finding your interface name for netsh

How to find the name of your interface for netsh.

In a previous post I had a ip changing script that used netsh to change the ip addresses.
The main syntax being: "netsh interface ip set address "Local Area Connection" static 192.168.1.53 255.255.255.0 192.168.1.1 1

However in windows 8, there are two issues:
1) you now have to use ipv4 instead of ip,
2) my previous method of using ipconfig to find the name of the network connection to use, doesn't work.

For the second issue I would get the error: "The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect."

To find the correct name for your connection (where it says "Local Area Connection" above), type in:
netsh interface show interface
This will list the currently enabled interfaces, which hopefully will include the one you're trying to mess with.  If the one you want isn't listed, make sure it's associated with a wireless network (if it's the Wi-Fi interface),  or the network cable is plugged in if it's a wired interface.

windows ip switcher

Where I work, I support multiple offices.  Most of the offices do not have DHCP, they use static ip addresses (not my decision).  So here is a script I made for changing the ip address settings on a windows laptop, this does have to be ran with full admin privileges.  You will have to change parts of this script for your usage (where ever you see an ip address, and probably want to change the labels for the networks also).

echo ip-switch ver 20081119

set baseoffice=hq

rem now we figure out what subnet we're on
for /f "tokens=2 delims=:" %%i in ('ipconfig ^|find "IP Address"') do set ipaddr=%%i
for /f "tokens=2,3 delims=." %%o in ('echo %ipaddr%') do set subnet=%%o.%%p


rem based on the sub-net we determine what our location is
if /i "%subnet%" == "10.10" set loc=hq
if /i "%subnet%" == "10.11" set loc=sub
if /i "%subnet%" == "11.11" set loc=b1
if /i "%subnet%" == "11.12"  set loc=b2
if "%loc%" == "hq" set comploc=acompanyoffice
if "%loc%" == "substation" set comploc=acompanyoffice
if "%loc%" == "branch1" set comploc=acompanyoffice
if "%loc%" == "branch2" set comploc=acompanyoffice
if "%comploc%" == "acompanyoffice" goto comploc
set comploc=remote
:comploc


echo off

:complocmenu
cls
if "%comploc%" == "acompanyoffiice" echo this computer is currently setup for %comploc% (%loc%) use
if "%comploc%" == "remote" echo this computer is currently setup for %comploc% use
echo where is this laptop now (so it can communicate with the internet)?
echo 1) your base office (%baseoffice%)
echo 2) remote, home/other office
echo x) exit (leave everything as it is)
echo if another office enter the two-three letter abbreviation for it,
echo (hq,sub,b1,b2,etc...), and press enter, otherwise,
set /p comploc=press 1,2 or x and then enter:
rem if we entered a correct choice go to the next menu
if "%comploc%" == "1" goto methodmenu
if "%comploc%" == "2" goto methodmenu
if "%comploc%" == "x" echo no changes will be made
if /i "%comploc%" == "x" goto endprog
if /i "%comploc%" == "hq" goto otheroffice
if /i "%comploc%" == "sub" goto otheroffice
if /i "%comploc%" == "b1" goto otheroffice
if /i "%comploc%" == "b2" goto otheroffice


cls
rem if we entered a wrong chose clear screen of distraction
rem and ask for correct input
echo "you must press 1 or 2, or just press enter"
goto complocmenu

:otheroffice
set baseoffice=%comploc%
goto methodmenu

:methodmenu
echo is the laptop plugged in or using wireless?
echo 1) plugged in
echo 2) wireless
echo x) endprog
set /p netmethod=press 1 or 2 and then press enter

if "%netmethod%" == "1" set conmethod="Local Area Connection"
if "%netmethod%" == "2" set conmethod="Wireless Network Connection"
if "%netmethod%" == "1" goto methodselected
if "%netmethod%" == "2" goto methodselected
if "%netmethod%" == "x" goto endprog
echo "incorrect method selected"
goto methodmenu
:methodselected


if "%comploc%" == "1" goto staticip
if "%comploc%" == "2" goto dhcpip

:staticip
echo we will configure the computer for jcc office use
rem goto endprog
rem remove the goto endprog when we fix these settings
rem set static ip address (needs to be edited)

for /f "tokens=1 delims=-" %%I in ('echo %baseoffice%') do set loc=%%I
for /f "tokens=2 delims=-" %%C in ('hostname') do set compip=%%C
echo computer ip is %compip%

if /i "%baseoffice%" == "h1" set netaddr=10.10.10
if /i "%baseoffice%" == "sub" set netaddr=10.10.11
if /i "%baseoffice%" == "b1" set netaddr=10.11.11
if /i "%baseoffice%" == "b2" set netaddr=10.11.12




echo network address is %netaddr%

rem netsh interface ip set address "Local Area Connection" static %netaddr%.%compip% 255.255.255.0 %netaddr%.1 1
rem netsh interface ip set dns "Local Area Connection" static 10.91.1.21
rem netsh interface ip set wins "Local Area Connection" static 204.130.253.130
netsh interface ip set address %conmethod% static %netaddr%.%compip% 255.255.255.0 %netaddr%.1 1
netsh interface ip set dns %conmethod% static 10.91.1.21
netsh interface ip set wins %conmethod% static 10.254.2.130
rem start /wait sysdm.cpl

goto endprog


:dhcpip
rem some netsh commands to set dhcp on the interface
netsh interface ip set address name=%conmethod% source=dhcp
netsh interface ip set dns name=%conmethod% source=dhcp
netsh interface ip set wins name=%conmethod% source=dhcp
goto endprog

:endprog
hostname
for /f "tokens=2 delims=:" %%i in ('ipconfig ^|find "Default Gateway"') do set gateway=%%i
ipconfig |find "Address"
ping %gateway%
echo if you got back replys your good, if any of the requests timed out that's not good.
pause

change system SQL database connection

In windows you can create a database connection for your front end program to use.  Well as with all things in life things change, you decide to get a new database server, you messed up on the initial imaging of the workstations, you decided to expand or consolidate your database servers.  Instead of having to go around to each desktop and dig through control panel on each one to edit the database connection, here's a script to change the server.

This does not create a new database connection on each computer, for that you'll probably want to do configuration through control panel on one of the computers and then export it out the HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\ODBC\ODBC.INI or HKLM\SOFTWARE\ODBC\ODBC.INI keys to a file.

If your database is something other then CMS you'll need to change the key path referenced below.




@echo off
if "%1" == "" goto needarguments
for /f "tokens=2" %%W in ('date /t') do set dater=%%W
for /f "tokens=1-3 delims=/" %%d in ('echo %dater%') do set curdate=%%f%%d%%e
rem what we're changing the CMS database server to.
set dsnserver=newprod



:nextcomp
set remotecomp=%1
rem need to do some ping checks and stuff
echo updating %1 at %time%


for /f "tokens=2 skip=1 delims==" %%q in ('ping -n 1 %1') do set pingtimer=%%q
for /f "tokens=1 delims=m" %%s in ('echo %pingtimer%') do set pingtime1=%%s


if "%pingtime1%" == "1 Received " set pingtime1=down
if "%pingtime1%" == "down" echo %1 down at %date% %time% >> pc-down-dsn-%curdate%.lst
if "%pingtime1%" == "down" goto thiscompfinished



rem this works only if changing the server, if no dsn/odbc connection is
rem yet set up, you'll need to add more registry keys then just this one.
rem echo on
if exist \\%1\c$\windows\syswow64 reg add "\\%1\HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\ODBC\ODBC.INI\CMS" /v Server /t reg_sz /d %dsnserver% /f
if not exist \\%1\c$\windows\syswow64 reg add "\\%1\HKLM\SOFTWARE\ODBC\ODBC.INI\CMS" /v Server /t reg_sz /d %dsnserver% /f
if errorlevel 1 echo %1 had error updating dsn on %date% %time% >> pc-error-dsn-%curdate%.lst
if errorlevel 0 echo %1 updated dsn to %dsnserver% on %date% %time% >> pc-fixed-dsn-%curdate%.lst
echo off


:thiscompfinished
shift
if not "%1" == "" goto nextcomp
echo finished at %date% %time%
goto end

:needarguments
echo usage: %0 comp1 comp2 comp3 etc...
echo make sure to not use any \\







:end

IE Tracking protection lists

Where I'm at we have a web filtering device that will display a full pdf with the employer's terms of service if you go to a website we have blocked.  Problem is one of those is facebook, and if you go to say a news site and it has a facebook like button, the news site isn't blocked, but you still get a huge pdf file come up on your screen.

Thankfully if you're running a newer version of Internet Explorer, there is a feature called "Tracking Protection Lists", while meant to improve your privacy, they can also disable the facebook "like" button that you find on many websites. Problem is digging through all of IE's settings can be a pain.  So here is a simple internal web page for users to go to load the page (just have to click a button on the page).

note: If you're using IIS to serve this you will need to go into the server's "MIME Types" and add
the .tpl extension.  I labeled it as "application/ie", IIS apparently won't serve unknown MIME types.

First file is the tracking protection list file that we want IE to load.
#------------------don't include this line in facebook-block.tpl ---------------------------
msFilterList
: Expires = 5
# blocked strings
- like.php
# domain rules
-d facebook.com
-d facebook.net
# from http://anglachelg.blogspot.com/2011/04/create-your-own-tpl-for-ie9.html
#------------------don't include this line in facebook-block.tpl ---------------------------

------index.html --- don't include this line ---------------------
<!DOCTYPE html />
<html >
<head>
<!--- from http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh273399%28v=vs.85%29.aspx -->
    <title>Internet Explorer 9 Tracking Protection list loader</title>
    <script type="text/javascript">
 
    function checkTP() {
    //checks whether Tracking Protection has been enabled (any list is on)
        if (window.external.msTrackingProtectionEnabled())
      {
            document.getElementById("results").innerHTML = "Tracking protection is: ON";
        } else {
            document.getElementById("results").innerHTML = "Tracking protection is: OFF";
        }
    }

    //loads a list specified by input field
    function loadTPFile() {
        var URL = document.getElementById("tplfile").value;      
        var description = 'Facebook blocking Tracking Protection List';      
        window.external.msAddTrackingProtectionList(URL, description);
    }
</script>

</head>
<body>
<!---- First check that you have tracking protection enabled by click the
"check tracking protection" button
<div>
  <button onclick="checkTP();">Check tracking protection</button>
  <span id="results">Tracking protection is: </span>
</div>
<p />
Remember that you need to have tracking protection "on" for this to work
if tracking protection is off, go to: <br>
tools, tracking protection, select "Your Personalized List" and click enable, close, <br>
then click on the "check tracking protection" button again.

--->
<p />
This is for blocking the facebook like button (and facebook's other tracking mechanisims),
that are on many websites nowdays, which cause the company's usage policy to pop up.  To stop this: <br>
click on "load TPL file"
and click on the "add list" button
<p />
<div>
  <button onclick="loadTPFile();">Load TPL file</button>
  <input id= "tplfile" type="text" value="facebook-block.tpl" size="60" />
</div>

<p />
Remember if you go to the facebook.com website itself you will still get a copy of the company's
Internet usage policy poping up.
</body>
</html>

enable basic games in windows

To enable/disable features in windows 7 you use dism (deployment image servicing and management).

The following batch file will enable the basic games (chess, minesweeper, solitaire, etc...), but not any of the internet games.
This will have to be ran with full admin privileges.

rem --------------games-enable-w7.bat--------------
rem to get a list of whats available and enabled/disabled
rem dism /online /Get-Features
echo make sure you're running this with admin privleges
dism /online /enable-feature /featurename:"InboxGames"
dism /online /disable-feature /featurename:"Internet Games"
dism /online /disable-feature /featurename:"More Games"
rem ---------end of batch script----------------

setting windows permissions from the command line using icacls

Why set permissions from the command line when you can just right click and check or uncheck a few boxes?

Well checking boxes is great, if you only have one computer or two, and never have to re-do it.  Once you have a few, well it's probably time to script it :)

Here are some basic ones I've used

To lock down a folder so that no one can delete what they created, a write only folder, (two liner):

icacls d:\writeonlyfolder /deny Everyone:(CI)(OI)(DE)

icacls d:\writeonlyfolder /deny Everyone:(CI)(OI)(DC)

So that people can't put any files in a folder (just subfolders)

icacls d:\parentfolder /deny "Domain Users":(WD)

This is a locked down structure, where only the creator of a folder on a share
has access to the contents, no one else can even get into the folder created, other then administrators.

rem we do want administrators and the creator of the folder though to have access

icacls d:\secured /grant:r "Domain Administrators":(OI)(CI)F
icacls d:\secured /grant:r "Creator Owner":(OI)(CI)F
allow users to create folders in the parent folder.
icacls d:\secured /grant:r users:WRXM
remove any inheritance which could cause issues.
icacls d:\secured /inheritance:r 

Background on how windows file permissions work:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/2009.07.geekofalltrades.aspx

Git revision control on windows via cygwin

With all this scripting one needs to be able to track the changes to their larger scripts.  You can do the crude append -## to the file-name where ## is some revision number, but if you have a large script that you change a lot over a long period of time, relying on this, or file system backups, just doesn't work very well.  Fortunately the programming field has revision control, and I've decided to use GIT.   Unfortunately tortoise git while it is easy to use and install, caused some issues where browsing via network neighborhood to a remote site was slowed down tremendously.

So I decide to use cygwin and the git it has, unfortunately the git gui interface (which I'm use to from tortoise git), is a little tricky to set up.

When in the cygwin setup go into the "Devel" section and select all the items that start with git, including gitk, then go to the "X11" section and select, X-Start-menu-icons, and xinit.  Once the cygwin setup program finished up, click on the start button, all programs, cygwin-x, X win server.  You should see a white terminal box pop up.  Use normal unix/linux commands to go the directory where your scripts are, and run your git commands.  The reason for using the white terminal window from the X-win-server is so that you can run gitk.  For some reason git gui gives me an error, but gitk works just fine.

The git gui that is in cygwin is just for browsing the history of your code, to actually commit changes, and do anything other then view, you will still need to use the command line:

For those new to git at the command line this is my cheetsheet
for more commands and details of the commands check http://www.vogella.com/articles/Git/article.html

first create the repository
git init

add files to the repository
git add filename

see the changes since the last commit:
git diff

commit the changes:
git commit -m "some comments"

commit a particular file:
git commit script.bat

git status

git add script.bat

git log

see the commits for a file
git log filename

see the diffs of each commit for a file
git log -p filename

see the entire history
git log --follow -p file