Netsh Command Syntax, Contexts, and

Formatting
 05/23/2020
 7 minutes to read


Applies to: Windows Server (Semi-Annual Channel), Windows Server 2016

You can use this topic to learn how to enter netsh contexts and subcontexts, understand netsh
syntax and command formatting, and how to run netsh commands on local and remote
computers.

Netsh is a command-line scripting utility that allows you to display or modify the network
configuration of a computer that is currently running. Netsh commands can be run by typing
commands at the netsh prompt and they can be used in batch files or scripts. Remote computers
and the local computer can be configured by using netsh commands.

Netsh also provides a scripting feature that allows you to run a group of commands in batch
mode against a specified computer. With netsh, you can save a configuration script in a text file
for archival purposes or to help you configure other computers.

Netsh contexts
Netsh interacts with other operating system components by using dynamic-link library (DLL)
files.

Each netsh helper DLL provides an extensive set of features called a context, which is a group of
commands specific to a networking server role or feature. These contexts extend the
functionality of netsh by providing configuration and monitoring support for one or more
services, utilities, or protocols. For example, Dhcpmon.dll provides netsh with the context and
set of commands necessary to configure and manage DHCP servers.
Obtain a list of contexts

You can obtain a list of netsh contexts by opening either command prompt or Windows
PowerShell on a computer running Windows Server 2016 or Windows 10. Type the command
netsh and press ENTER. Type /?, and then press ENTER.

Following is example output for these commands on a computer running Windows Server 2016
Datacenter.

PS C:\Windows\system32> netsh
netsh>/?

The following commands are available:

Commands in this context:

.. - Goes up one context level.
? - Displays a list of commands.
abort - Discards changes made while in offline mode.
add - Adds a configuration entry to a list of entries.
advfirewall - Changes to the `netsh advfirewall' context.
alias - Adds an alias.
branchcache - Changes to the `netsh branchcache' context.
bridge - Changes to the `netsh bridge' context.
bye - Exits the program.
commit - Commits changes made while in offline mode.
delete - Deletes a configuration entry from a list of entries.
dhcpclient - Changes to the `netsh dhcpclient' context.
dnsclient - Changes to the `netsh dnsclient' context.
dump - Displays a configuration script.
exec - Runs a script file.
exit - Exits the program.
firewall - Changes to the `netsh firewall' context.
help - Displays a list of commands.
http - Changes to the `netsh http' context.
interface - Changes to the `netsh interface' context.
ipsec - Changes to the `netsh ipsec' context.
ipsecdosprotection - Changes to the `netsh ipsecdosprotection' context.
lan - Changes to the `netsh lan' context.
namespace - Changes to the `netsh namespace' context.
netio - Changes to the `netsh netio' context.
offline - Sets the current mode to offline.
online - Sets the current mode to online.
popd - Pops a context from the stack.
pushd - Pushes current context on stack.
quit - Exits the program.
ras - Changes to the `netsh ras' context.
rpc - Changes to the `netsh rpc' context.
set - Updates configuration settings.
show - Displays information.
trace - Changes to the `netsh trace' context.
unalias - Deletes an alias.
wfp - Changes to the `netsh wfp' context.
winhttp - Changes to the `netsh winhttp' context.
winsock - Changes to the `netsh winsock' context.
The following sub-contexts are available:
advfirewall branchcache bridge dhcpclient dnsclient firewall http interface
ipsec ipsecdosprotection lan namespace netio ras rpc trace wfp winhttp winsock

To view help for a command, type the command, followed by a space, and then
type ?.

Subcontexts

Netsh contexts can contain both commands and additional contexts, called subcontexts. For
example, within the Routing context, you can change to the IP and IPv6 subcontexts.

To display a list of commands and subcontexts that you can use within a context, at the netsh
prompt, type the context name, and then type either /? or help. For example, to display a list of
subcontexts and commands that you can use in the Routing context, at the netsh prompt (that is,
netsh>), type one of the following:

routing /?

routing help

To perform tasks in another context without changing from your current context, type the context
path of the command you want to use at the netsh prompt. For example, to add an interface
named "Local Area Connection" in the IGMP context without first changing to the IGMP
context, at the netsh prompt, type:

routing ip igmp add interface "Local Area Connection" startupqueryinterval=21

Running netsh commands

To run a netsh command, you must start netsh from the command prompt by typing netsh and
then pressing ENTER. Next, you can change to the context that contains the command you want
to use. The contexts that are available depend on the networking components that you have
installed. For example, if you type dhcp at the netsh prompt and press ENTER, netsh changes to
the DHCP server context. If you do not have DHCP installed, however, the following message
appears:

The following command was not found: dhcp.

Formatting Legend
You can use the following formatting legend to interpret and use correct netsh command syntax
when you run the command at the netsh prompt or in a batch file or script.
  Text in Italic is information that you must supply while you type the command. For
example, if a command has a parameter named -UserName, you must type the actual user
name.
 Text in Bold is information that you must type exactly as shown while you type the
command.
 Text followed by an ellipsis (...) is a parameter that can be repeated several times in a
command line.
 Text that is between brackets [ ] is an optional item.
 Text that is between braces { } with choices separated by a pipe provides a set of choices
from which you must select only one, such as {enable|disable}.
 Text that is formatted with the Courier font is code or program output.

Running Netsh commands from the command prompt or

Windows PowerShell
To start Network Shell and enter netsh at the command prompt or in Windows PowerShell, you
can use the following command.

netsh

Netsh is a command-line scripting utility that allows you to, either locally or remotely, display or
modify the network configuration of a currently running computer. Used without parameters,
netsh opens the Netsh.exe command prompt (that is, netsh>).

Syntax

netsh[ -a AliasFile] [ -c Context ] [-r RemoteComputer] [ -u [ DomainName\ ] UserName ] [

-p Password | *] [{NetshCommand | -f ScriptFile}]

Parameters

-a

Optional. Specifies that you are returned to the netsh prompt after running AliasFile.

AliasFile

Optional. Specifies the name of the text file that contains one or more netsh commands.

-c

Optional. Specifies that netsh enters the specified netsh context.

Context

Optional. Specifies the netsh context that you want to enter.

-r

Optional. Specifies that you want the command to run on a remote computer.

Important

When you use some netsh commands remotely on another computer with the netsh –r
parameter, the Remote Registry service must be running on the remote computer. If it is not
running, Windows displays a “Network Path Not Found” error message.

RemoteComputer

Optional. Specifies the remote computer that you want to configure.

-u

Optional. Specifies that you want to run the netsh command under a user account.

DomainName\\

Optional. Specifies the domain where the user account is located. The default is the local domain
if DomainName\ is not specified.

UserName

Optional. Specifies the user account name.

-p

Optional. Specifies that you want to provide a password for the user account.

Password

Optional. Specifies the password for the user account that you specified with -u UserName.

NetshCommand

Optional. Specifies the netsh command that you want to run.

-f

Optional. Exits netsh after running the script that you designate with ScriptFile.

ScriptFile

Optional. Specifies the script that you want to run.

/?
Optional. Displays help at the netsh prompt.

Note

If you specify -r followed by another command, netsh runs the command on the remote
computer and then returns to the Cmd.exe command prompt. If you specify -r without another
command, netsh opens in remote mode. The process is similar to using set machine at the Netsh
command prompt. When you use -r, you set the target computer for the current instance of
netsh only. After you exit and reenter netsh, the target computer is reset as the local computer.
You can run netsh commands on a remote computer by specifying a computer name stored in
WINS, a UNC name, an Internet name to be resolved by the DNS server, or an IP address.

Typing parameter string values for netsh commands

Throughout the Netsh command reference there are commands that contain parameters for which
a string value is required.

In the case where a string value contains spaces between characters, such as string values that
consist of more than one word, it is required that you enclose the string value in quotation marks.
For example, for a parameter named interface with a string value of Wireless Network
Connection, use quotation marks around the string value:

interface="Wireless Network Connection"