1stWorks Corporation

Assign Static IP Address
(Windows Vista)

Document number: LSfaqV.004
Copyright (c) 2007 1stWorks Corporation. All rights reserved.

Disclaimer: This information is provided to help you configure your system so that you can use 1stWorks products. 1stWorks Corporation takes no responsibility for any changes you make to your network or router by using these instructions or from errors in these instructions.

We strongly advise that you consult with your network and router administrators before making any changes.

Each computer in a network has its own internal IP address. That IP address may be static, which means that it never changes. Or, as is likely if you share an Internet connection with other computers, the internal IP address may be assigned dynamically and may change from time to time.

Note: typically, your ISP assigns one external IP address to your network, usually dynamically. Your router then assigns a unique internal IP address to each computer or device that shares your Internet connection.

When you are opening ports to allow incoming connections to your computer, your computer must be assigned a static internal IP address, to ensure that the incoming connections always go to the correct computer.

There are several steps:
  1. See your current IP address
  2. Choose a static IP address
  3. Assign the static IP address

Current IP Address

Find your current IP address and whether it is static or dynamic:
  1. Open Windows Start menu.
  2. In Start Search, type: Run and press your Enter key.
  3. In the Run window, type: cmd and click OK.
  4. At the blinking cursor, type: ipconfig /all and press Enter.
  5. Find the entry for the connection you are using (such as "Ethernet adapter".
  6. Look for these entries:
    - DHCP Enabled. No means your IP address is static. Yes means it is dynamic.
    - IPv4 Address. This is your current IP address for the v4 TCP protocol.
  7. To exit, at the blinking cursor, type: exit and press Enter.
If your current IP address is:
  • Static (DHCP enabled is "No"), then make note of the IP address. You need the IP address when you open ports in your router or firewall.

  • Dynamic (DHCP enabled is "Yes"), then assign a static IP address instead.

Choose an IP address

Choose an IP address, and collect other information needed in order to assign a static IP address to your computer.
  1. In your router administration program, find and remember this information:

    • Router (Gateway) IP address
    • Subnet Mask
    • IP addresses of your DNS servers

  2. In your router administration program, find an IP address that can be assigned as a static IP. The address:

    • Must not be one that might be assigned to someone as a dynamic address.

    • Must not be one that has been assigned to another device (often these are the low numbers).

    • Must be lower than the range of dynamic addresses.

Assign the IP address

To set a static IP address:
  1. Open Windows Start menu.
  2. Open Control Panel.
  3. From the list on the left, select Classic view
  4. Open Network and Sharing Center
  5. From the list on the left, click Manage Network Connections.
  6. Right-click on the connection you use and select Properties.
This opens the Properties window.
  1. In the Networking tab, highlight Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IP v4) and click Properties.

This opens the Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IP v4) Properties window.
  1. In the General tab, click Use the following IP address, and enter:
    - IP address. The static IP address you want to assign to this computer.
    - Subnet mask. Subnet mask used by your router.
    - Default gateway. IP address of your router's default gateway.
  2. In Use the following DNS server addresses, enter all the IP addressses for the DNS servers your router uses.
  3. Click OK.

Then:
  1. Click OK to close each window.
  2. Restart your computer.
  3. Then, check your IP address again, to make sure that the changes were applied.

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