🌐 NetSwitch

Automated Network Configuration Utility for Windows and Linux

NetSwitch is a lightweight utility that streamlines the process of switching between Dynamic (Home) and Static (Lab) network environments. Designed for developers, network engineers, and students, it eliminates repetitive network configuration commands and makes transitions between network types quick and predictable on both Windows and Linux.

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📋 Overview

In complex network environments, switching between DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) and Static IP configurations can be tedious. NetSwitch abstracts this complexity into two simple, user-friendly scripts.

Feature	HOME Network	LAB Network
Protocol	DHCP (Automatic)	Static IP
IP Address	Assigned by Router	10.2.11.80
Subnet Mask	Auto-assigned	255.255.252.0
Gateway	Auto-assigned	10.2.8.1
DNS	Auto-assigned	8.8.8.8 (Google DNS)
Use Case	Home, Office, Public Wi-Fi	Testing, Labs, Corporate Networks

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🏗️ Architecture

NetSwitch operates as a lightweight batch automation tool. It uses the Windows netsh API to modify network stack settings. The following diagram illustrates the execution flow:

graph TD
    User[User Double-Clicks Script] -->|Triggers| AdminCheck{Admin Privileges?}
    AdminCheck -->|No| RunError[❌ Access Denied]
    AdminCheck -->|Yes| ScriptLogic{Which Script?}
    
    ScriptLogic -->|netswitchhome.bat| DHCP_Set[netsh: Set IP to DHCP]
    ScriptLogic -->|netswitchlab.bat| Static_Set[netsh: Set IP to Static<br/>10.2.11.80]
    
    DHCP_Set --> Confirm[✅ HOME Enabled]
    Static_Set --> DNS_Set[netsh: Set DNS to 8.8.8.8]
    DNS_Set --> Confirm
    
    Confirm --> Feedback[Feedback Window<br/>Press Enter to Exit]
    RunError --> Help[Read Troubleshooting Section]

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🚀 Quick Start

Prerequisites

• Windows: Windows 10/11 with Administrator rights
• Linux: A NetworkManager-based system with nmcli installed and sudo access
• Network: Standard Ethernet adapter

Installation

1. Download or clone this repository.
2. Use the Windows batch files on Windows:
   • netswitchhome.bat
   • netswitchlab.bat
3. Use the Linux shell scripts on Linux:
   • netswitchhome.sh
   • netswitchlab.sh
4. Place them in a preferred folder.

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🛠️ How to Use

1️⃣ Switch to HOME Network (DHCP)

Best for: Home, Office, or dynamic environments.

1. Right-click netswitchhome.bat.
2. Select "Run as administrator".
3. The script will configure the interface to request an IP from your local router.
4. Success: You will see HOME network enabled successfully.

2️⃣ Switch to LAB Network (Static)

Best for: Lab environments requiring fixed IP addresses.

1. Right-click netswitchlab.bat.
2. Select "Run as administrator".
3. The script applies the static configuration:
   • IP: 10.2.11.80
   • Mask: 255.255.252.0
   • Gateway: 10.2.8.1
   • DNS: 8.8.8.8
4. Success: You will see LAB network configured successfully.

💡 Tip: Always verify your settings after running by opening Command Prompt and typing ipconfig.

3️⃣ Linux Usage

Best for: Linux systems using NetworkManager.

Run the scripts with sudo:

sudo ./netswitchhome.sh
sudo ./netswitchlab.sh

The Linux scripts try to detect the active Ethernet interface and its NetworkManager connection automatically.

If your setup needs a specific interface or connection name, you can override them:

sudo INTERFACE_NAME=enp3s0 ./netswitchhome.sh
sudo INTERFACE_NAME=enp3s0 CONNECTION_NAME="Wired connection 1" ./netswitchlab.sh

You can also override the lab network values:

sudo IP_ADDRESS=10.2.11.80/22 GATEWAY=10.2.8.1 DNS_SERVER=8.8.8.8 ./netswitchlab.sh

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Editing Interface Name

Both scripts look for a variable named %eth%. If your adapter is named Wi-Fi or Local Area Connection, modify this line in the script:

:: Default (Ethernet)
set eth=Ethernet

:: Example for Wi-Fi
set eth="Wi-Fi"

Modifying LAB Settings

To change the Lab IP address or Gateway, edit netswitchlab.bat:

:: Modify your static IP line
netsh interface ip set address name="%eth%" static 192.168.1.50 255.255.255.0 192.168.1.1

:: Modify DNS line
netsh interface ip set dns name="%eth%" static 1.1.1.1

For Linux, you can either edit netswitchlab.sh or pass values at runtime:

sudo IP_ADDRESS=192.168.1.50/24 GATEWAY=192.168.1.1 DNS_SERVER=1.1.1.1 ./netswitchlab.sh

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⚠️ Troubleshooting

Issue	Possible Cause	Solution
Access Denied	Running without Admin rights	Right-click and select "Run as administrator".
Wrong Network	Interface name mismatch	Edit %eth= in the batch file to match your adapter name.
No Internet	Firewall/Antivirus block	Temporarily disable security software or add an exception for netsh.
Settings Not Saving	Network service reset	Restart the computer or the specific network adapter service.

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📜 License & Disclaimer

This tool is provided "as is" for educational and personal use.

• Network Modification Warning: Changing network configurations can temporarily disrupt connectivity. Always ensure you understand the IP subnet being applied to avoid network conflicts.
• Data Backup: If in doubt, perform a network backup (ipconfig /all) before making changes.

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Developed with 🧠 for efficient network management.