WinIP Config

winipcfg is a utility in Windows 95, 98 and Me that will aid in troubleshooting your ResNet connection if it stops working. This document describes how to access and use it. If you are running Windows 2000 or XP, check out the instructions for using ipconfig instead.

1. Go to the start menu and click 'Run...'.

2. Type 'winipcfg' in the 'Open' box and then click 'OK.'

3. Select your Ethernet adapter from the drop down menu. This is the most important step. The information provided in the IP Configuration screen relates to the selected Ethernet adapter. You may have several adapters to choose from -- a PPP Adapter, AOL Adapter, AOL Dial-Up Adapter, etc. In the list will also be your Ethernet adapter. In the image to the right, the Ethernet adapter is the Intel 82557-based Integrated Fast Ethernet Adapter. If your Ethernet adapter is not in the list then either your Ethernet adapter is not installed or the TCP/IP protocol is not bound to it. You can contact ResNet for more help with this.

   The entry in the list will vary depending on the type of adapter you have. For example, if you have a 3Com adapter it may have '3Com 90x Ethernet Adapter' as a choice. Sometimes the proper adapter to choose has a name related to the type of driver it is using, rather than the brand of the adapter itself (e.g. Novell 2000 adapter).

   
   

   Part of winipcfg	Description
   Host name	The DNS (Domain Name Service) entry that corresponds to the IP (Internet Protocol) address of your computer. A host name and its corresponding IP address are interchangeable, but host names are usually easier to remember than IP addresses. On ResNet host names are in the form "residence_hall-xx-xxx.rh.ncsu.edu."
   DNS Servers	The IP (Internet Protocol) address of the servers that translate DNS (Domain Name Service) names into IP addresses. Click on the "..." button to see all the DNS servers currently in use by your computer.
   Node Type	Node Type refers to how NetBIOS names are handled on a network. NetBIOS names are the names seen in the Network Neighborhood. On ResNet the Node Type is always Broadcast.
   NetBIOS Scope ID	A name used for further qualifying NetBIOS names, similar to the way subnets qualify IP addresses. These are not used on ResNet.
   IP Routing Enabled	Tells whether the local machine is enabled to route IP packets. This is not used on ResNet.
   WINS Proxy Enabled	Tells whether the local machine is enabled to be a WINS (Windows Internet Naming Service) proxy, thereby translating NetBIOS names into IP addresses. This is not used on ResNet.
   NetBIOS Resolution Uses DNS	Says whether the machine can use a DNS (Domain Name Service) server to resolve NetBIOS names. This is not used on ResNet.
   Adapter drop down menu	This drop down menu shows you the list of all available adapters on your computer for which TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) is installed. The information provided in WINIPCFG is particular to the selected adapter. On ResNet, be sure that your adapter is selected here.
   Adapter Address	The unique identification number of your Ethernet adapter. This number is generally not changeable. The Adapter Address may also be called Ethernet Address, Hardware Address, or MAC address
   IP Address	The unique identification number assigned to your Ethernet adapter by the network you are on. The IP (Internet Protocol) Address is what is used to identify your computer on the Internet and allows data to be directed to it.
   Subnet Mask	A filter used to determine what subnet an IP (Internet Protocol) address belongs to. On ResNet the subnets generally correspond to buildings or parts thereof.
   Default Gateway	The IP (Internet Protocol) address of the device that allows your computer to connect to computers other than those in the same building as you. This includes web servers and other computers not on the NC State network.
   DHCP Server	The IP (Internet Protocol) address of the DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) server. The DHCP server automatically gives your computer the necessary information to connect to the network, such as the IP addresses of the DNS servers and the IP address of your computer.
   Primary WINS Server	The IP (Internet Protocol) address of the primary computer being used as a WINS (Windows Internet Naming Service) server. This machine translates NetBIOS names into IP addresses.
   Secondary WINS Server	The IP (Internet Protocol) of the secondary computer being used as a WINS (Windows Internet Naming Service) server. This machine translates NetBIOS names into IP addresses.
   Lease Obtained	The date and time when your computer obtained its current information from the DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) server. Generally, this will be the last date and time of when you last rebooted your machine.
   Lease Expires	The data and time the information your computer received from the DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) server will become invalid. On ResNet this is 30 days from when the lease was obtained. Your lease will attempt to renew itself every time your computer reboots and when it is halfway to the expiration time.
   OK	Closes the IP (Internet Protocol) configuration window.
   Release	Discards all information that was obtained from the DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) server for the selected adapter.
   Renew	Contacts the DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) server to obtain up-to-date information for the selected adapter. If your computer doesn't have a valid IP (Internet Protocol) address, clicking 'Renew' will force the computer to attempt to get one.
   Release All	Discards all information that was obtained from the DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) server for all adapters.
   Renew All	Contacts the DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) server to obtain up-to-date information for all installed adapters. If your computer doesn't have a valid IP (Internet Protocol) address, clicking 'Renew All' will force the computer to attempt to get one for all adapters. On ResNet you should only have one Ethernet adapter and therefore should use 'Renew' instead of 'Renew All.'

4. Once you have chosen your Ethernet adapter the IP Configuration screen will change to give you the information for that adapter.
   When your ResNet connection is working properly, you should have an IP address of 152.7.xx.xxx. If you are getting an address of 169.254.x.x or 0.0.0.0 then your connection is not working. Sometimes your connection won't be working but you will still have a valid IP address (152.7.xx.xxx). If your IP address is 192.168.x.x, 10.x.x.x, or 172.16.x.x, then you are receiving an internal IP address from a router or other device. The IP address that the world sees is that of the router.

   If you are having trouble with your connection, try clicking on "Release." Then click on "Renew." This will attempt to get new information from the ResNet DHCP server. If you get a valid IP address after clicking 'Renew,' click 'OK.' Then try connecting to the Internet. If that doesn't work, try restarting your machine and then connecting.

   If when you click 'Renew' you don't get a valid IP address, there is some other problem. You can contact ResNet to get more assistance.

5. One of the buttons on the IP Configuration screen is "More Info >>." When you click on this you will get more detailed information about how TCP/IP for your Ethernet adapter is configured. An explanation of the various parts of the winipcfg window is outlined below.