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Release and renew the DHCP lease on Windows

Drop the current IP address lease and request a fresh one from the DHCP server — the classic fix for 169.254 auto-configuration addresses.

WindowsdhcptroubleshootingipconfigMedium risk
Run ipconfig /release followed by ipconfig /renew to discard the current DHCP lease and obtain a new one.

01Command

Command
$ ipconfig /release && ipconfig /renew

02What it does

This is distinct from flushing DNS: /release and /renew operate on the IP address lease itself, so it fixes wrong gateways, subnet mismatches, and leftover addresses from another network. Append an adapter name (ipconfig /renew "Ethernet") to target a single interface instead of all of them. If renewing fails and the adapter shows 169.254.x.x, Windows fell back to APIPA because no DHCP server answered.

03Risk

RiskMedium risk
RequirementsA reachable DHCP server on the network
!Warning: The connection drops between /release and /renew — do not run this over RDP or SSH unless you can reach the machine another way.

04Undo

✓No undo needed — this command does not change persistent state.

05Sources

  • ipconfig | Microsoft Learn
    Microsoft · vendor-doc · 2026-09-17
    Evidence: Microsoft documents /release as releasing the current DHCP configuration and /renew as reestablishing it for the adapter.
  • IPCONFIG - Windows CMD
    SS64 · technical · 2026-09-17
    Evidence: SS64 describes /release (discard the DHCP lease) and /renew (renew it), and notes an adapter name can be supplied as an argument to target one adapter.

Last verified: 2026-09-17 · Category: Network

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