How to Statically Change IP Address, Subnet Mask, and Confirm You Can Still Send and Receive Packets. How to Enable DHCP and Communicate on a Network. How to Create and Use an Ad-hoc

This is a basic guide on how to change certain network features on your computer. This tutorial will be done in Windows 10 for convenience use.

Step 1: How to Statically Change an IP Address and Subnet Mask

Changing one is very simple. All you need is Control Panel and Command Prompt (will be referred as cmd from now on).

Step 2: Opening Up Pop-up on the Taskbar

Right click on the Wi-Fi/Network icon.

Step 3: Click on Open Network and Sharing Center

Step 4: Changing Adapter Settings

In the Network and Sharing Center Area there is a blue link to change adapter settings. Click on that.

Step 5: Right Click on the Ethernet Option

Right click on it and select Properties.

Step 6: Click on the IPv4 Option and Click Properties

Click on the IPv4 Section and click properties.

Can click on the option in the Center and get the first picture instead.

Step 7: Select the "Use the Following IP Address:"

Type in the numbers for the IP address you wish to change to. There are four octets and different number for the octets signify different areas on the IP addresses. If you don't know which one you want, look it up because there are both public and private IP addresses and also reserved sections not used.

Step 8: If Needed, Changing the Subnet Mask

The subnet mask is just below the IP address that can be changed. Needs four octets like the IP address. Can use zeroes in it though.

Pop-up on the picture.

Step 9: Testing to See If You Can Still Send and Recieve Packets (Hint: You Should Still Be Able To)

Click Windows tab in bottom right of the taskbar. Type in cmd and right click on it. Select "Run as administrator". When the cmd opens, type in ipconfig. See the results. Type in ping ###.###.###.### (# being your numbers to input in to ping another machine). Should say that there were four sent and four received.

Step 10: Obtaining a DHCP and Communicating on a Network

Go through steps of changing and IPv4 connection statically until getting to step nine. Then it changes at step nine, but is still similar to it.

Step 11: Set to Automatically Obtain "DNS Server Address Automatically"

Click option to set it to automatic.

Step 12: Open Cmd and Ping Another Machine

Step 13: Ad-hocing

Step 14: Connect a Wifi Adapter of Some Kind

Can be USB or anything that gives Wi-Fi.

Step 15: Start Setting Up the Network by Showing Drivers

Type in 'netsh wlan show drivers' and you will get a long list of text.

Step 16: Setting Up the Network Mode, Name, and Password

Type in 'netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode = allow SSID = ******* key = ******** '

Asterisks/stars are what user inputs that they wish the name and password is.

Step 17: Starting the Network

Type in 'netsh wlan start hostenetwork'.

Will get a response in return that says you started it.

Step 18: Connect Another User to the Network

Adding another user is easy. Have another machine connect to the Network that was just created like anytime you try to connect to a network.

For this picture I had to connect to it by adding name and password myself through Hidden Network, but it will show up there if done properly.

Step 19: Ping Each Other's Machines

This is to make sure that the other machine is on the network. Once they both have a reply then the machine that is connected can use the network.

Step 20: Footnotes: Anything You Should Know Before Attempting This

1.) Know the vocabulary when researching how to do these three things

2.) It's okay to research things that you don't know

3.) If you are in the cmd and says something that does not look like the pinging that was in the picture before, that has to do with the network or a computer on the network. Usually it's because the user did something wrong or because of default values (i.e. firewall is up), not the network.

4.) Make sure you follow the directions carefully when doing the tasks because (especially in ad-hocing) it can be easy to mess up. This includes typing in something wrong in cmd and it does nothing or gives a error message.

5.) Do not get mad at an error occurring. All that means is something went wrong, so fix it. It also could be showing that you should try a different way.

6.) When implementing these steps, you need either an Ethernet cord/cable or something that uses Wi-Fi (i.e. adapter, dongle, USB, etc.)

6. cont.) If you are using an Ethernet cord/cable, make sure that the cord/cable is fully connected on both ends.

6. cont.) If you are using something for the Wi-Fi, make sure that it is screwed in, fully connected, or whatever else that is being used for Wi-Fi.

Note: Step 0,1, and 14 images are not my own. They are from google images when searching for cmd, control panel, and wifi adapter.