How to Enable Dynamic IP Addressing or DHCP in Windows XP
When moving an existing Windows XP PC from one location to another, or configuring Windows XP for the first time after installation, it's sometimes necessary to change the XP TCP/IP network configuration from a static IP address to a dynamic or DHCP IP address to be compatible with the new network location. Dynamic IP addressing is most common with mobile devices such as laptops and tablet PC because they are designed for mobility. Desktop PCs may also require dynamic IP address configuration if the network's IP addresses are centrally managed using DHCP. If you cannot connect to a new network after moving your laptop or desktop PC, changing from a static to dynamic IP address configuration may resolve the connectivity issue.
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Things You'll Need
- DHCP server, router or other network appliance configured to provide dynamic IP addresses
Instructions
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Navigate to the "Start" menu and select the "Control Panel," "Network and Internet Connections" and the "Network Connections" icon. Then right-click on the icon of the network connection that you wish to change and select "Properties" from the pop-up menu.
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Next, in the window that appears, scroll down the list of protocols displayed and then highlight the Internet Protocol TCP/IP item.
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In the window that appears, select the "Obtain an IP Address Automatically" radio button.
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Select the "Obtain DNS Server Address Automatically" radio button and then click "OK."
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Click "OK" at the bottom of the next window and then test to determine if you can now connect to the Internet. If not, then reboot the computer so that it will retrieve an IP address from the DHCP server (or router providing the DHCP service) and then try again.
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