot commands, it provides an interactive interface, allowing you to enter commands specific to the Network Shell utility and receive responses all without leaving the Network Shell.  To do this, enter netsh into a Windows Command Prompt.  The prompt changes to netsh> to indicate that it is ready to accept Network Shell commands.

Both of these commands are intended for working with your computer’s network interface.  In the context of your question, the ipconfig commands you asked about will effectively drop the lease your system has on its current IP address, then request a new one from the DHCP service.  The address may or may not remain the same through the process.

The netsh command you cited removes all configured IP settings.  In fact, the job is so thorough that you will probably need to restart the computer to restore the default settings, which, of course, means you lose all network connectivity while doing it.  Again, I don’t see a reason why you’d want to mess with the IP address, but if you’re trying to reset it, I would recommend ipconfig over netsh.

The in-built help facility can provide a remarkable amount of information on these types of commands, but the way to use it isn’t always intuitive.  For example, it’s a no-brainer to type netsh/? but that only gives you general help about the Network Shell.  You can also type netsh int for a list of available int-related commands.  You can keep drilling down, asking for help at every level, until you finally reach the level of the command you asked about.  Skipping all the interim layers, try typing netsh int ip reset /? and see the response you get.

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