How to Change Fixed IP Address in Windows 10

For a device to connect to the network , many parts must work simultaneously. One of them is the IP address. Generally speaking, an IP address is a unique number that identifies a specific device when it connects to the Internet. In this article we will explain how to set or change the fixed IP address on a PC in Windows 10 . In addition, we will explain the differences between public and private IP.

How to Set and Change a Fixed IP Address to my PC in Windows 10

Index(  )

1. Find public and private IP address
2. Learn how to change the fixed IP address in Windows 10
   1. Using the command line
   2. Using the control panel
   3. Things to know when changing the IP address of your PC

Find public and private IP address

There are two types of IP’s: public and private. Both are essential for browsing the Internet , but they have some differences, so it is important to know how to identify them.

The public IP is the one assigned to us by our Internet provider. Although it is possible to change it by hiring an exclusive IP , what is most used is a VPN that serves to hide this identification number. If you are interested in the subject, we will explain how to create, configure and connect to a VPN in Windows .

As for the private one, it is a number that is used to synchronize a device on the local network, in this case, the PC with the Wifi router . This can be altered , acquiring the value of static or variable IP and it is what we will talk about in this article.

First of all, you have to find out what your IP address is. There are several ways to do it. This time we will show you two different methods.

Method 1: Through the Windows 10 settings menu.

1. Go to Home.
2. Select Settings. Then click on the Network and Internet box . Finally, in the panel on the left select our type of connection, Ethernet or Wi-Fi.
3. In the Propertiessection you will find the IP identified as IPv4 Address.

Method 2: Through the Windows Command Prompt . It is a powerful tool that integrates Windows that can help you perform many other tasks. On our website you can learn what it is for and how to use the CMD command prompt .

1. Enter the Run menu. You can do this by performing the following key combination: Windows + R.
2. Write cmd. Then click OK. A window with a black background and white letters will open. This is the Windows command prompt.
3. Write ipconfig. Then press the Enter key.
4. The private IP will be identified as IPv4 Address.

Learn how to change the fixed IP address in Windows 10

Thanks to the DHCP protocol, each device that connects to a Wi-Fi network is automatically assigned an IP address. This avoids conflicts or errors in the router every time a new device connects. But sometimes it is necessary to change this direction. To do this, perform the following steps.

Using the command line

Windows 10 is a very versatile platform and allows you to make changes to its configuration from different windows. And one of them is the Command Prompt or command line and from there we will be able to change the IP address in a very simple way. Let’s see then what are the steps to follow in order to achieve this change.

First we must open the command prompt as administrator , and to achieve this we will go to the lower left corner and click on the Windows icon. In this way we will open the start menu, the next step is to write cmd in the search box and then press the Enter key.

CMD will appear as a result and you must choose the option ‘Run as administrator’. This action will generate the unmistakable black box on the screen to enter command lines. In our case we must use the netsh command to change the IP address . Then we will write the following command:

netsh interface ip set address ‘Description’ static% adresse%% netmask%% gateway%% metric%

Where you must replace ‘Description’ by the name that you will give to the connection, % adresse% you replace it with the IP address . % netmarsk% you replace it with the subnet mask,% gateway% you replace it with the IP address of the gateway. And finally you substitute% metric% for the network card and that is usually always the general rule 1.

Using the control panel

1. Go to Home.
2. Type in the search bar Control Panel. Then select the option that has the same name.
3. Select the Network and Internet box. Then open the Network and Sharing CenterFinally select the option Change adapter settings.
4. Once inside this menu, select the network that we use to surf the Internet. Right click and select the Properties box.
5. Then a window with a lot of information will open. Double click on the Internet Protocol version 4 (TCP / IPv4)option . 
6. For security reasons, the option Obtain an IP address automatically will always be configured by default. Change the setting to Use the following IP address. You will be able to write the new address in the IP Address box.
7. Save the changes.

You can use whatever address you like the most, but it must conform to certain parameters. The new address must always start with the sequence 192.168.0 … followed by a number between 2 and 254 (1 is reserved for the router). From now on, your PC will always have the same private IP address, which is known as a static or fixed IP address. This would be the first step in setting up a networked computer and sharing Windows 10 files and folders without a homegroup .

Things to know when changing the IP address of your PC

Sometimes it is necessary to change the IP address of a device to perform certain jobs. Maybe you need to share files with a printer or you need to have a fixed IP for a program to work properly.

However, you should consider that in terms of security, a static IP is more vulnerable . Take into account that since it does not vary, it is much easier for any attacker to have access to it. For that reason, we recommend that if you are going to put or change a fixed IP address on your PC in Windows 10, you also learn about computer vulnerabilities and what you can do to reduce them .