Windows 11, like all versions of Windows, can have either a static IP address or a dynamic IP address. By default, Windows 11 has a static IP address.
A static IP address is an IP address that does not change. This is opposed to a dynamic IP address, which can change each time your computer reboots. Configuring a static or dynamic IP address is done from within the Windows 11 control panel.
While you can configure a static IP address from within Windows 11, it is usually a better option to set up a DHCP Reservation in your router. DHCP Reservations are similar to a static IP address in that they do not change, but they are easier to manage because you can manage your entire network for a single interface.
Why Set Up a Static IP Address on Windows 11
There are many times when you may want to set up a static IP address on Windows 11.
- If you host a game server such as Minecraft on Windows 11, then you may want to set up a port forward pointing at your computer. You should configure Windows 11 to have a static IP address before you set up a port forward.
- In order to access your shared media files on Windows 11 from outside your network you might want a static IP address and a port forward.
- If you plan to ssh to your Windows 11 computer it may be more reliable to have your computer's IP address never change.
How To Configure a Static IP Address on Windows 11
In order to set up a static IP address on Windows 11 you have to first find your existing IP address and gateway address. After you know that information, you can use it to configure your network adapter with very similar settings.
Find your Existing Windows 11 IP Address Settings
There are a couple of ways that you can find your existing IP address on Windows 11. The 'tried and true' method is to use the command prompt, which works for pretty much every version of Windows since the dawn of time. The newer versions of Windows such as 10 and 11 include a section in their Control Panel that lists the same information, but it is not always in the same exact location depending on your version of Windows. We'll show both methods.
Find Your Windows 11 IP Address with the Command Prompt
This is the traditional, standard, old-fashioned way of finding your system network information. It should work on any version of Windows, and the screenshots presented here are taken from Windows 11.
This is the recommended way of determining your current IP address and default gateway, because the other method does not show your current subnet mask.
Click the Windows button, or press the WinKey on your keyboard, to show the Start Menu.
Type the phrase 'cmd' and press enter.
'cmd' is short for "Command Prompt". If you do it right, you should see a new window pop up that is black with white text.
Type 'ipconfig' and press enter.
Make a note of your IPv4 Address, Subnet Mask, and Default Gateway. You'll need them later.
Find Your Windows 11 IP Address with Control Panel Settings
Windows 10 and 11 can show you your IP address in one of the modern control panel windows, but it does not show your subnet mask. If you are comfortable making an assumption about your subnet mask then you can use this method for determining your current IP address.
Click the Windows button, or press the WinKey on your keyboard, to show the Start Menu.
Type in the phrase 'settings' to find the Settings app.
In the 'settings' app choose Network & Internet, and then choose Advanced Network Settings.
Choose Hardware and connection properties to show your current IP address and gateway.
Your current network adapter settings are shown on screen.
Hardware and connections properties and Subnet Masks
The Windows 11 Hardware and connections properties* window does not show your Subnet Mask, which you are going to need later. However, if the first 3 numbers in your IPv4 address and IPv4 default gateway are then same, then you can frequently assume that your subnet mask is 255.255.255.0. This is not always the case, though, so be sure that you understand what this means. If they are different, or if you do not want to assume your subnet mask, then you must use the command prompt method for determining your IP address and default gateway.
Write down the numbers for IPv4 address and IPv4 default gateway. You will need them later.
Change Your Windows 11 Network Settings from Dynamic to Static
Now that you have your current IP address and gateway settings you can configure your network adapter to have a static IP address.
Click the Start button, or press the WinKey on your keyboard to show the Start Menu, and then start typing in the phrase 'network connections'. As soon as you see 'View network connections', you can choose that option.
Find your network adapter in the list. For many people there is only 1 network adapter listed, but there may be more than 1. Oftentimes a wired network connection will be listed as Ethernet and a wireless network connection will be listed as Wireless.
When you find your connection, right click on it to show the context menu. Choose Properties from the context menu.
In the Properties pop-up window look for *Internet Protocol 4 (TCP/IPv4).
If you do not see this in the list, then you have chosen the wrong network adapter. Go back and choose a different network adapter until you find one that has IPv4 in it. Choose Internet Protocol Version 4 and then click the Properties button. You should see a new window pop up with your network adapters current settings.
If your Windows 11 computer is set up to have a static IP address then the TCP/IP 4 properties window will look like this, with Obtain an IP address automatically selected, and Obtain DNS server address automatically selected.
Change the top radio button to Use the following IP address.
Enter your IP address information that you obtained above in the 3 boxes that are now available.
We also recommend changing your DNS server settings to point to CloudFlare and Google at this step.
1.1.1.1 is the CloudFlare DNS server, and it is a highly-reliable and privacy focused DNS server that we highly recommend.
8.8.8.8 is the Google DNS server, which is a highly reliable DNS server that functions as a backup in case the CloudFlare DNS server is unavailable.
Click Ok to close the IPv4 Properties window and you are done.
Keep in mind that it is almost always better to set up a DHCP Reservation in your router instead of a static IP address on your computer. DHCP reservations offer the same function of giving you an IP address that never changes, but they offer the convenience of managing your network from a single location.
