Dictionary · Networking Fundamentals
APIPA
APIPA — Automatic Private IP Addressing
Addressing · Intermediate
A fallback in which a host assigns itself an address in 169.254.0.0/16 when it cannot get one from a configuration server. It can then talk only on the local link.
If a computer cannot lease an address, it may invent a link-local one. That lets it talk to nearby devices in the same situation, but not through the normal gateway to other networks.
Example: A laptop shows 169.254.23.8 and a mask of 255.255.0.0 after the office configuration server fails.
Common misconception
- This is a symptom of failed automatic configuration, not a normal addressing plan.