• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Technipages

Smart phone, gadget and computer tutorials

  • Topics
    • Android
    • Gaming
    • Hardware
    • Internet
    • iOS
    • MacOS
    • Office
    • Software
    • Windows
    • Definitions
  • Product Reviews
  • Downloads
  • About
Windows 10: Flush ARP Cache

Windows 10: Flush ARP Cache

Posted on February 25, 2020 by Mel Hawthorne Leave a Comment

When troubleshooting networking issues, a wide range of potential problems need to be investigated. One potential issue is that the ARP cache contains incorrect data. This scenario is extremely unlikely and is most often caused by a user editing their own ARP cache for some purpose. But no matter how the issue was caused, it still needs to be fixed. So, what is the ARP cache and how do you clear it?

What is the ARP cache?

ARP stands for Address Resolution Protocol, it resolves IP addresses to MAC addresses and is used exclusively for communications over a local network. The ARP cache stores routing information for local IP addresses, and then contains a default route to the gateway, for external resources.

The ARP cache can only be modified by a device on the local network. ARP messages are broadcast to the entire local network, any device that can see ARP messages will adjust its ARP cache to match the newest information. Therefore, changes to the cache on a device can be made by a user, or potentially a virus on any device on the network. The ARP cache cannot be directly modified by users outside of the local network.

Tip: Modifying the ARP cache manually should not be done lightly, as it can cause networking issues.

The most likely cause for the ARP cache needing to be cleared, is the user of the device trying to modify their own cache by hardcoding a value in an attempt to fix an issue and making it worse by accident.

How to clear the ARP Cache

The first step to clearing the ARP cache is to open an elevated command prompt, doing this gives it administrative rights which are necessary to perform the deletion. Open the windows start bar and type “CMD”, then right-click on command prompt and select “Run as administrator”.

Open an elevated command prompt.

In the elevated command prompt type the command “arp -a” to view the ARP cache, to wipe the ARP cache run the command “arp -d”. The -a flag instructs the program to display the ARP cache, the -d flag instructs it to delete the cache.

A before and after of the ARP cache being flushed.

You Might Also Like

  • How to Flush and Reset the DNS Cache in Windows 10
    How to Flush and Reset the DNS Cache in Windows 10
  • MacOS Sierra: Flush DNS Cache
    MacOS Sierra: Flush DNS Cache
  • Windows: Clear Java Web Cache Via Command Line
    Windows: Clear Java Web Cache Via Command Line
  • What is the CPU Cache?
    What is the CPU Cache?
  • How to Clear the Cache in Google Chrome
    How to Clear the Cache in Google Chrome
  • How to Completely Disable Cache in Google Chrome
    How to Completely Disable Cache in Google Chrome
  • Apple Safari: Completely Disable Cache
    Apple Safari: Completely Disable Cache
  • iPhone & iPad: How to Clear Safari Browser Cache
    iPhone & iPad: How to Clear Safari Browser Cache
  • Galaxy Tab 4: Clear Browser History, Cache, & Cookies
    Galaxy Tab 4: Clear Browser History, Cache, & Cookies

Filed Under: Windows

Reader Interactions

Did this help? Let us know! Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • Fix Skype Error: Exchange Needs Your Credentials
  • Fix Skype Notifications Not Working on Windows 10
  • Teams in Outlook: We Couldn’t Schedule the Meeting
  • VR Oculus Quest 2: How to Configure a New Room-Scale Boundary
  • VR Oculus Quest 2: How to Adjust Boundary Sensitivity
  • Dropbox: How To Change the Date Format
  • Microsoft Teams: There Was a Problem Saving the Photo
  • VR Oculus Quest 2: How to Set up Oculus Link

Who’s Behind Technipages?

Baby and Daddy My name is Mitch Bartlett. I've been working in technology for over 20 years in a wide range of tech jobs from Tech Support to Software Testing. I started this site as a technical guide for myself and it has grown into what I hope is a useful reference for all.

Follow me on Twitter, or visit my personal blog.

You May Also Like

  • Cache
  • Set-Associative Cache
  • Cache Controller
  • Pipeline Burst Cache
  • Windows 95/98
  • Microsoft Windows NT
  • Microsoft Windows
  • Microsoft Windows 95

© Copyright 2021 Technipages · All Rights Reserved · Privacy