for Microsoft Windows 10 Consumers, there are 12 basic network commands you should know and be ready to use when the occasion arises. Some of these commands have equivalents in the Windows 10 GUI, but for many, the command line structure is more efficient and effective.
In this how-to tutorial, we list 10 basic Windows 10 network commands that users should be able to use to troubleshoot network connection issues.
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Windows 10 Network Commands Everyone Should Know
The fastest way to access the Command Prompt in Windows 10 is to use the Windows Key + R keyboard combination to access the Run dialog box. Type “cmd” and press Enter to load the command prompt.
1. Ping
Of all the Windows 10 network commands, ping is probably the one that everyone knows about and has used before. The ping command allows you to test the accessibility of a device on the network. Pinging the host should return four data packets. If data packets are not returned, you know there is a problem with your network connection.
To run the basic command, at the prompt, type:
Ping [host]
where [host] A common host is the name or IP address of a server (google.com, techrepublic.com, etc.). The example below shows what happens when we ping the TechRepublic server.
For a more advanced look at the ping command and its variables and switches, see the Microsoft documentation.
2. IPConfig
The IPConfig command is one of the most useful basic Windows network commands that everyone should know and use to troubleshoot problems. The IPConfig command displays basic IP address configuration information for the Windows device you are working on. In fact, the command will display information for every network adapter that is installed on your Windows 10 computer.
To run the basic command, at the prompt, type:
ipconfig
Common information includes IP addresses for both IPv4 and IPv6, default gateway, and subnet mask. Adding the /all parameter to the command will display DNS server information and details about IP address leases.
Check out the Microsoft documentation for a more advanced look ip config command and its variables and switches.
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3. Getmac
Every network-capable device on the Internet has a unique identification number called its MAC address. The number is assigned during manufacturing and is set into the device’s hardware. Using the getmac command, a user can determine the MAC address of their various network devices. Some administrators will use unique MAC addresses of devices to limit what can and cannot connect to the network.
To run the basic command, at the prompt, type:
getmac
Check out the Microsoft documentation for a more advanced look Getmac command and its variables and switches.
4. Hostname
The Windows 10 HostName network command will easily display the current name of your Windows 10 computer. This is the name your computer uses to identify itself to other devices and servers on your local network. You can find this name in the System Information screen in the GUI, but this command is faster.
To run the basic command, at the prompt, type:
hostname
Check out the Microsoft documentation for a more advanced look HostName command and its variables and switches.
5. NSLookUp
The NSLookUp Windows 10 network command displays information you can use to diagnose the domain name system infrastructure. Using NSLookUp without parameters will show the DNS server your PC uses to resolve domain names to IP addresses. As you can see below, I am using Google’s DNS service because the server provided by my ISP is slow and prone to crashing.
To run the basic command, at the prompt, type:
nslookup
Check out the Microsoft documentation for a more advanced look The NSLookUp command and its variables and switches.
6. Tracer
Another handy tool to troubleshoot network connections in Windows 10 is the Tracert command. This command will trace the path of a data packet before it reaches its destination, displaying information at each hop along the way. Each hop in the route will show the delay between your device and that particular hop and the hop’s IP address, as shown below.
To run the basic command, at the prompt, type:
tracert [host]
where [host] A common host is the name or IP address of a server (google.com, techrepublic.com, etc.).
Check out the Microsoft documentation for a more advanced look tracert command and its variables and switches.
7. Net State
The netstat command displays active TCP connections, ports on which the computer is listening, Ethernet statistics, IP routing table, IPv4 statistics, and IPv6 statistics. When used without parameters, this command displays active TCP connections. The information this command provides can be useful in identifying problems with your network connection.
To run the basic command, at the prompt, type:
netstat
Check out the Microsoft documentation for a more advanced look Netstat command and its variables and switches.
8. Arp
The Windows 10 network command displays entries in the Arp Address Resolution Protocol cache, which contains one or more tables used to store IP addresses and their resolved Ethernet physical addresses. To get useful information from the Arp command, you must provide a parameter. The most common parameter is /a, which displays the current Arp cache tables for all interfaces.
To run the basic command, at the prompt, type:
arp /a
Check out the Microsoft documentation for a more advanced look RP command and its variables and switches.
9. Path Ping
Typically, the Windows 10 network command combines the path ping ping command with the tracert command, which provides information about network latency and network loss on intermediate hops between a source and destination. As you can see below, the PathPing command provides much more detail than ping or tracert provides, such as latency reports and packet loss statistics.
To run the basic command, at the prompt, type:
pathping [host]
where [host] A common host is the name or IP address of a server (google.com, techrepublic.com, etc.).
Check out the Microsoft documentation for a more advanced look The path ping command and its variables and switches.
10. System Information
The SystemInfo command displays a detailed list of configuration information about your Windows 10 PC. The information entered by this command is too long to mention in full. Still, it includes the installed version of Windows 10, hostname, product ID, type and number of CPUs, RAM configuration, network card details, and installed hotfixes.
To run the basic command, at the prompt, type:
systeminfo
Check out the Microsoft documentation for a more advanced look System info command and its variables and switches.
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11. Nbtstat
The nbtstat command displays NetBIOS statistics and current TCP/IP connections using the TCP/IP protocol, NetBIOS name tables, and the NetBIOS name cache. NetBIOS over TCP/IP enables legacy applications and services that rely on the NetBIOS API to operate over modern TCP/IP networks. The command is useful for diagnosing NetBIOS name resolution problems.
To run the basic command, at the prompt, type:
nbtstat
Check out the Microsoft documentation for a more advanced look Nbtstat command and its variables and switches.
12. Netesh
Finally, the Netsh (Network Shell) command is a network administration tool that allows you to display or modify the network configuration of a running computer. It supports tasks such as managing network interfaces, configuring firewall settings, configuring wireless profiles, and troubleshooting connectivity issues. command launches an interactive shell where you can issue various networking commands.
To run the basic command, at the prompt, type:
netsh
For a more advanced look at the Netsh command, see Microsoft Docs
There are more advanced Windows 10 network commands available that can help you troubleshoot network issues, but they are beyond the scope of this article. However, the basic commands described should help you narrow your problem down to just a few possibilities and find a solution.