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If you’re looking to make the IP address on your computer permanent, your best bet is to disable DHCP. This refers to Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol which automatically assigns IP settings dynamically from a set of addresses. By disabling DHCP, you can activate manual assignment and obtain a static IP address.
Why is disabling DHCP necessary?
There are various reasons why having different IP addresses may not be practical for some users. The simplest example is hosting a web server that requires a static IP address to establish proper contact on a consistent basis. If you plan to configure the IP address yourself, it’s necessary to disable DHCP. This lets you gain better control though you need to be careful to prevent address duplication issues in the configuration.
How to disable DHCP on Windows
By default, home networks will usually have DHCP enabled so there’s a bit of work involved to change this configuration. Keep in mind that disabling DHCP for a single type of connection (such as an Ethernet one) doesn’t mean that all connections will have static IP addresses as well. You will need to disable DHCP for each particular connection in your network system.
1. Start by navigating to Settings > Network & Internet
2. Find the connection you wish to configure and click on “Properties”
3. Click on “Edit” under IP settings
4. Switch to “Manual” from “Automatic (DHCP)” configuration in the following window
5. Fill up the fields with all the required information
In this section, you will have to specify the IP address that you wish to use for the connection and other aspects such as the preferred DNS that’s typically provided by the ISP.
6. Once you’re done with the configuration, click “Save” and DHCP will be disabled.
If you wish to re-enable DHCP at some later date, the process is much easier because you just need to change the IP setting of the connection back to Automatic.
How to disable DHCP on Mac
1. Navigate to System Preference > Network > Wi-Fi > Advanced > TCP/IP
The “Configure IPv4” and “Configure IPv6” settings need to be changed to “Manually” to add your desired network configuration settings.
How to disable DHCP on Linux
There are many Linux distributions out there so the process to disable DHCP could be different depending on what your computer is using. Managing network settings can be done through “ifconfig” and “ip” commands but lots of Linux distributions allow GUI managing for superior user-friendliness.
The following example is for the popular Ubuntu distribution:
1. Go to Settings > Network for wired connections or Settings > Wireless for wireless connections
2. Click on the gear icon to configure settings
3. Find the IPv4 tab
4. Switch to “Manual” for the IPv4 Method
5. Enter the static IP address you want
6. Set the DNS or leave it to “Automatic” if preferred
7. Make sure you select the “Apply” button after you’re finished
