IP Helper Service, also known as iphlpsvc, is a service that comes preinstalled on the Microsoft Windows 11 operating system. This makes it possible to have tunnel connectivity through various methods such as 6to4, ISATAP, Port Proxy, Teredo, and IP-HTTPS.
IP Helper helps computer network administrators by allowing applications to get information about computer network settings and make changes to those settings. IP Helper can also notify applications when certain parts of the network settings on the local computer have changed.
IP Helper helps in managing the configuration of IP addresses on Windows systems. This includes setting IP addresses manually or through DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) to obtain IP addresses automatically.
IP Helper supports the implementation and management of IPv6 transition technologies, such as 6to4, Teredo, and ISATAP. It enables communication between IPv4 and IPv6 networks by allowing IPv6 protocols and services to operate on top of IPv4 infrastructure.
IP Helper also supports multicast configuration, which enables one-to-many communication within the network. This is useful for applications such as video streaming, online gaming, and collaboration applications.
Some of the services available on your computer may not always be needed or you rarely use them. IP Helper or iphlpsvc is one of them. This service is installed on the system for people who may need it, but disabling it will not affect your system unless you are using a remote database or require tunnel connectivity. Iphlpsvc uses a lot of memory and also uses other resources, disabling it will be able to improve computer performance.
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When IP Helper is needed
IP Helper in Windows is not always necessary in every situation or network setting. However, there are some situations where IP Helper can become useful and necessary. Here are some examples of using IP Helper:
- Network with IPv6. If you use IPv6 in your network, IP Helper can assist in managing IPv6-related configuration, address mapping, and troubleshooting. This can ease the transition from IPv4 to IPv6 and ensure good connectivity between IPv6 devices on the network.
- Automatic IP Address Configuration. If you want to configure IP addresses automatically using DHCP or DHCPv6, an IP Helper is needed to facilitate the automatic retrieval of IP addresses and offer relevant network configurations.
- Network troubleshooting. When facing network connection problems, IP Helper provides utilities and information that help in troubleshooting. This includes access to network configuration information, route tables, and network statistics that can help in diagnosing and fixing network problems.
- Multicast configuration. If you use multicast within your network to transmit data to multiple devices simultaneously, IP Helper can be used to configure and manage multicast delivery.
IP helpers are not always necessary in every network environment. The use of IP Helper depends on the specific needs and configuration of your network. If you do not use IPv6, do not require automatic configuration of IP addresses, or do not use other features provided by IP Helper, then IP Helper may not be necessary in those situations.
How to Disable IP Helper in Windows
Here are the steps to disable IP Helper in Windows:
- Open “Run” by pressing the keyboard keys (WIN + R).
- Type “services.msc” in the “Run” dialog box and press Enter.
- In the “Services” window, find the service with the name “IP Helper” in the list of services.
- Right-click on the “IP Helper” service and select “Properties” in the menu that appears.
- In the “Properties” window, select the “Disabled” option in the “Startup type” option to permanently disable the IP Helper. If you want to disable it only temporarily, you can select the “Manual” option to let you control when the IP Helper will run.
- Click the “Stop” button if the service is running to stop the IP Helper instantly. If the service is not running, the “Stop” button will be disabled.
- Once you have adjusted the settings, click the “Apply” button and then “OK” to save the changes.
- IP Helper will now be disabled. Restart your computer to make sure the changes are fully applied.
After you disable IP Helper, some features or functions related to IPv6 or certain network configurations may not work as expected. If you experience network problems after disabling IP Helper, you can re-enable it by following the steps above and selecting the “Automatic” or “Manual” option in the “Startup type” option.