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If you want to reserve IP addresses for a printer, a game console, a home server or a smart camera, you don’t need to touch the device itself. Your router can do it for you. An IP reservation tells the router to give the same local IP address to the same device every time it connects to your Wi-Fi network.
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It takes about five minutes. Below, I’ll explain how IP addresses are handed out, why a reservation helps, and the exact steps on the most common routers.
How do you reserve IP addresses for a device on Wi-Fi?
Quick answer: sign in to your router’s admin page or app, find the DHCP settings (often called Address Reservation, DHCP Reservation or Manually Assigned IP), pick the device by its MAC address, choose the IP address you want and save. Then reconnect the device so it picks up the reserved address.
What is an IP address, and how does your router assign it?
An IP address is a number that identifies a device on a network, such as 192.168.1.25. Your home network uses private addresses, usually in ranges like 192.168.x.x or 10.x.x.x, which only work inside your network. Your internet provider gives your router a separate public address for the outside world.
Inside your home, the router hands out private addresses using DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol). When a phone or laptop joins the Wi-Fi, it asks for an address and the router “leases” one from its pool for a set time. When the lease runs out or the device reconnects, it may get a different number. The DHCP standard (RFC 2131) describes how these leases work if you want the technical detail.
Static IP vs reserved IP: what’s the difference?
| Static IP (set on the device) | DHCP reservation (set on the router) | |
|---|---|---|
| Where you set it | In the device’s own network settings | Once, in the router |
| Risk of conflicts | Higher, if it clashes with the DHCP pool | Low, because the router manages it |
| Easy to change later | Must visit each device | Change it in one place |
| Best for | Servers and network gear without DHCP | Most home devices |
For most homes, I’d use a reservation. You get a fixed address without the risk of two devices fighting over the same one.
Why reserve an IP address?
A reserved address is useful whenever another device or setting needs to find something on your network reliably. Common examples:
- Printers and scanners, so computers don’t lose track of them.
- Port forwarding for game consoles or a home server, since the rule points at one fixed address.
- NAS drives and media servers like Plex, so apps can always reach them.
- Smart home hubs and cameras, which some apps expect at a fixed address.
- Parental controls or firewall rules set up per IP address.
How to reserve an IP address on your router (step by step)
1. Find the device’s MAC address
The router matches the reservation to a device’s MAC address, a hardware ID like A4:83:E7:12:3B:9C. Most routers list connected devices with their MAC addresses, so you can usually pick it from a list. You can also find it in the device’s own network settings.
2. Turn off private or random MAC addresses for that network
This step trips a lot of people up. Modern phones and laptops can use a random MAC address on each Wi-Fi network for privacy. On iPhone it’s called Private Wi-Fi Address, Android calls it a randomized MAC, and Windows has Random hardware addresses. If it’s on, the device may show up with a new MAC and miss its reservation. Turn it off for your home network only.
3. Open your router’s DHCP reservation settings
Type your router’s address, often 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1, into a browser and sign in, or open the router’s app. Menus vary by model and firmware, but these are typical locations:
| Router | Where to look |
|---|---|
| TP-Link | Advanced > Network > DHCP Server > Address Reservation |
| Netgear | Advanced > Setup > LAN Setup > Address Reservation |
| ASUS | LAN > DHCP Server > Manually Assigned IP |
| Google Nest Wifi (Google Home app) | Wi-Fi > Network settings > Advanced networking > DHCP IP reservations |
| eero app | Settings > Network settings > Reservations & port forwarding |
4. Add the reservation and reconnect
- Choose Add or Add reservation.
- Select the device or type its MAC address.
- Enter the IP address you want, for example
192.168.1.50. Pick one that isn’t already used by another device. - Save the settings.
- Restart the device or turn its Wi-Fi off and on so it requests the new address.
Tips to avoid IP reservation problems
A few habits keep things tidy. Keep a short list of your reserved addresses, with what each one is for. Group them, for example .50 to .99 for fixed devices, so they’re easy to remember. If a device keeps getting a different address, check the MAC randomization setting again. And if you replace your router, you’ll need to set the reservations up again, unless you restore a saved configuration.
FAQs about reserving IP addresses
Does reserving an IP address make my network more secure?
Not by itself. A reservation only controls which address a device gets. For security, use a strong Wi-Fi password, WPA3 or WPA2 encryption and keep your router’s firmware updated.
Will a reserved IP address change after a reboot?
No. As long as the device connects with the same MAC address, the router gives it the same IP address every time, even after the router or device restarts.
