This guide will walk you through the steps of setting up a static IP address for your Windows device.
What is a Static IP Address?
A Static IP Address is an IP (internet protocol) address that never changes. Instead of having your router assign a dynamic IP address every time a device connects to your network, a static IP address allows you to use a specific IP address every time. This makes it easier to access services and devices on your network as you’ll always know their IP address.
Step 1: Open ‘Network Connections’
The first step is to open the ‘Network Connections’ window. To do this click the Start button and then click ‘Control Panel’. In the Control Panel window, double-click the ‘Network and Sharing Center’ icon. Then select ‘Change adapter settings’ from the left side of the window.
Step 2: Setup Your Connection Properties
Right-click the connection you want to setup a static IP address for and select ‘Properties’.
In the connection’s Properties window, select the ‘Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)’ item and click the ‘Properties’ button.
Step 3: Activate the Properties by selecting ‘Use the following IP address’
Activate the Properties by selecting the “Use the following IP address” option.
You will then need to enter in a Subnet mask, Default gateway, Preferred DNS server and Alternate DNS server.
Your Subnet mask will be the same for all computers on the same network. You can find the default subnet mask for your network by going to the command prompt and typing in “ipconfig /all”. The default gateway address is the IP address of your router. To find this address, go to the command prompt and type in “route print”.
The Preferred DNS server will generally be your ISP’s DNS server. To find this address, go to your ISP’s website and look for ‘DNS Server Addresses’. The Alternate DNS server is usually the same as the Preferred DNS Server, but you can use an alternate if you wish.
Once you have entered in these values, click the ‘OK’ button.
Step 4: Setting Your Device’s IP Address
Enter in the IP address that you would like your device to have in the ‘IP address’ box. This should be a unique address that does not conflict with other devices on the same network.
Step 5: Set the ‘Default Gateway’
Enter in the Default Gateway address that you obtained from Step 2 in the ‘Default gateway’ field.
Step 6: Set the ‘Preferred DNS Server’
Enter in the Preferred DNS server address that you obtained from Step 2 in the ‘Preferred DNS server’ field.
Step 7: Configure the ‘Alternate DNS Server’
Enter in the Alternate DNS server address that you obtained from Step 2 in the ‘Alternate DNS server’ field.
Step 8: Test Your Settings
To test your settings, open a command prompt window and type in “ipconfig”. You should see your device’s IP address along with the Subnet mask, Default gateway and DNS servers that you set. If all of the information is correct, then your static IP address is successfully set up.
Conclusion
Setting up a static IP address for your Windows device is relatively easy and can be done in just a few steps. By following the steps outlined in this article you will be able to configure a static IP address for your device and ensure that the address never changes. This can be useful for a variety of tasks such as accessing devices or services on your local network, or setting up remote access for your computer.