IP address conflict problems are not difficult to fix; But this can be confusing, especially for those with limited network information.
If you have not previously encountered the message “Windows has detected an IP address conflict” (Windows has detected an IP address conflict) or “another computer on this network has the same IP address” (another computer on this network has a similar IP address) Be, you may be surprised to see it and do not know the cause. While IP conflict problems are not usually difficult to fix; But this can be confusing, especially for those with limited network information.
In this article, we will look at IP address conflict and how to resolve it and see if two devices can have the same IP address.
What is IP Address conflict?
IP address conflict occurs when an IP address is assigned to two or more devices on a network. To explain why this is a problem, we need to take a step back and look at what IP addresses are for and what they do.
Like the physical address of a home that is needed to receive mail, IP addresses act as a way to identify your computer on the network. Your router uses IP addresses to direct network traffic to the device. It is because of these settings that no two devices can have the same IP address on the same network. If this happens, the network will be confused with duplicate IP addresses and will not be able to use them properly. If two houses on the same street have the same license plate, the mailman will not be able to find the correct address to deliver the letter. The same is true for your home network. Note that we are only talking about private IP addresses here, which refer to the addresses used in your network. All your network devices on the Internet are identified by public IPs, which of course are not relevant to the discussion of IP conflict.
How does IP address conflict occur?
It can be said that IP conflict is almost rare in modern home networks. This is because of DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol). DHCP is a system that routers use to provide IP addresses. DIOCCIP dynamically addresses and configures hosts on the network with the task of IP allocation.
When you connect a new device to your network, your router uses DHCP to select an existing IP address from a range of possible options. The device uses this IP for a while (until the lease expires) and then has to receive a new IP from the router.
No two devices should ever receive the same IP address unless your router is faulty. The router knows which IP addresses are currently in use, so it does not reassign them to another device.
IP conflict usually occurs when fixed IPs are involved. When you assign static IP addresses to your network, instead of DHCP automatically selecting an IP address for all devices, you can assign a dedicated IP to a network device to use forever.
If you mistakenly assign a fixed address to two devices, you will encounter a duplicate IP error. If you set up a device that uses a static IP without reserving that address on your router, you may still have this problem. Because eventually your router will try to give that address to another device and this will cause IP conflict.
If you have two DHCP servers on your network (which you should avoid), another IP conflict scenario may occur. For example, if you connect your wireless router to a modem or ISP router, both devices may provide duplicate IP addresses if they try to act as routers.
When a device goes online again after being in standby mode, you can introduce duplicate IPs to your network.
For example, suppose you want to hibernate your laptop for two weeks. During this time, your router may call up the laptop’s IP address and assign it to another device, such as your phone. When you turn on the laptop again, the laptop may think that it still has that IP address. This will cause the IP to conflict with your phone.
Also, if you put your computer in standby mode on another network that uses the same set of IPs, and then bring it home and reconnect it to your network, an error occurs if the assigned IP is already in use. You will see an IP conflict.
IP Address conflict Tutorial
As with all home network troubleshooting, the first step you need to take to fix a recurring IP problem is to restart and restart your network system and equipment.
An IP address error may be a small issue that can be fixed by restarting once. Restarting the router and modem (if they are separate devices) causes all IP addresses to be assigned via DHCP.
If the system and equipment reboot does not work, the problem is a little deeper. Next, you need to check if your computer uses a fixed IP address.
Troubleshoot duplicate IP addresses in Windows
To do this in Windows, open the settings and go to Network & Internet> Status. In this menu, click Change adapter options, then in the new window, double-click on your network connection name.
In the window that opens, click Properties and then double-click Internet Protocol Version 4 . Here you have to select the Obtain an IP address automatically option and click OK.
Repeat these steps for Internet Protocol Version 6 and then check to see if the problem is resolved.
You should also try to get your current computer’s the free IP address and get a new one. You can do this by restarting the equipment, But it is not bad to try the following method.
To do this, right-click the Start button (or press Win + X ) and select Command Prompt or Windows PowerShell.
In the terminal window, type the following command to release your current IP address, then press Enter:
| ipconfig /release |
Then use the following command to get the new IP address from the router:
ipconfig /renew |
Fix IP conflict on Mac
On your Mac, you can find IP address options in Apple> System Preferences> Network. Select the type of connection you are using from the left, then click Advanced.
On the next screen, select the TCP / IP tab. If the box Configure IPv4 on Manually set it to Using DHCP change. Also, check that Configure IPv6 is set to Automatically if it is not disabled. Finally, click OK.
Click the Renew DHCP Lease button on the right side of the page to refresh your current IP on a Mac .
Check your router for IP conflict
If the above steps do not resolve the issue, you should log in to your router management page and take a look at the connected devices. How to do this depends on the router model; Therefore, we can not provide exact instructions in this case. You will typically find a list of connected devices under the section entitled Attached Devices, Connected Devices, My Network. Take a look at the devices to see if there are duplicate IP addresses.
To help limit this, you can check your computer’s IP address by typing ipconfig in the Windows command line or ifconfig in the Mac terminal. This will allow you to identify the duplicate IP address and easily search for it.
If you find two devices with the same address, delete the fixed IP address settings or refresh their IPs in your router to fix the conflict problem.
In general, you should not worry about static IPs for simple home settings, so it is best to let the router handle all of this. If for some reason you need to reserve an IP address, make sure the address is set on your router to avoid conflict.
Update your router operating system
A faulty router can cause continuous IP conflict without warning. If you still get IP address errors even after performing the above troubleshooting, you should upgrade your router firmware.
The exact steps depend on your router model. You will usually find the Firmware Update option when you log in to your router admin panel. This option may be in the Advanced or Tools menu.
While some routers allow you to update the firmware automatically through the admin panel, others require you to download a file from the manufacturer and upload it to your router. Check your router manufacturer’s website for further assistance.
Now you know what IP address conflict is, how two devices can get the same IP address, and how to resolve duplicate IP conflict. Often this is not the case with home networks unless you have a fixed IP. If you have a recurring IP problem, you can usually resolve the issue by setting up IP allocation via DHCP for all devices.
We hope you find this tutorial interesting. Share your experience and views on IP address conflict issues with us and Wironal users.
