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Describe the function of the ipconfig command in a command prompt.

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The ipconfig command is a command-line utility used in Windows operating systems to display and manage network-related information for a computer. It provides detailed information about the computer's TCP/IP configuration, including IP address, subnet mask, default gateway, and DNS servers. Here's a technical breakdown of its main functions:

  1. Displaying Basic Configuration:
    • ipconfig without any parameters displays basic information about all active network interfaces on the system.
    • IPv4 Address: The IP address assigned to each network interface.
    • Subnet Mask: Defines the network's boundaries and separates the host and network portions of the IP address.
    • Default Gateway: The IP address of the router that connects the local network to external networks (such as the Internet).
  2. Renewing or Releasing DHCP Lease:
    • ipconfig /renew: Renews the DHCP lease for all network interfaces, obtaining a new set of IP configurations from the DHCP server.
    • ipconfig /release: Releases the DHCP lease for all network interfaces, effectively disconnecting from the network until a new lease is obtained.
  3. Flushing DNS Cache:
    • ipconfig /flushdns: Clears the local DNS resolver cache, which stores recently resolved IP addresses and domain names. Useful for troubleshooting DNS-related issues.
  4. Displaying Detailed Configuration:
    • ipconfig /all: Shows detailed information about all network interfaces, including physical addresses (MAC addresses), DHCP settings, DNS servers, and more.
  5. Displaying DNS-related Information:
    • ipconfig /displaydns: Shows the contents of the DNS resolver cache, listing recently resolved DNS queries along with their time-to-live (TTL) values.
    • ipconfig /registerdns: Refreshes all DHCP leases and re-registers DNS names with the DNS server.
  6. Displaying DHCP Configuration:
    • ipconfig /showclassid: Displays the DHCP class ID for all network interfaces.
    • ipconfig /setclassid: Configures the DHCP class ID for a specific network interface.
  7. Checking for Media Disconnected:
    • ipconfig /allcompartments /all: Displays detailed information about all network interfaces, including those that are disconnected.