Regularly Report Computer IP with DHCP

As many are working from home during/after the pandemic, it is super convenient and even necessary to remotely connected to office computers or home computers. However, wirelessly connected devices or ISP-connected devices may have their IP updated from time to time. This blog describes a short Python program that can automatically and periodically report a computer’s IP address. The information is saved into a text file, which can be saved in Dropbox or other cloud drives. Users can then check and utilize the latest IP address. Alternatively, it is easy to change the code to send the IP address via emails instead of saving it to a file.

import socket
from datetime import datetime, timedelta

# install apscheduler
# conda install -c conda-forge apscheduler

from apscheduler.schedulers.blocking import BlockingScheduler
from apscheduler.triggers.interval import IntervalTrigger

Define a function that does the “job”.

def writeLocalIP():

    # Open a file with access mode 'a'
    file_object = open('ip.txt', 'a')
    # datetime object containing current date and time
    now = datetime.now()

    # dd/mm/YY H:M:S
    dt_string = now.strftime("%d/%m/%Y %H:%M:%S")

    # Append 'the IP address' at the end of file
    file_object.write(dt_string + ' : ' +
                      socket.gethostbyname(socket.gethostname()) + '\n')

    # Close the file
    file_object.close()

#writeLocalIP()

Schedule the job. It will report and save IP every two hours.

# Start within 30 seconds
startDateTime = datetime.now() + timedelta(seconds=30)

# This will run 97 days. Change this duration as needed.
durationTime = timedelta(days=97, seconds=10, minutes=1,
                         hours=2) # you can set days/hours/minutes/seconds
# durationTime = timedelta(days=0, seconds=10, minutes=1, hours=0)  # Just 70 seconds for testing

stopDateTime = startDateTime + durationTime

#sh = apscheduler.schedulers.background.BackgroundScheduler()
sh = BlockingScheduler()
#tg = apscheduler.triggers.cron.CronTrigger(year=2020, month=7)
ti = IntervalTrigger(hours=2, start_date=startDateTime, end_date=stopDateTime)

print("Scheduled to get local IP from " +
      startDateTime.strftime("%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S") + " to " +
      stopDateTime.strftime("%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S") + " for every two hours.")

sh.add_job(writeLocalIP, ti)

try:
    sh.start()
except (KeyboardInterrupt, SystemExit):
    pass

The program can be started as a regular Python program. Or a better method is to use NSSM (Non-sucking service management) to register the program as a service. As a service, it still reports IP in the event of restart.


nsmm.exe install "ReportLocalIP"

path: "D:\MiniConda\python.exe"

Startup directory: D:\Dropbox (Personal)\Workspace (where the Python program file is)

Arguments: local_ip.py

code python DHCP IP Repeated tasks

See also