169.254.x.x is known as an Automatic Private IP Addressing (APIPA) address.  As of Windows Vista, ALL devices must have an IP address so Windows can’t find a DHCP server and you do not force a static address, it will automatically assign itself a 169.254.x.x address.

If you find that your Windows Server is showing a 169.254.x.x address as the name of your DHCP server when you launch the DHCP applet, it means that the DHCP server is somehow hooked to a NIC with an APIPA address and you have three ways to fix it:

Option 1: Right click on 169.254.x.x in DHCP and select ADD/REMOVE BINDINGS and make sure your DHCP is set to use the correct NIC.dhcp-server-showing-169.254.99.88

Option 2: Disable all of the NIC’s you are NOT using.

Option 3: Open a CMD (ADMIN) prompt and run: netsh int ip reset

After all of these options, you likely need to reboot the server to clear the caches and have the change take hold.

The solution for me was OPTION 2, disable the unused NICs, but as you can see in the screenshot I had a really weird situation.  If I launched the DHCP applet from Server Manager, it would show the host name like it is supposed to.

I had it fixed but found I THIS MS post does a good job of discussing this DHCP issue if you want more information.


7 Comments

RickkeeC · November 15, 2022 at 4:44 pm

Yeah, but I NEED two Nic’s in my DC. One is dedicated to IPSEC VPN connection with hardware firewall. Everything works, it just looks stupid. It was 169.x . I added the static for the VPN, and now the 10.x shows as DHCP server, but under it Authorized DHCP server is correct 192.168.0.x. It’s just another Windows NT4 leftover annoyance that will never be fixed. You didn’t hear me, I MUST have two Nics in my DC. I have unchecked register in DNS, and it doesen’t exist in DNS. Will Option 3 blow out the static settings for the NICs and reset them to DHCP? If so, word of caution advised on Option 3.

Funashi · September 14, 2020 at 2:22 am

Cool! This worked for me

Jose · September 3, 2020 at 5:03 pm

Well I didn’t wait to see the results from option two and executed the command as well.. Soo it is working now..

kari leskinen · November 12, 2018 at 4:06 am

Yeah. Option 2 is the thing.

Mahmoud · October 1, 2018 at 3:04 am

Thanks it worked by disabling other NIC

shaq · August 14, 2018 at 7:26 am

Amazing~! thanks for the help . just disabling the other NIC’s fixed the problem .
was months with this problem

Julio Delgado · June 8, 2017 at 7:40 am

Me funcionó la opción 2. Gracias.

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