How to Fix a Home Network With an IP Address Conflict

An IP conflict occurs when two computers are connected to a network with the same IP address.

Home networking makes it simple to connect multiple devices to one network to share files and an Internet connection. The addition of devices to the network increases the chances of running into IP conflicts. An IP address is the identifier for your computer within a local area network or on the Internet. IP conflicts can occur if a computer goes into sleep mode, and a new device is connected to the network before the computer is reactivated. Correcting the conflict is an easy process that anyone with network administration access can fix.

Things You'll Need

• Computer
• Network access

Instructions

1. Click the "Start" or Windows button in the lower, left-hand part of the screen on the computer that is showing an IP conflict. For Windows XP, click "Run," type in "cmd" and press "Enter." For Vista or 7, type "cmd" into the search box and press "Enter." A DOS command prompt will appear on your screen.

2. Type "IPCONFIG /RENEW" into the command prompt. This will obtain a new IP address from the router and will remove the conflict.

3. Close the command prompt and re-attempt to access the Internet or another network device. At this point, you should have no problem accessing network devices.

Tips & Warnings

• If the computer is set up on a static IP address, renewing the IP address will not remove the conflict. Static IPs tell the router what address to give the computer. Consult the network administrator to resolve the issue on the computer.

References

• Online Tech Tips: How To Fix An IP Address Conflict
• Help Desk Geek: How To Fix "Cannot Renew IP Address" In Windows