Andrei DANEASA

I wrote a lot how to install loopback adapter, how to set the ip address (either manual or automatically), how to add an entry to hosts file (either manual or automatically). Now let’s add all together into a single script.
The script will do the following:

• call DevCon to install Microsoft Loopback Adapter (you need to download DevCon and save it in the same folder as the script)
• set the IP address and mask for the recently installed loopback adapter
• dinamically read from Windows folder the hosts file
• dinamically read the hostname
• add a new entry to the hosts file with the supplied IP address and hostname
• ping the hostname and check if the supplied IP address is responded
• MOST IMPORTANT: everything is dynamic and automatic. You don’t need to edit the script before each install. Just run it!

You can download this script here: Read the rest of this entry »

What do you need to know before configuring Loopback Adapter?

• do not set the gateway because you can screw you internet connection
• do not set DNS because you really don’t need it
• do not set 127.0.0.1 or 192.168.0.1 or addresses from the same class as your internet connection address

The addresses that I’m using most of the time are 10.10.10.10 and 192.168.100.100, both with 255.255.255.0 as mask.

Let’s see how can we set the IP address from the command line.

Solution 1
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Netsh.exe is a tool installed with Windows 2000, XP and 2003 Server. Read the rest of this entry »

Because lots of applications (including Oracle Database) require Microsoft Loopback Adapter installed if you have DHCP-enabled machine, I tried to find a solution to automatize the installation of this dummy device.
Lots of attendees that I had on my workshops are configuring the loopback adapter with strange IP’s, gateways and the most common result is malfunctioning of the internet connection.

First of all we need a command prompt utility that will act the same way as Device Manager. Microsoft has an utility like this called DevCon (probably from Device Console), but for some strange reasons it is not redistributable, so you need to download it from their site.
DevCon’s description is http://support.microsoft.com/kb/311272 and download link is this.
Read the rest of this entry »