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Windows 11 DHCP Not Working? How to Properly Enable
6 min. read
Updated onOctober 2, 2024
updated onOctober 2, 2024
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DHCP, or Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol, is a protocol that is used to automatically assign IP addresses to your computer. It can also be used to configure other aspects as well such as the subnet mask, default gateway, and DNS server information.
A computer or device must connect to a DHCP server to get a unique IP address and configure its other network information. The majority of the time, a network router serves as the DHCP server, but a computer can do this job as well.
It’s not just computers that use DHCP, but also switches, video game consoles, and smartphones. The process starts as the device requests an IP address from the DHCP server which then assigns an IP address so that the device can communicate with the network.
What is DHCP used for?
Internet service providers (ISP) use DHCP to provide IP addresses to their customers and there are multiple reasons for which they do this. Dynamic IP addresses are more flexible than static addresses and are easier to set up and administer.
A dynamic IP address will change after a set period, usually a few months. If static addresses were the norm, you would have to sign in every time to use a network rather than just automatically connecting.
And if they were assigned manually, ISPs would have to manually give out the address to a new device and other devices in that network must then change over to the new one.
This would make connecting a device to a router very time-consuming and having to manually change everything would increase the likelihood of errors occurring.
With that said, this guide will show you how to multiple ways connect to a DHCP server. The guide will also show how to disable DHCP if you wish to create a static IP address instead.
How can I connect my computer to a DHCP server?
1. Enable DHCP using the Control Panel
This options should help if you get errors likeDHCP not enabled for EthernetorDHCP not enabled for WiFi.
2. Disable DHCP Using the Control Panel
3. Enable via the Settings menu
4. Troubleshooting DHCP issues
What if I want to use a static IP?
As the name suggests, a static IP address does not change. It consistently stays that way. Once a computer has a specific address tied to it, a DHCP server can be set up to forward inbound requests to that computer.
These types of IP addresses are useful if you host a website from home, have a file server on your network, and many other situations.
Outside of these situations, it’s recommended that you stick to a dynamic IP address and DHCP. A static IP can be difficult to use because there is a lot of upkeep that goes along with it and a lot of things could go wrong if you’re not an expert.
An IP address is something incredibly important to protect and hide. If a bad actor somehow gets access to yours, that could spell a lot of trouble for you and your devices.Using a VPN is a great way to protect your IP addresswhile you surf the internet.
It’s also recommended that youhide your IP address while on a LAN. There are multiple ways of doing like a VPN as mentioned or you could use a proxy server instead.
Before leaving, find out what to do whenDHCP is not enabled for Wi-Fi. We also have a guide on what to do if youcan’t react DHCP server, so don’t miss it.
Feel free to leave a comment below if you have any questions on other DHCP, IP addresses, or other issues. Feel free to leave comments about guides that you’d like to see or information on other Windows 11 features.
More about the topics:DHCP guides,Windows 11
Cesar Cadenas
Networking & Security Specialist
Cesar has been writing for and about technology going on for 6 years when he first started writing tech articles for his university paper. Since then, his passion for technology blossomed into a prosperous writing career. He first started writing about tech in the entertainment world and would later move on to write about smart life tech and social media. He was recently a Technical Writer for tech company Extron where he wrote user guides for audio and video equipment.
He has since moved on to being a freelance writer looking to have a career in copywriting and hopes to share his love and knowledge of technology with the world. Recently, Cesar has written for the cryptocurrency news site, BTCPro and helping people understand tech.
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Cesar Cadenas
Networking & Security Specialist
Cesar is a tech expert passionate about Windows, Microsoft, and anything surrounding the world of PCs.
