How to Release and Renew Your IP Address

When Release / Renew Actually Helps

• "Connected, no internet" on Wi-Fi where your device shows a 169.254.x.x or 0.0.0.0 address
• An IP conflict message after adding a new device
• After moving to a different network that uses different IP ranges
• After your ISP pushed a new configuration (CGNAT transitions, changed DHCP range)
• When DNS entries look stale but flushing DNS didn't help
• When a device is stuck with an old gateway and can't route traffic

When it doesn't help: real connectivity problems upstream (modem/router offline, ISP outage, physical cable issue). Fix those first.

Windows 10 and 11

Open Command Prompt as administrator and run:

ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew

To also clear cached DNS entries in one go:

ipconfig /release
ipconfig /flushdns
ipconfig /renew
ipconfig /registerdns

If you have multiple adapters and want to release only one:

ipconfig /release "Wi-Fi"
ipconfig /renew "Wi-Fi"

Replace "Wi-Fi" with the exact name from ipconfig /all.

macOS

Via System Settings:

1. Open System Settings → Network
2. Click the active interface (Wi-Fi or Ethernet) → Details
3. Go to TCP/IP tab
4. Click Renew DHCP Lease

Via Terminal (for scripts or SSH sessions):

sudo ipconfig set en0 DHCP

en0 is usually Wi-Fi on MacBooks; en1 is typically Ethernet on adapter-connected models. Check with ifconfig.

Linux

Release:

sudo dhclient -r

Renew:

sudo dhclient

On systemd-networkd systems:

sudo networkctl reconfigure <interface>

On NetworkManager (most desktop Linux distributions):

sudo nmcli connection down "<connection name>" && sudo nmcli connection up "<connection name>"

iPhone and iPad

1. Open Settings → Wi-Fi
2. Tap the (i) next to your connected network
3. Tap Configure IP (or Renew Lease directly on older iOS)
4. Tap Renew Lease

If it doesn't help, "Forget This Network" and rejoin with the password — that's a full reset.

Android

Android doesn't expose a direct renew command. Alternatives:

• Turn Wi-Fi off and back on (fastest)
• Long-press the network and pick Forget, then rejoin
• Toggle Airplane Mode on for 5 seconds, then off
• Settings → System → Reset options → Reset Wi-Fi, mobile & Bluetooth (nuclear — wipes saved networks)

Router-Level Release/Renew (Your Public IP)

The commands above affect your device's private IP assigned by your router. If you want to renew your public IP (the one your ISP assigned to your router), you need to operate on the router itself:

1. Sign in to the router admin page
2. Go to Status → WAN / Internet Connection
3. Click Release, then Renew — some routers only offer "Reconnect"

If the router doesn't expose these buttons, unplug the router (not the modem) for 30 seconds. When it reboots, it re-negotiates DHCP with the ISP.

Change Your Public IP Entirely

Release/renew doesn't guarantee a new public IP — your ISP usually hands you the same one until the lease expires. To force a new IP:

• Change your router's MAC address (MAC cloning / spoofing in admin settings) — ISP DHCP sees a "new device" and assigns fresh IP
• Power off modem for 10+ minutes (long enough for the lease to expire)
• Swap modems if you have a spare registered with the ISP
• Wait — most dynamic IPs rotate naturally every few days

None of these are guaranteed; ISP behavior varies.

The "APIPA" / 169.254 Address Problem

If ipconfig shows your IP as 169.254.x.x, your device failed to get a DHCP response and assigned itself a link-local address. Release/renew is the right fix. If it fails repeatedly:

1. Power cycle the router (30 seconds off)
2. Check if DHCP server is enabled in router settings
3. Check if DHCP pool is exhausted — your router might be out of addresses to hand out
4. Reboot the device

Quick Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

Will release/renew give me a new public IP?

Usually no. Release/renew on your device only affects the private IP from your router. Your public IP is controlled by your ISP's DHCP lease, which persists across reboots. To force a new public IP, change your router's MAC or leave the modem off for 10+ minutes.

How often should I release and renew my IP?

Only when troubleshooting a specific issue (IP conflict, 169.254 address, stuck gateway). It's not a maintenance task; your device renews its lease automatically.

Is release/renew the same as flushing DNS?

No. Release/renew reassigns your IP address. Flushing DNS clears domain-to-IP cache entries. They fix different problems but are often run together during troubleshooting.