Hack 44 Release and Renew IP Addresses

Using this handy script, you can release and renew a dynamically assigned IP address with a click of the mousewell, two clicks, actually .

Troubleshooting DHCP lease problems is frustrating when it involves users' desktop machines, because help desk personnel have to explain to users how to open a command prompt, use the ipconfig command, and interpret the output. It would be nice if there were a way to release and renew a machine's IP address without having to go through such techie steps.

Well, it turns out there is such a way; just use this handy VBScript to release and renew IP addresses assigned through DHCP.

The Code

Type the script into Notepad (with Word Wrap disabled) and save it with a .vbs extension as ReleaseRenew.vbs :

 On Error Resume Next Dim AdapterConfig Dim RetVal Set AdapterConfig = GetObject("winmgmts:Win32_NetworkAdapterConfiguration") 'WMI release IP Address for all installed network adapters RetVal = AdapterConfig.ReleaseDHCPLeaseAll 'if retval = 1 then display success. If 0 then failure If RetVal = 1 Then MsgBox "IP Address Release was successful." Else MsgBox "DHCP Release failed!" End If 'WMI renew ip for all network adapters RetVal = AdapterConfig.RenewDHCPLeaseAll 'if retval = 1 then display success. If 0 then failure If RetVal = 1 Then MsgBox "IP Address Renew was successful." Else MsgBox "DHCP Renew failed!" End If Set AdapterConfig = Nothing 

Running the Hack

Copy the script to users' machines and create a shortcut to the script on their desktops. Then, when a user has IP address problems and can't talk to the network, tell her to double-click on the shortcut to release and renew her address, and see if that fixes things. If not, escalate to the next level of troubleshooting!

Rod Trent