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Cross-platform network command cheat sheet

The same tasks, five ways. Rows are grouped by what you are trying to do. Print it, or bookmark it. Commands that change settings need an administrator prompt or sudo.

See your configuration

Task	Windows CMD	PowerShell	Linux (ip)	macOS
Quick summary	`ipconfig`	`Get-NetIPConfiguration`	`ip -br addr`	`ifconfig -u` or `networksetup -getinfo "Wi-Fi"`
Full detail	`ipconfig /all`	`Get-NetIPConfiguration -Detailed`	`ip addr`	`ifconfig -a`
One interface	`ipconfig` (then read)	`Get-NetIPConfiguration -InterfaceAlias Ethernet`	`ip addr show dev eth0`	`ifconfig en0`
Just the IPv4 address	`ipconfig \| findstr IPv4`	`(Get-NetIPAddress -AddressFamily IPv4 -InterfaceAlias Ethernet).IPAddress`	`hostname -I` or `ip -4 -o addr show eth0 \| awk '{print $4}'`	`ipconfig getifaddr en0`
IPv6 addresses	`ipconfig`	`Get-NetIPAddress -AddressFamily IPv6`	`ip -6 addr`	`ifconfig en0 inet6`
MAC address	`ipconfig /all` or `getmac /v`	`Get-NetAdapter \| select Name, MacAddress`	`ip link` or `cat /sys/class/net/eth0/address`	`ifconfig en0 ether` or `networksetup -getmacaddress en0`
Default gateway	`ipconfig` or `route print 0.0.0.0`	`Get-NetRoute -DestinationPrefix 0.0.0.0/0`	`ip route \| grep default`	`route -n get default`
DNS servers	`ipconfig /all`	`Get-DnsClientServerAddress`	`resolvectl status` or `cat /etc/resolv.conf`	`scutil --dns`
DHCP server and lease	`ipconfig /all`	`Get-NetIPAddress \| select PrefixOrigin, ValidLifetime`	`ip addr` (valid_lft) or `networkctl status eth0`	`ipconfig getpacket en0`
Link speed / duplex	`wmic nic get name,speed`	`Get-NetAdapter \| select Name, LinkSpeed`	`ethtool eth0`	`ifconfig en0 \| grep media`
Interface list	`netsh interface show interface`	`Get-NetAdapter`	`ip -br link`	`ifconfig -l` or `networksetup -listallhardwareports`
Traffic counters	`netstat -e`	`Get-NetAdapterStatistics`	`ip -s link`	`netstat -ib`
Wi-Fi SSID and signal	`netsh wlan show interfaces`	(same)	`iw dev wlan0 link` or `nmcli dev wifi`	`sudo wdutil info`
Public IP	`curl ipconfig.co.uk/ip`	`irm ipconfig.co.uk/ip`	`curl ipconfig.co.uk/ip`	`curl ipconfig.co.uk/ip`

Routing and neighbours

Task	Windows CMD	PowerShell	Linux (ip)	macOS
Routing table	`route print`	`Get-NetRoute`	`ip route`	`netstat -rn`
IPv6 routes	`route print -6`	`Get-NetRoute -AddressFamily IPv6`	`ip -6 route`	`netstat -rn -f inet6`
Which route to X	(none)	`Find-NetRoute -RemoteIPAddress 1.1.1.1`	`ip route get 1.1.1.1`	`route -n get 1.1.1.1`
Add a route	`route add 10.0.0.0 mask 255.0.0.0 192.168.1.254`	`New-NetRoute -DestinationPrefix 10.0.0.0/8 -NextHop 192.168.1.254 -InterfaceAlias Ethernet`	`ip route add 10.0.0.0/8 via 192.168.1.254`	`route add -net 10.0.0.0/8 192.168.1.254`
Persistent route	`route -p add …`	`New-NetRoute` (persistent by default)	via nmcli / networkd / netplan	(use a LaunchDaemon or networksetup -setadditionalroutes on 14+)
Delete a route	`route delete 10.0.0.0`	`Remove-NetRoute -DestinationPrefix 10.0.0.0/8`	`ip route del 10.0.0.0/8`	`route delete -net 10.0.0.0/8`
Set default gateway	`route add 0.0.0.0 mask 0.0.0.0 192.168.1.1`	`New-NetRoute -DestinationPrefix 0.0.0.0/0 -NextHop 192.168.1.1 -InterfaceAlias Ethernet`	`ip route add default via 192.168.1.1`	`route add default 192.168.1.1`
ARP / neighbour table	`arp -a`	`Get-NetNeighbor`	`ip neigh`	`arp -an`
IPv6 neighbours	`netsh interface ipv6 show neighbors`	`Get-NetNeighbor -AddressFamily IPv6`	`ip -6 neigh`	`ndp -an`
Clear ARP cache	`arp -d *`	`Remove-NetNeighbor -Confirm:$false`	`ip neigh flush all`	`sudo arp -d -a`
Static ARP entry	`arp -s 192.168.1.5 00-11-22-33-44-55`	`New-NetNeighbor -IPAddress 192.168.1.5 -LinkLayerAddress 001122334455 -InterfaceAlias Ethernet`	`ip neigh add 192.168.1.5 lladdr 00:11:22:33:44:55 dev eth0 nud permanent`	`sudo arp -s 192.168.1.5 00:11:22:33:44:55`

DHCP and DNS cache

Task	Windows CMD	PowerShell	Linux	macOS
Release DHCP lease	`ipconfig /release`	`ipconfig /release`	`dhclient -r eth0` or `nmcli con down "X"`	`sudo ipconfig set en0 NONE`
Renew DHCP lease	`ipconfig /renew`	`ipconfig /renew`	`dhclient eth0`, `nmcli con up "X"`, `networkctl renew eth0`	`sudo ipconfig set en0 DHCP`
Renew IPv6 (DHCPv6)	`ipconfig /renew6`	(same)	depends on client	`sudo ipconfig set en0 AUTOMATIC-V6`
Flush DNS cache	`ipconfig /flushdns`	`Clear-DnsClientCache`	`resolvectl flush-caches`	`sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder`
Show DNS cache	`ipconfig /displaydns`	`Get-DnsClientCache`	`resolvectl statistics` (counts only)	(not exposed)
Re-register in DNS	`ipconfig /registerdns`	`Register-DnsClient`	`nsupdate` / DHCP client does it	(mDNS automatic)
Look up a name	`nslookup example.com`	`Resolve-DnsName example.com`	`dig example.com` or `resolvectl query example.com`	`dig example.com` or `dscacheutil -q host -a name example.com`
Look up with a specific server	`nslookup example.com 1.1.1.1`	`Resolve-DnsName example.com -Server 1.1.1.1`	`dig @1.1.1.1 example.com`	`dig @1.1.1.1 example.com`
Reverse lookup	`nslookup 1.1.1.1`	`Resolve-DnsName 1.1.1.1`	`dig -x 1.1.1.1`	`dig -x 1.1.1.1`
Hosts file	`C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts`	(same)	`/etc/hosts`	`/etc/hosts`

Change settings

Task	Windows CMD (netsh)	PowerShell	Linux	macOS
Static IPv4 (temporary)	(persistent only)	(persistent only)	`ip addr add 192.168.1.50/24 dev eth0`	`sudo ifconfig en0 inet 192.168.1.50 netmask 255.255.255.0`
Static IPv4 (persistent)	`netsh interface ipv4 set address "Ethernet" static 192.168.1.50 255.255.255.0 192.168.1.1`	`New-NetIPAddress -InterfaceAlias Ethernet -IPAddress 192.168.1.50 -PrefixLength 24 -DefaultGateway 192.168.1.1`	`nmcli con mod "X" ipv4.method manual ipv4.addresses 192.168.1.50/24 ipv4.gateway 192.168.1.1`	`sudo networksetup -setmanual "Wi-Fi" 192.168.1.50 255.255.255.0 192.168.1.1`
Back to DHCP	`netsh interface ipv4 set address "Ethernet" dhcp`	`Set-NetIPInterface -InterfaceAlias Ethernet -Dhcp Enabled`	`nmcli con mod "X" ipv4.method auto`	`sudo networksetup -setdhcp "Wi-Fi"`
Set DNS servers	`netsh interface ipv4 set dnsservers "Ethernet" static 1.1.1.1`	`Set-DnsClientServerAddress -InterfaceAlias Ethernet -ServerAddresses 1.1.1.1,1.0.0.1`	`nmcli con mod "X" ipv4.dns "1.1.1.1 1.0.0.1"` or `resolvectl dns eth0 1.1.1.1`	`sudo networksetup -setdnsservers "Wi-Fi" 1.1.1.1 1.0.0.1`
DNS from DHCP again	`netsh interface ipv4 set dnsservers "Ethernet" dhcp`	`Set-DnsClientServerAddress -InterfaceAlias Ethernet -ResetServerAddresses`	`nmcli con mod "X" ipv4.dns ""`	`sudo networksetup -setdnsservers "Wi-Fi" Empty`
Interface down / up	`netsh interface set interface "Wi-Fi" admin=disable`	`Disable-NetAdapter -Name Wi-Fi` / `Enable-NetAdapter`	`ip link set eth0 down` / `up`	`sudo ifconfig en0 down` / `up`
Restart interface	(disable then enable)	`Restart-NetAdapter -Name Ethernet`	`nmcli dev reapply eth0`	`sudo ifconfig en0 down; sudo ifconfig en0 up`
Set MTU	`netsh interface ipv4 set subinterface "Ethernet" mtu=1400 store=persistent`	`Set-NetIPInterface -InterfaceAlias Ethernet -NlMtuBytes 1400`	`ip link set eth0 mtu 1400`	`sudo networksetup -setMTU en0 1400`
Change MAC	(driver property in Device Manager)	`Set-NetAdapter -Name Ethernet -MacAddress 02-11-22-33-44-55`	`ip link set eth0 address 02:11:22:33:44:55`	`sudo ifconfig en0 ether 02:11:22:33:44:55`
Disable IPv6 on an adapter	`netsh interface ipv6 set interface "Ethernet" …` (partial)	`Disable-NetAdapterBinding -Name Ethernet -ComponentID ms_tcpip6`	`nmcli con mod "X" ipv6.method disabled`	`sudo networksetup -setv6off "Wi-Fi"`
Reset the stack	`netsh int ip reset & netsh winsock reset`	(same)	`systemctl restart NetworkManager`	see macOS reset

Connectivity tests

Task	Windows CMD	PowerShell	Linux	macOS
Ping	`ping host` (4 packets)	`Test-Connection host`	`ping -c 4 host`	`ping -c 4 host`
Continuous ping	`ping -t host`	`Test-Connection host -Repeat` (PS 7)	`ping host`	`ping host`
Ping IPv6	`ping -6 host`	`Test-Connection -IPv6 host`	`ping -6 host`	`ping6 host`
Trace route	`tracert host`	`Test-NetConnection host -TraceRoute`	`traceroute host` / `mtr host`	`traceroute host`
Test a TCP port	`telnet host 443`	`Test-NetConnection host -Port 443`	`nc -zv host 443`	`nc -zv host 443`
MTU test (1500)	`ping -f -l 1472 host`	(same)	`ping -M do -s 1472 host`	`ping -D -s 1472 host`
Listening ports	`netstat -ano \| findstr LISTENING`	`Get-NetTCPConnection -State Listen`	`ss -tulpn`	`lsof -iTCP -sTCP:LISTEN -P -n`
Established connections	`netstat -ano`	`Get-NetTCPConnection -State Established`	`ss -tan state established`	`netstat -an \| grep ESTABLISHED`
Packet capture	`pktmon start --capture`	(same)	`tcpdump -i eth0`	`tcpdump -i en0`
Scan the LAN	(none built in)	`1..254 \| % { Test-Connection -Count 1 -Quiet "192.168.1.$_" }`	`nmap -sn 192.168.1.0/24`	`nmap -sn 192.168.1.0/24` (Homebrew)

Terminology map

Concept	Windows says	Linux says	macOS/BSD says
Network interface	adapter, connection ("Ethernet", "Wi-Fi")	interface, device, link (`eth0`, `enp3s0`)	interface, port, service ("en0", "Wi-Fi")
MAC address	Physical Address, `8C-16-45-3A-9B-2D`	link/ether, HWaddr, `8c:16:45:3a:9b:2d`	ether, Ethernet Address, `8c:16:45:3a:9b:2d`
Subnet mask	Subnet Mask 255.255.255.0	prefix length /24 (ifconfig: netmask 255.255.255.0)	netmask 0xffffff00
Default gateway	Default Gateway	default via	gateway / Router
Link-local IPv6 zone	`%12` (interface index)	`%eth0` (name) or index	`%en0`
No link	Media disconnected	NO-CARRIER, state DOWN	status: inactive
Self-assigned address	Autoconfiguration IPv4 Address (APIPA)	link-local 169.254 (avahi-autoipd / IPv4LL)	self-assigned IP
DNS cache service	DNS Client (Dnscache)	systemd-resolved / nscd / dnsmasq	mDNSResponder
Persistent config	Registry, via netsh/PowerShell/Settings	NetworkManager, networkd, netplan, ifupdown	System Configuration (configd) via networksetup

Related pages

Reading the output
ipconfig · ifconfig · ip · Windows · macOS · Linux