How do I change my IP address

The manner in which you can change your Internet Protocol address is premised on whether you have static or dynamic IP address. As the names suggest, a static IP address is assigned to a computer and does not change, unless the user changes it manually. Most broadband service providers assign a static IP address for their client’s computers. The dynamic IP on the other hand changes every time you connect to the Internet. The network, using protocols such as DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) automatically assigns the IP addresses to other computers in the network. Thus this is the simplest way to “change” the IP address.

For Microsoft’s Windows Operating System users who want to specify or change the IP address for their Local Area Network (LAN), follow the steps outlined below. Please note that different version of Windows Operating Systems (that is Windows 2000, Windows XP etc) may involve following a slightly different path to change the IP but they are largely similar. A typical path involves doing the following:

1. Log in to your computer using the administrator’s console.

2. Click on the “start” button on the Task Bar, then go to “Settings” and then to the “control Panel”. Alternatively, you may click on “My Network Places” or “Network Neighborhood” and then go to “Properties”.

3. Once you are on the “Control Panel”, click on the “Network or Dial-up Connections” and a dialogue box will open up, whereupon you may choose the LAN that you want. If you choose the alternative path above, you may then right click on the LAN icon and then go to properties.

4. Click on the LAN properties (for the first option). From there, and for both options, click on the “Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)”. An “Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Properties” dialogue box will appear. If this protocol is not present, it will need to be installed.

5. On the “Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Properties” dialogue box, choose “Use the following IP address” option and then proceed to specify the new I address that you want to be using. This new IP address must be unique and available for use in the network that you are using. Choose numbers that are less than 255.

6. Then choose an appropriate Subnet mask for the network, keeping in mind that the leftmost bits must be set to ‘1’ and the rightmost ones to ‘0’.

7. If applicable, on the “Default gateway” Box, add the IP address of a device on the network that connects your computer to the internet.

8. On the “Preferred DNS Server” box, you may then add the IP address of the computer that distributes host names to IP addresses.

9. On the “Alternative DNS Server” box, add the IP address of the computer that would be the alternative to “Preferred DNS Server” if the latter becomes unavailable for whatever reason.

10. Click “OK” on all the dialogue boxes and then close the windows. And there you have your new IP address.

For Linux/ UNIX users you will need to have the root (akin to administrator access in Windows) access. Once you have that, you may go to command prompt, then move to /etc/sysconfig/network directory, and then finally, change the interfaces file and adjust the network settings as you desire there.

For more information on Changing IP Address read: