Windows ipconfig /release and /renew equivalent in Linux
Releases the current DHCP IP address and requests a new one from the DHCP server.
ipconfig /release and /renew
dhclient
dhclient
dhclient
Overview
What this command does
On Windows, "ipconfig /release and /renew" is used to release and renew DHCP lease. On Linux, the closest practical mapping shown here is "dhclient". Releases the current DHCP IP address and requests a new one from the DHCP server. This reference is grouped under Networking.
Windows → Linux context
What changes when you use this on Linux?
Equivalent task, different tool
Windows ipconfig /release and /renew maps to dhclient for this task. Treat this as a workflow mapping rather than a character-for-character syntax translation.
Portable across the compared distros
The Debian/Ubuntu, Fedora and Arch rows use the same command in this mapping. Package availability or defaults can still vary, so check the installed tool version when an option behaves differently.
For the broader concept behind this mapping, read Linux networking for Windows users.
Practical tasks
Common use cases
Release and renew DHCP lease
Releases the current DHCP IP address and requests a new one from the DHCP server.
sudo dhclient -r eth0
Release DHCP lease
sudo dhclient eth0
Request new DHCP lease
nmcli dev disconnect eth0
Disconnect via NetworkManager
Ready to run
Copyable Linux commands
Review paths, device names, package names and permissions before running any command.
sudo dhclient -r eth0
sudo dhclient eth0
nmcli dev disconnect eth0
nmcli dev connect eth0
Walkthrough
Examples with explanations
# Windows: ipconfig /release && ipconfig /renew
# Direct dhclient:
sudo dhclient -r eth0 # release
sudo dhclient eth0 # renew
# Via NetworkManager (desktop):
nmcli dev disconnect eth0
nmcli dev connect eth0Reference
Common options and variations
| Command or option | Use |
|---|---|
sudo dhclient -r eth0 | Release DHCP lease |
sudo dhclient eth0 | Request new DHCP lease |
nmcli dev disconnect eth0 | Disconnect via NetworkManager |
nmcli dev connect eth0 | Reconnect via NetworkManager |
Distro differences
Debian/Ubuntu vs Fedora vs Arch
Debian/Ubuntu, Fedora and Arch all use "dhclient" for this mapping. The command syntax shown here is portable across the three rows, although installed versions and system defaults can still vary.
| Distribution | Package manager / base | Equivalent command | Difference to notice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian/Ubuntu | same command | dhclient |
Same command on this distribution. |
| Fedora | same command | dhclient |
Same command on this distribution. |
| Arch | same command | dhclient |
Same command on this distribution. |
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