SET Network Parameters with IPCONFIG and Text Files

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Introduction

Using the /ALL option, it is possible to save the network parameters to a text file and subsequently reread it to set these parameters again on another PC or on the same one during configuration. We know how difficult it is for administrators of small networks to keep track of the network parameters for all the computers on the network. Obviously, there are software out there that promise and perhaps keep their word to manage the network correctly without wasting time. Unfortunately, in some situations, there is not enough money to spend on this problem, a solution could be to save the network parameters in files, which if managed with the IPCONFIG command, should at least be homogeneous for all computers. Reading and setting network parameters with a text file is both simple and fast. And then, I think all the computer scientists involved know IPCONFIG at least in its basic options.

Method

The method used is text recognition because I believe it is the easiest to implement, in all languages. Furthermore, the recognition of WORD ASSOCIATIONS gives me an advantage in the case in which a text file in a different language such as English and French is treated and read, because within a file saved with IPCONFIG /ALL > IPCONFIG.TXT, there are always the same words in all languages, only translated: Subnet or Passarelle for example.

Using the Code

For the subsequent application of the network parameters, it is appropriate to specify that there are various methods, but I think it is simpler to use the Win32_Management class for the IP, the Subnet Mask, the Gateway. To change the DNS, you can use NETSH. To set a new computer network name (Hostname), a restart is mandatory and therefore it was done with a Batch file.

Declaring variables for the network parameters:

...
Dim IPAddress As String = "" '192.168.1.6
Dim SubnetMask As String = "" '255.255.255.0
Dim Gateway As String = ""  '192.168.1.1 

'IP
Dim nomeHost As String = "" 'NBPGCBCBxxxxx
Dim SuffissoDNSprimario = "" 'domain
Dim ElencodiricercasuffissiDNS = "" 'domain

'Universal
Dim universal = 0 
...

To begin, we recognize the IPCONFIG macro categories with this code in the case of a known language:

If universal = 0 Then
    If strLine.Contains("Configurazione IP di Windows") Then
        ConfigValido = 1
    End If
    If strLine.Contains("Scheda Ethernet Ethernet:") Then
        Ethernet = 1
    End If
    If strLine.Contains("Scheda LAN wireless Wi-Fi:") Then
        WIFI = 1
        Ethernet = 0
    End If
    If strLine.Contains("Scheda Ethernet Connessione di rete Bluetooth:") Then
        BlueTooth = 1
        WIFI = 0
        Ethernet = 0
    End If

And with this routine in the case of associative transcendental reading:

 ElseIf universal = 1 Then
     'Universal reading with words associations
     If strLine.Contains("Windows") AndAlso strLine.Contains("IP") Then
         ConfigValido = 1
     End If
     If strLine.Contains("Ethernet") AndAlso (strLine.Contains("Adapter") _
                Or strLine.Contains("adapter") Or strLine.Contains("Carte")) Then
         Ethernet = 1
     End If
     If strLine.Contains("Wireless") Or strLine.Contains("Wi-Fi") Then
         WIFI = 1
         Ethernet = 0
     End If
     If strLine.Contains("Bluetooth") Then
         BlueTooth = 1
         WIFI = 0
         Ethernet = 0
     End If

The next step is to determine the network parameters saved in the file in the case of reading in a known language:

If strLine.Contains("   Nome host . . . . . . . . . . . . . . : ") Then
    nomeHost = Strings.Replace(strLine, "   _
               Nome host . . . . . . . . . . . . . . : ", "").TrimEnd(" ")
End If

If strLine.Contains("   Suffisso DNS primario . . . . . . . . : ") Then
    SuffissoDNSprimario = Strings.Replace(strLine, "   _
                          Suffisso DNS primario . . . . . . . . : ", "").TrimEnd(" ")
End If

And in the case of transcendental reading:

If (strLine.Contains("Subnet") Or strLine.Contains("Mask") _
    Or strLine.Contains("mask") Or strLine.Contains("Masque") _
    Or strLine.Contains("masque")) AndAlso Ethernet = 1 Then
    Dim subnets() As String = Strings.Split(strLine, ":")
    SubnetEthernet = Strings.Replace(subnets(1), " ", "")

    SubnetMask = SubnetEthernet
End If

Finally, in case you want to change the network parameters and assign them to the values, just read:

 Dim objMC As ManagementClass = New ManagementClass("Win32_NetworkAdapterConfiguration")
 Dim objMOC As ManagementObjectCollection = objMC.GetInstances()

 For Each objMO As ManagementObject In objMOC
     If (Not CBool(objMO("IPEnabled"))) Then
         Continue For
     End If

     Try
         Dim objNewIP As ManagementBaseObject = Nothing
         Dim objSetIP As ManagementBaseObject = Nothing
         Dim objNewGate As ManagementBaseObject = Nothing

         objNewIP = objMO.GetMethodParameters("EnableStatic")
         objNewGate = objMO.GetMethodParameters("SetGateways")

         'Set DefaultGateway
         objNewGate("DefaultIPGateway") = New String() {Gateway}
         objNewGate("GatewayCostMetric") = New Integer() {1}

         'Set IPAddress and Subnet Mask
         objNewIP("IPAddress") = New String() {IPAddress}
         objNewIP("SubnetMask") = New String() {SubnetMask}

         objSetIP = objMO.InvokeMethod("EnableStatic", objNewIP, Nothing)
         objSetIP = objMO.InvokeMethod("SetGateways", objNewGate, Nothing)

         'Changed this line so I could see if it was executing all of the way
         MessageBox.Show("Updated IPAddress, SubnetMask and Default Gateway!")

     Catch ex As Exception
         MessageBox.Show("Unable to Set IP : " & ex.Message)
     End Try
 Next objMO

Don't forget to import System.Management to your project.

Points of Interest

Definitely two. The first is the use of simple text files for quick configuration, the second is the opportunity to create a robust routine for recognizing any file saved with IPCONFIG in any language by reading that transcends the text and focuses on some simple words.

History

• 24^th January 2024: First version