Configuring Windows with NetShell

Article from ADMIN 10/2012

By Eric Amberg

Windows networks can be configured from a graphical interface, but if you want to explore all the functions, try using NetShell at the command line to configure TCP/IP stack parameters and network services.

NetShell has been an integral part of every version of Windows since Windows 2000. It is based on a core program that can be extended with NetShell helpers. These helpers are libraries (DLL files) that can in turn be extended using the NetShell API. Among other tasks, NetShell lets you:

Configure network interfaces
Configure Windows Firewall
Display various network parameters
Configure network services
Configure IPv6

NetShell is available on both client and server variants of Windows. In some cases, if an additional network service, such as DHCP, is installed on a Windows Server, Windows provides a corresponding NetShell helper to let you control the service via NetShell.

A Question of Context

NetShell [1] can be used in two ways: On the one hand, you can call each NetShell command in a separate line. This method is useful in batch scripts, for example. Alternatively, NetShell offers an interactive environment in which you can enter commands. This variant provides comprehensive help to make sure that newcomers can find their way around. To enter this environment, type

netsh

at the command prompt. On Windows Vista and Windows 7, note that the command prompt must be launched with administrator privileges if you want to change the system configuration in NetShell.

NetShell is based on contexts that represent the individual NetShell helpers. Each context refers to a specific network functionality, such as IP, firewall, IPsec, or DHCP client configuration. Figure 1 shows the output of the Help function, which can be called at any time by typing a question mark (?).

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