Windows server 2019 disabling DHCP

Overview

APIPA (Automatic Private IP Addressing) is a fallback mechanism. When Windows cannot reach a DHCP server, it assigns itself an address in the 169.254.x.x range. This behavior is normal in itself. The problem addressed here is that APIPA activates even when a static IP address has already been configured. In some VMware ESXi environments, this causes the server to ignore its static address and become unreachable.

Before you begin

Before applying the steps below, verify that:

• the static IP address, subnet mask, and default gateway are configured correctly in the adapter settings;
• the VMware virtual adapter is connected and enabled;
• the VM is attached to the correct port group or VLAN;
• no duplicate IP address exists on the network.

If the issue persists after these checks, proceed with the steps below.

Step 1: Check the current network configuration

Open Command Prompt as Administrator and run:

ipconfig /all

In the output, look for lines like these:

Autoconfiguration IPv4 Address. . : 169.254.248.201(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.136(Duplicate)

If an address in the 169.254.x.x range appears as (Preferred), the server is using an APIPA address. The configured static IP address (192.168.1.136 in this example) is marked (Duplicate), meaning Windows detected the address as already in use and refused to activate it, so it falls back to the APIPA address instead. As a result, the server may become unreachable over the network.

Step 2: Find the network interface index

Run the following command to list active network interfaces:

netsh interface ipv4 show interfaces

Example output:

Idx  Met    MTU          State         Name
---  -----  -----------  ----------    ---------------------------
1    75     4294967295   connected     Loopback Pseudo-Interface 1
2    1      1500         disconnected  VPN - VPN Client
12   25     1500         connected     Ethernet 2

Find the interface in the connected state that corresponds to your network adapter. Note the interface index. You will use it in the next step.

Step 3: Disable DAD transmits on the interface (workaround)

In some VMware ESXi environments, Windows Server may continue using an APIPA address even after a static IP is configured. Disabling DAD (Duplicate Address Detection) transmits can help prevent this behavior on affected virtual machines.

Run the following command, replacing 12 with the interface index from the previous step:

netsh interface ipv4 set interface 12 dadtransmits=0 store=persistent

Alternatively, the same result can be achieved via PowerShell:

Set-NetIPInterface -InterfaceIndex 12 -AddressFamily IPv4 -DadTransmits 0 -PolicyStore PersistentStore

Disabling DAD prevents Windows from verifying whether the configured IPv4 address is already in use on the network before assigning it to the interface.

After running either command, disable and re-enable the adapter to apply the change. Replace Ethernet 2 with the name of your adapter:

netsh interface set interface "Ethernet 2" admin=disabled
netsh interface set interface "Ethernet 2" admin=enabled

If you are unsure of the exact adapter name, run the command from Step 2 to confirm it before running these commands.

(Warning) This is a workaround for specific ESXi environments, not a standard solution. Disabling DAD means Windows will no longer verify whether the IP address is already in use on the network. Do not apply this setting if duplicate IP addresses are possible on your network.

Step 4: Verify the result

Run ipconfig /all again and confirm that:

• the 169.254.x.x address is no longer shown as preferred;
• your static IP address is active.

Optional: Disable the DHCP Client service

In some cases, administrators choose to disable the DHCP Client service to prevent Windows from attempting DHCP discovery on startup.

(Warning) Microsoft does not recommend disabling the DHCP Client service even on servers with a static IP. The service is used for automatic DNS registration, network location awareness, and other networking features. Disabling it may cause unexpected behavior. Only apply this step if the issue persists after applying the steps above and you fully understand the implications for your environment.

To disable the service, go to Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Services, find DHCP Client, and set its startup type to Disabled.