Hack 44 Release and Renew IP Addresses


Using this handy script, you can release and
renew a dynamically assigned IP address with a click of the
mousewell, two clicks, actually.
Troubleshooting DHCP lease problems is frustrating when it involves
users' desktop machines, because help desk personnel
have to explain to users how to open a command prompt, use the
ipconfig command, and interpret the output. It
would be nice if there were a way to release and renew a
machine's IP address without having to go through
such techie steps.
Well, it turns out there is such a way; just use this handy VBScript
to release and renew IP addresses assigned through DHCP.
The Code
Type the script into Notepad (with Word Wrap disabled) and save
it with a .vbs extension as
ReleaseRenew.vbs:
On Error Resume Next
Dim AdapterConfig
Dim RetVal
Set AdapterConfig = GetObject("winmgmts:Win32_NetworkAdapterConfiguration")
'WMI release IP Address for all installed network adapters
RetVal = AdapterConfig.ReleaseDHCPLeaseAll
'if retval = 1 then display success. If 0 then failure
If RetVal = 1 Then
MsgBox "IP Address Release was successful."
Else
MsgBox "DHCP Release failed!"
End If
'WMI renew ip for all network adapters
RetVal = AdapterConfig.RenewDHCPLeaseAll
'if retval = 1 then display success. If 0 then failure
If RetVal = 1 Then
MsgBox "IP Address Renew was successful."
Else
MsgBox "DHCP Renew failed!"
End If
Set AdapterConfig = Nothing
Running the Hack
Copy the script to users' machines and create a
shortcut to the script on their desktops. Then, when a user has IP
address problems and can't talk to the network, tell
her to double-click on the shortcut to release and renew her address,
and see if that fixes things. If not, escalate to the next level of
troubleshooting!
Rod Trent