How to Disable the Gratuitous ARP Function

ID: Q219374

The information in this article applies to:

SYMPTOMS

When a Windows NT-based computer starts, a packet is broadcast on the network containing the computer's TCP/IP address to prevent the use of duplicate addresses on the same network. This is called a gratuitous Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) packet. Routers and other network hardware may cache routing information gained from multiple gratuitous ARP packets. For both performance and maintenance reasons, it is possible to disable this feature in Windows NT.


RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows NT 4.0. For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q152734 How to Obtain the Latest Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack


STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. This problem was first corrected in Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 5.


MORE INFORMATION

To disable gratuitous ARPs after applying this hotfix:

  1. Click Start, click Run, type regedt32, and then click OK.


  2. On the Windows menu, click HKEY_LOCAL_ MACHINE on Local Machine.


  3. Click the \System\CurrentControlSet\Services\TcpIp\Parameters folder.


  4. Double-click the ArpRetryCount value, type 0, and then click OK.


  5. Quit Registry Editor, and then restart the computer.


For additional information about gratuitous ARPs, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Q199773 Behavior of Gratuitous ARP in Windows NT 4.0

Additional query words: 


Keywords          : kbenv kbnetwork ntsp kbbug4.00 nt4sp5fix 
Version           : winnt:4.0,4.0 SP1,4.0 SP2,4.0 SP3,4.0 SP4
Platform          : winnt 
Issue type        : kbbug

Last Reviewed: July 2, 1999