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You can change the IP address Windows uses on your local Wi-Fi or Ethernet network without a VPN. In Windows 10 and Windows 11, open Network & internet settings and choose either Automatic (DHCP) or Manual assignment. That changes your PC’s private, local address and related network settings; it does not reliably change the public IP address that websites, game services, or other internet servers see. Your router or other gateway normally supplies that public address. A VPN changes the route by sending traffic through a VPN server, while a local Windows setting does not. Use the steps below when you need to correct a local configuration, move a PC to a network with a known addressing scheme, or refresh DHCP—not as a guaranteed method of changing your internet-facing identity.
What does “change my IP address” mean in Windows?
The phrase can describe two different addresses. Confusing them is the main reason an apparently successful Windows change does not produce the result someone expected.
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Your Wi-Fi or Ethernet adapter has a local address on the network it is connected to. Windows can obtain that address automatically from the router or access point, or you can enter a fixed address and the other parameters yourself. This is the address used for communication inside that local network.
Public-facing IP
Your router or another network gateway usually performs network address translation (NAT). Devices on the local network can have private addresses while sharing one internet-addressable public address. Cloudflare explains this local-to-public arrangement in its explanation of multi-user IP address detection. A website therefore sees the gateway’s public address, not necessarily the private address shown by Windows.
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VPN server IP
When traffic is routed through a VPN, internet services communicate with the VPN server and see that server’s address. Cloudflare describes that routing model in What Is a VPN? Changing a local Windows address does not create this separate route. If your goal is to appear to come from a different public network, a local manual setting is not a substitute for a VPN, an ISP-provided change, or a change at the gateway.
How do I change the local IP address in Windows Settings?
These controls are available in both Windows 10 and Windows 11. Microsoft recommends DHCP when the network supports it because the router supplies compatible TCP/IP values automatically. Use Manual only when you know the correct values for the network you are joining.
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- Choose the connection type. For wireless, select Wi-Fi. Then select the connected network; in workflows that show it, you can open Manage known networks and choose the network. For a cable connection, select Ethernet and then select the connected network.
- Open IP assignment. Find IP assignment and select Edit.
- Select a mode. Choose Automatic (DHCP) if the router or access point should provide the address and DNS settings. Choose Manual only if an administrator, router configuration, or game/LAN setup has given you the required values.
- Enter IPv4 values when using Manual. Turn on IPv4, then enter the IP address, subnet mask, gateway, preferred DNS server, and alternate DNS server. Every value must belong to the network you are actually connected to; do not copy an example address from an unrelated network.
- Enter IPv6 values if your network uses them. Turn on IPv6 and provide the IPv6 address, subnet prefix length, gateway, and DNS addresses supplied for that network.
- Save. Apply the settings and wait for Windows to reconnect. If the connection fails, return to the same screen and restore Automatic (DHCP), then reconnect to Wi-Fi or unplug and reconnect the Ethernet cable.
Microsoft’s Essential Network Settings and Tasks in Windows documents this Windows 10 and 11 workflow. Manual mode is not a way to invent a public internet address: it configures only the adapter’s participation in the current local network.
Should I choose DHCP or Manual IP assignment?
For most home, school, hotel, and café networks, Automatic (DHCP) is the safer choice. Manual assignment is useful when the network owner has reserved a specific address or supplied a complete set of compatible values, but it becomes inconvenient whenever you move the PC to another network.
| Assignment mode | Who supplies the values? | Setup effort | Moving between networks | Appropriate use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Automatic (DHCP) | The router or access point | Select the mode and save | Portable; Windows requests settings from each network | Normal internet access and networks that support DHCP |
| Manual | You, using values provided for that specific network | Enter address, subnet or prefix, gateway, and DNS fields correctly | Less portable; values valid on one network may fail on another | A known fixed local configuration administered by the network owner |
Microsoft’s guidance says, “To make it easier to manage TCP/IP settings, we recommend using Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP).” The recommendation is practical: DHCP avoids collisions and supplies a gateway and DNS configuration that match the network. A manually entered address can be perfectly valid yet still leave you offline if its subnet, gateway, or DNS values do not match the active network.
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How do I refresh my address with ipconfig?
On a DHCP network, releasing and renewing the configuration can clear a stale lease or help after a router change. It asks the network for a configuration again; it does not promise that the router will choose a different local address.
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- Save work that depends on the network, because the release step temporarily drops the current configuration.
- Open Windows Terminal, Command Prompt, or PowerShell. If Windows asks for permission, allow the application to run.
- Run
ipconfig /release. - After the command completes, run
ipconfig /renew. - Check whether the adapter reconnects, then use
ipconfigto view the address, subnet information, gateway, and DNS details Windows received.
Microsoft includes these release and renewal commands in its Ethernet connection troubleshooting guidance. DHCP assignment is controlled by the router or access point, so the renewed address may be identical to the old one. If the adapter is configured for Manual assignment, these DHCP commands are not the mechanism that supplies its fixed values; switch back to Automatic (DHCP) when you need a DHCP lease.
How can I tell whether the change worked?
Check the address Windows has configured, then test the connection that matters. Seeing a different private address in Windows confirms an adapter-level change only; it does not prove that a website or game server sees a different public address.
Inspect the adapter configuration
- Run
ipconfigand identify the active Wi-Fi or Ethernet adapter. - Look for its IPv4 address, subnet mask, default gateway, and any IPv6 information shown by Windows.
- If the fields are blank, the adapter has not received a usable configuration. If the address belongs to the wrong subnet, the manual values do not fit the network.
Test in stages
- Confirm that Windows reports the adapter as connected.
- Confirm that a default gateway is present; without a gateway, the PC generally cannot reach destinations beyond the local network.
- Open a normal internet destination. If numeric addresses work but names do not, review the DNS entries rather than changing the IP again.
- For an online game, reconnect the game after networking is restored. A game session that was already established can retain the old connection until it is restarted.
These checks establish local connectivity. They cannot by themselves identify the public address used by an internet service, because that address is ordinarily assigned and presented by the network gateway.
Why didn’t changing the Windows IP change my public IP?
Because the two addresses are assigned at different points in the path. Windows controls the private address on the PC’s adapter. The router, access point, or upstream provider controls the gateway’s internet-facing address and translates traffic from local devices. All devices behind that gateway can therefore appear online under the same public address even when their private addresses differ.
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A VPN changes what internet services see by sending traffic to a VPN server first. That server then communicates with the destination, so the destination observes the server’s address. A local manual IP entry keeps traffic on the existing route through your current gateway. The Cloudflare explanations linked above describe both the NAT sharing model and the VPN routing model.
If you need a different public address, the relevant control is outside the Windows adapter dialog: it may involve the gateway or the internet provider, and the result depends on that network’s policies. The documented Windows steps do not establish a universal method for forcing an ISP-facing address change without a VPN.
When is changing a local IP useful for gaming?
A local change can help when the problem is on your own network rather than on the public internet. For example, a router may have supplied a stale configuration, or a network administrator may require a specific address range for devices on a LAN. In those cases, DHCP renewal or the exact manual values supplied for that network can restore local reachability.
Local multiplayer and LAN discovery
Devices on the same LAN communicate using their local addresses. If you change an address manually, other devices or router rules that refer to the old local address may no longer point to this PC. Record the previous setting and any network instructions before changing it, and prefer DHCP unless the LAN administrator has assigned a fixed value.
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Online matchmaking and latency
Changing a private address does not reroute packets around your ISP or place you closer to a game server. It should not be treated as a general ping-improvement technique or a way to evade a public-address restriction. A new local lease can fix a local connectivity fault, but it does not guarantee a different route or public identity.
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Shared networks
On a dormitory, workplace, school, or public hotspot, the network owner controls the gateway and may restrict manual settings. Entering an address already in use can create an address conflict, while an incorrect gateway or DNS value can disconnect the PC. Follow the network administrator’s values instead of guessing.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What should I do if the manual setting breaks the connection?
Restore DHCP first
Return to Start > Settings > Network & internet, select Wi-Fi or Ethernet, open the connected network’s IP assignment section, choose Automatic (DHCP), and save. Reconnect to the network. This removes the guessed manual values and asks the router for a complete configuration.
Check for an address conflict
If Windows reports intermittent access or another device loses connectivity after the change, two devices may be using the same local address. Restore DHCP or obtain a confirmed unused address from the network administrator. Do not solve a conflict by randomly trying addresses.
Check the subnet and gateway
A manual address must be in the network’s subnet, and its gateway must be the gateway used by that network. A correct-looking address from another home, office, or tutorial can still be unusable here. If you do not have the network’s subnet mask or IPv6 prefix, gateway, and DNS values, Manual mode is not appropriate.
Check DNS separately
If the PC can reach the gateway but ordinary website or game-service names fail, the DNS entries may be wrong. Restore DHCP so the network can supply DNS automatically, or correct the preferred and alternate DNS values using the network’s documented settings. Changing the local IP again will not repair an incorrect DNS configuration.
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Reconnect after a lease change
After ipconfig /release and ipconfig /renew, disconnect and reconnect Wi-Fi or reseat the Ethernet cable if Windows still shows the old state. A game or launcher that was open during the change may also need to be restarted so it creates a new network connection.
What is the safest workflow for changing a Windows IP?
- Define the target. Decide whether you need to repair the PC’s local connection or are actually seeking a different public address. Only the first goal is addressed by Windows IP assignment.
- Record the current state. Run
ipconfigand note the active adapter before changing anything. - Try DHCP renewal. On a DHCP network, use
ipconfig /releasefollowed byipconfig /renewwhen troubleshooting. - Use Settings for a deliberate mode change. Choose Automatic (DHCP) or Manual under IP assignment rather than mixing values from different networks.
- Validate locally. Confirm the adapter has an address, subnet information, a gateway, and DNS settings that belong to the current network.
- Restore DHCP if uncertain. It is Microsoft’s recommended mode when supported and is the most portable option for a Windows PC that moves between networks.
The central limit remains the same: a successful local change does not guarantee a new public IP. Public-address changes depend on the gateway or provider, while VPN-observed addresses come from the VPN server’s routing path.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will changing my Windows IP reduce lag in an online game?
Usually no. The setting changes the PC’s private address on its current LAN, not the internet route, gateway location, or game-server path. It can help only when the original problem is a local configuration or address conflict.
Can I type any unused-looking IP address into Manual mode?
No. The address, subnet mask or IPv6 prefix, gateway, and DNS values must match the network you are connected to. A random value can cause an address conflict or leave the PC without internet access.
Do I need to configure both IPv4 and IPv6?
Only configure the protocol the network administrator or router has specified. Manual IPv4 requires IPv4 fields; manual IPv6 requires an IPv6 address, prefix length, gateway, and DNS values. DHCP is preferable when you do not have complete protocol-specific values.
Why did ipconfig /renew give me the same address?
The router controls DHCP leases and may assign the same address again. Renewal refreshes the configuration request; it is not a command that forces the gateway to select a different address.
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Will a website see the private address I set in Windows?
Normally no. A website generally sees the public address presented by your network gateway after NAT. A VPN changes that observation because the VPN server communicates with the website on your behalf.
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