Windows XP - Saturday, June 14, 2008 22:25 - 0 Comments

Windows XP – Change your ip address

Windows XP: How To Change The IP Address To A Static Address

For Internet use, most IP addresses are assigned dynamically by the ISP.  A dynamic IP address is one that changes from log-in to log-in.  The reason an ISP assigns them dynamically is because there simply aren’t enough IP addresses available for everyone to have 1 (or 10) of their own, and since it wouldn’t be needed when the person was not online anyway, the ISP conserves a valuable Internet resource by handing them out “on the fly”.

In a network, however, whether it’s at home or at the office, the server usually expects to see the same machine at the same address.  This is called a static address, and once assigned, it is permanent until changed manually.  As with any other rule, there are exceptions, but it is not within the scope of this document to explain those exceptions today.  What we will look in this article are the steps required to apply a static, or permanent, IP address to your XP machine.  It isn’t really a complicated process, and should only take about 5 minutes or less to complete.
1. Click START >> Network and Internet Connections >> Network Connections.
2. Double-click your LAN or Internet connection.
3. Click Properties.
4. Click the General tab.
5. Highlight Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), and click Properties.
6. Click General.
7. Click “Use the following IP address”.
8. Enter the IP address you want to assign.
9. Enter the Subnet mask used by your router, if any.  This is often automatic, or unused.
10. Enter the router’s Default gateway, if needed.  This is often automatic, or unused.
11. Enter all the IP addressses for DNS servers your router uses.  Consult your administrator, if needed.
12. Click OK.
13. Exit out of the setup process.
14. Restart the computer.
15. Verify that the changes were applied.

If you are unsure of Subnet mask, DNS servers, or Default Gateway, don’t make any changes.  If you are unable to connect, consult the administrator, the router manual, or your ISP, in that order.  Remember, your ISP cannot help you with these questions on an internal network, but the router should contain the information.

Article written by MyComputerAid.com