What Is a Static IP and How to Set It Up on Windows
The real difference between the local IP (free, in 2 minutes) and the public IP (a provider service).
First of all, a clarification many guides mix up without meaning to, and that completely changes what you need to do: there are two different things called "static IP", and you probably only care about one of them.
Local static IP (the one you're probably after):
the address your PC has within your own home network (something like
192.168.1.50). You set it up yourself, for free, in a
couple of minutes, from Windows itself. It's what you need to share a
printer or always access the same device at home.
Static public IP: the address your entire household
identifies itself with facing the internet. This isn't set up in
Windows — you need to contract it with your internet provider, and
it's only needed for specific cases (hosting your own server that's
genuinely accessible from outside, for example).
The rest of this article is about the first one — the local one, which is what almost everyone actually needs.
Why you might need it
- Sharing a printer on the network reliably.
- Always accessing the same device (a NAS, a Raspberry Pi) without having to look up its IP every time.
- Setting up the firewall or network rules that depend on a specific IP.
Before setting it up: note down your router's range
Log into your router's panel (usually 192.168.1.1)
and look for the DHCP section — there you'll see what range of
addresses it assigns automatically. Your static IP needs to fall
outside that range, so it doesn't clash with a device
that receives that same address automatically.
Setting it up on Windows
- Settings → Network & internet → Wi-Fi or Ethernet (depending on your connection).
- Look for "Hardware properties" or similar → "Edit" next to "IP assignment".
- Change from "Automatic (DHCP)" to "Manual".
- Turn on IPv4 and fill in: IP address (outside the DHCP range),
subnet mask (usually
255.255.255.0), gateway (your router's IP) and DNS. - Save.
Tip: for DNS, you can use the same ones as your
router (leave it as it was) or well-known public ones, like
8.8.8.8 (Google). It isn't mandatory to change it, just
an option.
The more robust alternative: DHCP reservation on the router
Instead of setting the fixed IP inside Windows, many routers let you "reserve" the same address for a specific device, identifying it by its MAC address. It has a real advantage: it survives a full Windows reinstall, because the setting lives on the router, not on your PC.
Warning: if you choose an IP already in use by another device, you'll get network conflicts (neither one will be able to connect normally) until you fix it. Always check the DHCP range before choosing the address.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to contact my internet provider to have a static IP?
Only if you need a static public IP (to host a server accessible from outside your home). For the most common use — your PC always having the same address within your own network — no, it's set up for free in Windows itself.
Can I choose any number for my static IP?
Not just any — it needs to be outside the range your router hands out automatically via DHCP, and within your network's same general range (usually starting with the same first three numbers as your router).
What happens if I choose an IP that's already in use?
A network conflict occurs: neither device with that same address will be able to connect normally until you change one of the two to a different address.