Using command line tools for networking information

Applies to all editions of Windows Vista.
Which edition of Windows Vista am I using?

You can use command line tools to quickly get information about your computer and network and to help diagnose network problems. The commands in this topic are for TCP/IP networks.

•	Open the Command Prompt window by clicking the Start button , clicking All Programs, clicking Accessories, and then clicking Command Prompt.

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How do I find my computer name?

At the command prompt, type hostname, and then press Enter.

How do I find my computer's IP address?

At the command prompt, type ipconfig, and then press Enter.

For more information about the ipconfig command, at the command prompt, type ipconfig /?, and then press Enter.

How do I find my computer's physical address (the media access control [MAC] address)?

At the command prompt, type ipconfig/all, and then press Enter.

If your computer has more than one network adapter, the physical address of each adapter is listed separately.

How do I get a new IP address?

If your network uses Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), you can get a new IP address for your computer. You might need to do this if you are having connection problems.

At the command prompt, type ipconfig/release, and then press Enter.

This releases your current IP address.

At the command prompt, type ipconfig/renew, and then press Enter to get the new IP address.

The DHCP configuration for all adapters will be renewed. To renew the IP address for a specific adapter, type the adapter name that appears when you type ipconfig at the command prompt.

How do I look up an IP address using a Domain Name System (DNS) name?

At the command prompt, type ping DNS name, and then press Enter.

This is called a reverse lookup.

How do I test communication with another computer?

At the command prompt, type ping IP address of the computer you want to test, and then press Enter.

On a home network if you don't get a response in a second or two, the other computer is not recognized on the network. Make sure that it is turned on and that the network adapter is enabled.