Tech Tip: Find IP addresses with network adapter details

Windows Server 2003 makes it easier to obtain IP addressing information. Previously, to find out the IP address for a Windows NT or 2000 system, you had to use the Ipconfig command-line tool. While this method worked, if there were multiple network adapters, you had to sift through a lot of information.

For those who prefer Ipconfig, it's still available from the command line. However, Windows Server 2003 also includes a server feature, first released in the Windows XP client, which gives you the ability to view IP addressing information, including DHCP addressing, from the Network Control Panel.

Browse to Start | Control Panel | Network Connections | <your network connection>, and choose the Support tab on the Network Adapter Status window. The Support window shows the current IP address, subnet mask, and gateway, plus it indicates whether the address was delivered via DHCP.

If you click the Details button, it provides information about the MAC address for the adapter, DNS servers, WINS servers, the DHCP server the address was obtained from, and the lease expiration data.

The Support window also features a Repair button, which will refresh the DHCP lease, clear the address resolution protocol (ARP), NetBIOS, and DNS caches, and reregister the adapter with WINS and DNS services.