Type: netsh winsock reset in the shell and hit Enter 3. Type: netsh int ip reset and hit Enter again. Restart the computer Alternatively, if you use the TCP Optimizer, just click the 'Reset Winsock' and/or 'Reset TCP/IP' in its 'File' menu, then reboot. Aug 03, 2020 Solution 4: Reset Winsock. Resetting Winsock is a helpful method you can use in Command Prompt to reset Winsock Catalog back to default setting or its clean state. You can try this method if you are experiencing the inability to run the “netsh int ip reset” command. Check it out below!

1. Netsh Int Ip Reset All Settings
2. Netsh Winsock Reset

Netsh Int Ip Reset All Settings

Anyone who works with Windows network configurations will sooner or later come across the Network Shell (Netsh). The term refers to an interface between users and the operating system, which enables the administration and configuration of local, and remote network settings.

The range of applications includes settings for the Windows firewall and LAN/WLAN management as well as IP and server configuration. Moreover, networked infrastructure can also be protected from external attack. Using the command line tool, it’s also possible to diagnose problems and carry out repairs in the network. A big advantage of Netsh is that network-related administration tasks can be performed quickly and conveniently, and can be automated with scripts.

1. Syntax parameters for Netsh – what do they mean?

Netsh commands: starting the command prompt

It’s necessary to access the command line in order to use Netsh. There, you can open the “Run” menu as follows:

1. Press the key combination [Windows] + [R]
2. Enter “cmd” in the entry field (1)
3. Click the “OK” button (2)

The command prompt will then launch. The service program will open after you enter “netsh” and confirm with [Enter].

If Netsh commands and scripts aren’t run or if more fundamental interventions in the network configuration are planned, you’ll need to start Network Shell with administrator rights. These steps are required on Windows 10:

1. Right-click on the Windows symbol on the left side of the task bar or press the key combination [Windows] + [X].
2. Choose the entry “Command Prompt (Admin)” in the context menu that appears:

Netsh includes the program file netsh.exe located in the Windows system folder (%windir%system32). Directly opening the file streamlines the Netsh command entry procedure. You can enter the path C:WindowsSystem32netsh.exe into the address line of Windows Explorer and press [Enter]. You can then enter Netsh commands straight away in the entry window that appears.

Launching the file is even faster by using a shortcut. Once created, a simple mouse click will be enough to launch the command entry:

1. Right-click on the Windows desktop. Click on the menu entry “New” (1) and then click on “Shortcut” in the next context menu (2):

1. In the shortcut assistant, enter the path C:WindowsSystem32netsh.exe (1) and click on “Next” (2):

1. You should give the shortcut a suitable name (1); the shortcut will then be placed on the desktop after clicking “Finish” (2):

How Netsh works

The service program Netsh provides an extensive command syntax. If you want to complete certain tasks, you’ll need to familiarize yourself with the specific structure of the Network Shell. The structure of the service program is based on contexts that represent various administration levels. Each context encompasses a certain network functionality (e.g. IP, LAN and firewall configuration). The program uses the files of the Dynamic-Link Library (DLL) for context-bound interaction with other Windows components. For instance, Netsh utilizes Dhcpmon.dll to change and manage DHCP settings.

To use a context, it’s necessary to switch to it in the command prompt of Windows. For example, the “LAN administration” context is accessed as follows:

1. After opening the command prompt, enter “netsh” and confirm with [Enter].
2. Then enter “lan” and confirm with [Enter].
3. The command prompt will now show the context change: netsh lan>

After changing to the “LAN” context, a number of context-specific and cross-context commands will be available. The context-specific commands include “set” (which configures settings at interfaces). An example for a general and cross-context Netsh command is the help command “/?”, which lists the available sub-contexts and commands in each section. Entering it in the “LAN” section will produce the following list of context-specific and cross-context commands:

For instance, if you switch to the firewall context, the associated command reference will look like this:

Besides the context-bound structure, there are other special points to consider when using the program. Netsh can either be used in a non-interactive or interactive mode. In the non-interactive mode, for example, important network settings are exported to a text file and reimported for subsequent recovery.

In the interactive mode, direct requests can be initiated. If you enter “netsh interface ip show address”, the current IP address of the computer will be displayed. The interactive mode can be used online or offline. The online model directly implements operations, while the offline mode saves actions and runs them later. The saved actions are activated at the desired time via the Netsh command “commit”.

Netsh commands and their contexts

We’ve summarized the main Netsh commands with a short explanation of the contexts in the table below. In the case of general, cross-context commands, additional explanations are not necessary (right-hand column). Depending on the operating system version and the role in the network (client or server), the available commands may vary in some instances. The command entry on a computer with a Windows Server 2016 data center is as follows:

Syntax parameters for Netsh – what do they mean?

To implement specific actions and tasks, Netsh commands can be given optional parameters. The syntax scheme for the combination of Netsh commands and parameters is as follows:

The following parameters are all optional, so they can be added and used where needed.

Resetting the TCP/IP Stack with Netsh

A common use for Netsh commands is to reset the TCP/IP stack, which provides for the exchange of data packages in networks. In the event of network and internet issues, this measure can help to remove defective or incorrectly configured TCP/IP protocols for example. The following repair command executes a reset and re-installs TCP/IPv4:

A protocol file can also be created that logs the changes made:

After running the reset, the computer will need to be restarted.

Netsh commands can also be used in batch files (*.bat) to automate routine tasks. Find out more in our guide “Removing Batch Files”.

Importing and exporting network settings

Netsh allows you to export current network settings into a plain text file. In case of network problems, a functioning and error-free configuration can then be quickly restored.

In the first step (export), the network configuration is read out, written into a text file (netcnfig.txt)), and saved in the example directory “Network Configuration” on the C: drive. Before the first export, you’ll need to manually create the “Network Configuration” folder on the destination drive (Netsh does not perform this step automatically). Then, switch to the command prompt and enter the code below:

The following command entry is required for subsequently importing the settings:

Windows 10 also supports copy and paste in the command prompt. You can simply copy the command syntax from this article and insert it into the entry window.

IP configuration with Netsh

A prevalent use case for Netsh is changing IP settings. If a computer in the network doesn’t contain a static IP address but an automatically assigned one, the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) is used. This communication protocol automatically assigns IP addresses to clients in a network, and other required configuration data. This process takes multiple steps:

In the first step, the current settings and names of the available network adapters are requested:

Now a certain LAN adapter (in this case: Ethernet) is determined as the addressee for the IP assignment via DHCP.

Next, DHCP applies the dynamic administration for network settings that relate to the Ethernet adapter.

Activating and deactivating Windows firewall

If you wish to activate or deactivate the Windows firewall, all you need is a simple Netsh command syntax. A firewall is activated as follows:

Firewall deactivation requires the following command:

In some contexts, Windows will recommend alternatives to network administration with Netsh. Here, Windows PowerShell is often suggested and you can find an introduction to it in our Digital Guide.

Resetting the TCP/IP stack can be a useful way to clear any issues that might be preventing your computer from accessing the Internet or network. In Windows, there are lots of things that could screw up a systems TCP/IP stack and lead to connectivity issues. This is because Microsoft Windows stores most network information including the TCP/IP stack details in the registry and there are lots of ways for third party applications to modify this information.

Luckily Microsoft also implemented a way to reset the TCP/IP stack back to defaults which can clear up a variety of issues. The command to clear and reset the TCP/IP stack (on Windows XP, 7, 8 and 10) is:

The command must be run in an elevated command prompt windows (WIN+X) and it can be destructive in terms of IPv4 info set on an adapter, so…like don’t run it remotely on a server with a static IP.

But I digress. The issue I’m really getting to is related to Homegroup membership and the Windows 10 upgrade. I found that if you’re upgrading from Windows 7 to Windows 10 and the original system you’re upgrading was joined to a homegroup, then the upgraded system might have issues with the TCP/IP stack (I.e. obtaining an IP address via DHCP).

[the problem]

I spent hours troubleshooting this on several freshly upgraded systems running Windows 10 that couldn’t connect to the network because they couldn’t obtain an IP from the DHCP server. All machines exhibited the same issue and all machines were previously joined to a homegroup (not a domain). Here are the symptoms:

1. The system is upgraded from Windows 7 to Windows 10 build 1511 and works as expected but cannot obtain an IP address via Ethernet or Wi-Fi.
2. The system works normally if a static IP is assigned.
3. Resetting the TCP/IP stack results in the following information:
   netsh int ipv4 reset
   Resetting interface, OK!
   Resetting Unicast Address, OK!
   Resetting Neighbor, OK!
   Resetting Path, OK!
   Resetting , failed.
   Access is denied.Resetting , OK!
   Restart the computer to complete this action

[the solution]

Netsh Winsock Reset

In essence having had the systems joined to a homegroup somehow messed up the TCP/IP stack in windows 10 after the upgrade to the point that the system cannot obtain an IP address from DHCP. Here’s how to fix the issue:

1. Open Regedit.
2. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlNsi and expand that folder.
3. Expand the subfolder named {eb004a00-9b1a-11d4-9123-0050047759bc} and right-click the subfolder named 26. Select Permissions… and ensure that for Everyone the Full Control box is checked.
4. Press WIN+X to open a command prompt with elevated permissions. Type netsh int ip reset and hit enter. Now you should see the following results:
   Resetting , OK!Restart the computer to complete this action
5. Reboot the system.

That’s it.