IP Address Conflict

An IP address, or Internet Protocol address, is a label that consists of a string of numbers that is assigned to any computer or device that is attached to a computer network or the Internet. The main reasons that IP addresses are assigned is that it gives a name to each device attached to the network or Internet and allows the location to be addressed.

When you receive an IP address conflict error message, it means that an IP address has been assigned to two or more computers or devices attached to the network or Internet at the same time. When this occurs only one of the computers or devices will be able to access the network or Internet.

While this can be frustrating for the user who cannot access the network or Internet, it is quite easy to fix, all you need to do is release and renew your IP address by completing the following steps:

1. From the Start menu in Windows, open the Command Prompt.
2. Enter ipconfig in this window to determine if you have been assigned an IP address and if your computer is holding it.
3. If an IP address is listed, type ipconfig/release to clear the address.
4. Next, type ipconfig/renew to have a new IP address assigned. (Complete this step whether an IP address was listed for your computer or not.)