The Network Interface IP Configuration Utility is a Python-based desktop application designed to simplify network interface management on Windows systems. It provides an intuitive graphical interface for changing IP addresses, enabling/disabling DHCP, and performing network diagnostics.

Installation

Prerequisites

Windows operating system
Python 3.6 or higher
Administrative privileges (required for changing network settings)

Dependencies

Install the required Python packages:

pip install -r requirements.txt

Optional dependencies (enhanced functionality):

pythonping: For improved ping functionality (pip install pythonping)
pysnmp: For SNMP functionality (pip install pysnmp)
wmi: For improved network interface detection (pip install wmi)
mac-vendor-lookup: For MAC address vendor lookup (pip install mac-vendor-lookup)

Running the Application

Run the main script:

python menu-ip-change.py

Main Components

The application is divided into two main tabs:

IP Setup: For configuring network interfaces
Tools: For network diagnostics and scanning

Both tabs share a common log area that displays operation results and informational messages.

IP Setup Tab

Interface Selection

Use the dropdown menu to select the network interface you want to configure
The current configuration (IP, subnet mask, gateway, and DHCP status) will be displayed

Setting a Static IP

Enter the IP prefix (first three octets) in the "IP Prefix" field
Enter the last octet in the "Last Octet" field
Set the subnet mask (directly or using CIDR notation)
Click "Set Static IP"

Enabling DHCP

Select the network interface
Click "Enable DHCP"

Using IP History

Previously used IP addresses are saved in the IP History dropdown
Select an entry to quickly configure that IP
The application remembers subnet masks for each IP prefix

Quick Actions

Restore Previous: Reverts to the previous configuration
Refresh Interfaces: Updates the list of available network interfaces
Copy buttons: Quick copy of current IP or gateway to clipboard

Tools Tab

Ping Tool

Enter an IP address or hostname in the "Target IP/Host" field
Click "Ping" to send echo requests
Enable "Continuous Ping" to keep pinging until stopped
"Last RTT" shows the most recent ping response time
Use "Stop" to end continuous pinging

Network Scanner

Define an IP range (Start IP, End IP) or use the CIDR field
Click "Start Scan" to discover active hosts in the specified range
The scan progress bar shows completion status
Results appear in the table with IP addresses and ping times
Click "Get Host Info" to retrieve hostnames and MAC addresses
MAC vendors are automatically identified (when available)

Network Scanning

Scan Process

Define the IP range to scan
Start the scan to discover active hosts
Use "Get Host Info" to gather detailed information about discovered hosts

Scan Results

The scan results display:

IP Address
Ping time (ms)
Hostname (when resolved)
MAC Address (when available)
MAC Vendor (manufacturer)

Administrator Privileges

Administrator privileges are required to change network settings on Windows. When you attempt to change network settings, the application will:

Launch a separate script with administrator privileges
Execute the appropriate network commands
Log the results

How It Works

The main application (menu-ip-change.py) uses a helper script (ip-changer-admin.py) to execute network configuration commands with elevated privileges. This helper script is launched using the Windows ShellExecuteW API with the "runas" verb.

Configuration Files

The application stores configuration in several JSON files:

ip_config.json

Stores:

Last used interface
Last used IP prefix
Previous configuration (for restore function)
Last used subnet mask

ip_history.json

Stores a history of previously used IP addresses and their subnet masks.

ping_targets.json

Stores preferred ping targets for each IP prefix.

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Unable to Change Network Settings

Ensure you have administrator privileges
Check the operation log for specific error messages
Verify the interface name is correct

Network Scan Not Working

Check firewall settings (may block ping/ICMP)
Ensure the IP range is correctly specified
Try scanning a smaller range

MAC Address Not Found

Some devices may not respond to ARP
Try using "Get Host Info" to retry MAC detection
Some virtualized interfaces won't return MAC addresses

Log Messages

The application maintains a detailed operation log that can help diagnose issues. Common message types:

INFO: Informational messages
ERROR: Error conditions
SUCCESS: Successful operations
DISCOVERY: Host discovery during scanning
PING: Ping results
MAC/HOSTNAME/VENDOR: Device information

FAQ

Q: Does this work on non-Windows systems?

A: No, this application is designed specifically for Windows and uses Windows-specific commands.

Q: Why does it need administrator privileges?

A: Changing network settings on Windows requires elevated privileges for security reasons.

Q: Can I scan large IP ranges?

A: Yes, but scanning large ranges (thousands of IPs) may take a significant amount of time.

Q: How does the continuous ping work?

A: It sends ping requests at regular intervals (approximately once per second) until stopped.

Q: How does the MAC vendor lookup work?

A: The application uses the mac-vendor-lookup library, which contains a database of MAC address prefixes and their corresponding manufacturers.

Network Interface IP Configuration Utility Wiki

Table of Contents

Overview