WMI Tasks: Networking

WMI tasks for networking manage and obtain information about connections and IP or MAC addresses. For other examples, see the TechNet ScriptCenter at http://www.microsoft.com/technet.

The script examples shown in this topic obtain data only from the local computer. For more information about how to use the script to obtain data from remote computers, see Connecting to WMI on a Remote Computer.

The following procedure describes how to run a script.

Aa394595.wedge(en-us,VS.85).gifTo run a script

  1. Copy the code and save it in a file with a .vbs extension. Ensure that your text editor does not add a .txt extension to the file.
  2. Open a command prompt window and navigate to the directory where you saved the file.
  3. Type cscript scriptfile.vbs at the command prompt.

Note  By default, cscript displays the output of a script in the command prompt window. Because WMI scripts can produce large amounts of output, you might want to redirect the output to a file. Type cscript scriptfile.vbs > outfile.txt at the command prompt to redirect the output of the filename.vbs script to outfile.txt.

The following table lists script examples that can be used to obtain various types of data from the local computer.

How do I...WMI classes or methods
...disable a network connection using WMI? If you are using DHCP, use the Win32_NetworkAdapterConfiguration and the ReleaseDHCPLease method to release the IP address. If you are not using DHCP, you cannot use WMI to disable a network connection. To re-enable the network connection, use objNetCard.RenewDHCPLease. You can also release or renew all of the DHCP leases using the ReleaseDHCPLeaseAll and RenewDHCPLeaseAll methods. 

strComputer = "."
Set objWMIService = GetObject( _
    "winmgmts:\\" & strComputer & "\root\cimv2")
Set colNetCards = objWMIService.ExecQuery _
    ("Select * From Win32_NetworkAdapterConfiguration " _
        & "Where IPEnabled = True")
For Each objNetCard in colNetCards
    objNetCard.ReleaseDHCPLease()
Next
...disable or enable a NIC?Use the Win32_NetworkAdapter class and the Disable or Enable methods.
...determine which IP address has been assigned to a given network connection?Use the Win32_NetworkAdapter class and the NetConnectionID property to determine the MAC address of the network connection. Then, use the Win32_NetworkAdapterConfiguration class to find the IP address associated with the MAC address.
Windows 2000:  The NetConnectionID property is not available. See the following example for a way to get the IP address on earlier systems.

strComputer = "."
Set objWMIService = GetObject(_
    "winmgmts:\\" & strComputer & "\root\cimv2")
Set colItems = objWMIService.ExecQuery _
    ("Select * From Win32_NetworkAdapter " _
        & "Where NetConnectionID = " & _
        "'Local Area Connection 2'")

For Each objItem in colItems
    strMACAddress = objItem.MACAddress
Next

Set colItems = objWMIService.ExecQuery _
    ("Select * From Win32_NetworkAdapterConfiguration")

For Each objItem in colItems
    If objItem.MACAddress = strMACAddress Then
        For Each strIPAddress in objItem.IPAddress
            Wscript.Echo "IP Address: " &  strIPAddress
        Next
    End If
Next
Windows 2000:   You can get the IP address by using the Win32_NetworkAdapterSetting association class:

strComputer = "."
Set objWMIService = GetObject( _
    "winmgmts:\\" & strComputer & "\root\cimv2")
Set colNics = objWMIService.ExecQuery _
    ("Select * From Win32_NetworkAdapter " _
        & "Where NetConnectionID = " & _
        "'Local Area Connection'")
 
For Each objNic in colNics
    Set colNicConfigs = objWMIService.ExecQuery _
      ("ASSOCIATORS OF " _
          & "{Win32_NetworkAdapter.DeviceID='" & _
      objNic.DeviceID & "'}" & _
      " WHERE AssocClass=Win32_NetworkAdapterSetting")
    For Each objNicConfig In colNicConfigs
        For Each strIPAddress in objNicConfig.IPAddress
            Wscript.Echo "IP Address: " &  strIPAddress
        Next
    Next
Next
...determine the MAC address of a network adapter? Use the Win32_NetworkAdapterConfiguration class and check the value of the MACAddress property.
...determine the IP address of a computer?Use the Win32_NetworkAdapterConfiguration class and check the value of the IPAddress property. This is returned as an array, so use a For-Each loop to get the value.

strComputer = "."
Set objWMIService = GetObject( _ 
    "winmgmts:\\" & strComputer & "\root\cimv2")
Set IPConfigSet = objWMIService.ExecQuery _
    ("Select IPAddress from Win32_NetworkAdapterConfiguration ")
 
For Each IPConfig in IPConfigSet
    If Not IsNull(IPConfig.IPAddress) Then 
        For i=LBound(IPConfig.IPAddress) _
            to UBound(IPConfig.IPAddress)
                WScript.Echo IPConfig.IPAddress(i)
        Next
    End If
Next
...configure a computer to start getting its IP address through DHCP?Use the Win32_NetworkAdapterConfiguration class and the EnableDHCP method.

strComputer = "."
Set objWMIService = GetObject(_
    "winmgmts:\\" & strComputer & "\root\cimv2")
Set colNetAdapters = objWMIService.ExecQuery _
    ("Select * from Win32_NetworkAdapterConfiguration " _
        & "where IPEnabled=TRUE")
 
For Each objNetAdapter In colNetAdapters
    errEnable = objNetAdapter.EnableDHCP()
Next
...assign a computer a static IP address?Use the Win32_NetworkAdapterConfiguration class and the EnableStatic method.

strComputer = "."
Set objWMIService = GetObject( _
    "winmgmts:\\" & strComputer & "\root\cimv2")
Set colNetAdapters = objWMIService.ExecQuery _
    ("Select * from Win32_NetworkAdapterConfiguration " _
        & "where IPEnabled=TRUE")
strIPAddress = Array("192.168.1.141")
strSubnetMask = Array("255.255.255.0")
strGateway = Array("192.168.1.100")
strGatewayMetric = Array(1)
 
For Each objNetAdapter in colNetAdapters
    errEnable = objNetAdapter.EnableStatic( _
        strIPAddress, strSubnetMask)
    errGateways = objNetAdapter.SetGateways(_
        strGateway, strGatewaymetric)
Next
...get information about network adapters without also retrieving information about things like RAS and VPN connections?Use the Win32_NetworkAdapterConfiguration class. In your WQL query, use this clause: Where IPEnabled = True. 

strComputer = "."
Set objWMIService = GetObject( _
    "winmgmts:\\" & strComputer & "\root\cimv2")
Set IPConfigSet = objWMIService.ExecQuery _
    ("Select IPAddress from Win32_NetworkAdapterConfiguration" _
        & " where IPEnabled=TRUE")
 
For Each IPConfig in IPConfigSet
    If Not IsNull(IPConfig.IPAddress) Then 
        For i=LBound(IPConfig.IPAddress) _
        to UBound(IPConfig.IPAddress)
            WScript.Echo IPConfig.IPAddress(i)
        Next
    End If
Next
...ping a computer without using Ping.exe?Use the Win32_PingStatus class.

Starting with Windows Vista, Win32_PingStatus can return data for computers that have both IPv4 addresses and IPv6 addresses.

Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP:  Win32_PingStatus returns data only for computers running IPv4. For more information, see IPv6 and IPv4 Support in WMI.
Windows 2000:  Win32_PingStatus is not available. In earlier operating systems, you can determine if a computer is online by using the method illustrated in the following example.

strComputer = "."
Set objWMIService = GetObject(_ 
    "winmgmts:\\" & strComputer & "\root\cimv2")
Set colPings = objWMIService.ExecQuery _
    ("Select * From Win32_PingStatus where Address = '192.168.1.1'")

For Each objStatus in colPings
    If IsNull(objStatus.StatusCode) _
        or objStatus.StatusCode<>0 Then 
        WScript.Echo "Computer did not respond." 
    Else
        Wscript.Echo "Computer responded."
    End If
Next
Windows 2000:  You can determine if a computer is online by using a Windows Script Host (WSH) WSHShell object.

strComputer = "client1"
Set objShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
Set objScriptExec = objShell.Exec( _
    "ping -n 2 -w 1000 " & strComputer)
strPingResults = LCase(objScriptExec.StdOut.ReadAll)
If InStr(strPingResults, "reply from") Then
    If InStr(strPingResults, "destination net unreachable") Then
        WScript.Echo strComputer & "did not respond to ping."
    Else
        WScript.Echo strComputer & " responded to ping."
    End If 
Else
    WScript.Echo strComputer & " did not respond to ping."
End If

 

See Also

WMI Tasks for Scripts and Applications
WMI C++ Application Examples
TechNet ScriptCenter

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Build date: 11/3/2009

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Community Content

Thomas Lee
Error in Sample 3
The title to the second part of sample 3 is incorrect. The first part of the sample shows how to get IP addreses for Win2k and earlier, the second bit is meant to show how to get you IP addresses for XP, Server 2003 and later.
Tags : contentbug

Thomas Lee
Sample 3(b) Recoded in PowerShell
<#
.SYNOPSIS
    Gets and displays the IP address of a computer
.DESCRIPTION
    This script uses Win32_NetworkAdapterConfiguration to
    obtain, then display, a system's IP addresses.
    NB: this only works on XP or later versions of Windows.
.NOTES
    File Name : Get-IPAddress.ps1
    Author : Thomas Lee - tfl@psp.co.uk
    Requires : PowerShell V2 CTP3
.LINK
    Script postesd to:
    http://www.pshscripts.blogspot.com/
    MSDN Sample at:
    http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa394590(VS.85).aspx
.EXAMPLE
    [ps] c:\foo> .\Get-IPAddress.ps1
    IP Address   : 10.10.1.115
    IP Address   : fe80::3953:f67b:2f1c:1323
    IP Address   : 10.10.1.120
    IP Address   : fe80::d8ed:afe2:2a97:a596
    4 IP addresses found on this system
#>
  
###
# Start of Script
##
  
# Get Networking Adapter Configuration
$Computer = "."
$IPconfigset = Get-WmiObject Win32_NetworkAdapterConfiguration
  
# Iterate and get IP address
$count = 0
foreach ($IPConfig in $IPConfigSet) {
   if ($Ipconfig.IPaddress) {
      foreach ($addr in $Ipconfig.Ipaddress) {
   "IP Address   : {0}" -f  $addr;
   $count++ 
   }
   }
}
if ($count -eq 0) {"No IP addresses found"}
else {"$Count IP addresses found on this system"}
#End of Script

Thomas Lee
Sample 1 - recoded in PowerShell
<#
.SYNOPSIS
    Disables active network cards
.DESCRIPTION
    This script looks at each network card that is currently IP enabled, and
    disables it by releasing the DHCP Lease. To re-enable the network interrace,
    you just run IPCONFIG /RENEW.
 
 This script is an MSDN Sample, rewritten using PowerShell
.NOTES
    File Name  : Disable-NetworkCard.ps1
    Author     : Thomas Lee - tfl@psp.co.uk
    Requires   : PowerShell V2 CTP3
.LINK
    PowerShell script posted to:
       http://www.pshscripts.blogspot.com/
    Original MSDN Sample at:
       http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa394595(VS.85).aspx
.EXAMPLE
    PSH [C:\foo]: .\Disable-NetworkCard.ps1
    Releasing lease on: [00000006] Broadcom NetXtreme Gigabit Ethernet
    Releasing lease on: [00000012] Microsoft Virtual Network switch Adapte
#>
  
###
#  Starting Script
###
 
$Computer = "."
$net = Get-WMIObject -class Win32_NetworkAdapterConfiguration -ComputerName $computer
$netenabled = $net | where {$_.IPenabled}
foreach ($NetCard in $netenabled) {
    "Releasing lease on: {0}" -f $netcard.caption
 $netcard.ReleaseDHCPLease()
}
# End of Script

Thomas Lee
Win32_PingStatus with PowerShell
To see the use of Win32_PingStatus with PowerShell - see http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa394350(VS.85).aspx

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