What is the name of the configuration tool in Windows Server Core?

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Administer a Server Core server

• Article
• 12/23/2021
• 8 minutes to read

In this article

Applies to: Windows Server 2022, Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2016

Because Server Core doesn't have a UI, you need to use Windows PowerShell cmdlets, command line tools, or remote tools to perform basic administration tasks. The following sections outline the PowerShell cmdlets and commands used for basic tasks. You can also use Windows Admin Center, a unified management portal currently in public preview, to administer your installation.

Administrative tasks using PowerShell cmdlets

Use the following information to perform basic administrative tasks with Windows PowerShell cmdlets.

Set a static IP address

When you install a Server Core server, by default it has a DHCP address. If you need a static IP address, you can set it using the following steps.

To view your current network configuration, use Get-NetIPConfiguration.

To view the IP addresses you're already using, use Get-NetIPAddress.

To set a static IP address, do the following:

1. Run Get-NetIPInterface.

2. Note the number in the IfIndex column for your IP interface or the InterfaceDescription string. If you have more than one network adapter, note the number or string corresponding to the interface you want to set the static IP address for.

3. Run the following cmdlet to set the static IP address:

   New-NetIPaddress -InterfaceIndex 12 -IPAddress 192.0.2.2 -PrefixLength 24 -DefaultGateway 192.0.2.1
   

   where:

   • InterfaceIndex is the value of IfIndex from step 2. (In our example, 12)
   • IPAddress is the static IP address you want to set. (In our example, 191.0.2.2)
   • PrefixLength is the prefix length (another form of subnet mask) for the IP address you're setting. (For our example, 24)
   • DefaultGateway is the IP address to the default gateway. (For our example, 192.0.2.1)

4. Run the following cmdlet to set the DNS client server address:

   Set-DNSClientServerAddress –InterfaceIndex 12 -ServerAddresses 192.0.2.4
   

   where:

   • InterfaceIndex is the value of IfIndex from step 2.
   • ServerAddresses is the IP address of your DNS server.

5. To add multiple DNS servers, run the following cmdlet:

   Set-DNSClientServerAddress –InterfaceIndex 12 -ServerAddresses 192.0.2.4,192.0.2.5
   

   where, in this example, 192.0.2.4 and 192.0.2.5 are both IP addresses of DNS servers.

If you need to switch to using DHCP, run Set-DnsClientServerAddress –InterfaceIndex 12 –ResetServerAddresses.

Join a domain

Use the following cmdlets to join a computer to a domain.

1. Run Add-Computer. You'll be prompted for both credentials to join the domain and the domain name.

2. If you need to add a domain user account to the local Administrators group, run the following command at a command prompt (not in the PowerShell window):

   net localgroup administrators /add \
   

3. Restart the computer. You can do this by running Restart-Computer.

Rename the server

Use the following steps to rename the server.

1. Determine the current name of the server with the hostname or ipconfig command.
2. Run Rename-Computer -ComputerName .
3. Restart the computer.

Activate the server

Run slmgr.vbs –ipk. Then run slmgr.vbs –ato. If activation succeeds, you won't get a message.

Note

You can also activate the server by phone, using a Key Management Service (KMS) server, or remotely. To activate remotely, run the following cmdlet from a remote computer:

cscript windows\system32\slmgr.vbs   :-ato

Configure Windows Firewall

You can configure Windows Firewall locally on the Server Core computer using Windows PowerShell cmdlets and scripts. See NetSecurity for the cmdlets you can use to configure Windows Firewall.

Enable Windows PowerShell remoting

You can enable Windows PowerShell Remoting, in which commands typed in Windows PowerShell on one computer run on another computer. Enable Windows PowerShell Remoting with Enable-PSRemoting.

For more information, see About Remote FAQ.

Administrative tasks from the command line

Use the following reference information to perform administrative tasks from the command line.

Configuration and installation

Networking and firewall

Updates, error reporting, and feedback

Services, processes, and performance

Event logs

Disk and file system

Hardware

Additional resources

Additional resources

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