CREST Practitioner Security Analyst (CPSA) Practice 2025 - Free CPSA Practice Questions and Study Guide

APIPA stands for Automatic Private Internet Protocol Addressing. This is a networking feature used primarily in Windows operating systems that allows a device on a local area network (LAN) to automatically assign itself an IP address when a DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) server is not available. The resulting IP address is typically in the range of 169.254.0.1 to 169.254.255.254.

This self-assignment of IP addresses facilitates basic networking capabilities without manual configuration, ensuring that devices can communicate with one another on the same local network even in the absence of a DHCP server. The function is especially useful in home or small office networks where a DHCP server may not be set up. By automatically generating an IP address within the designated APIPA range, devices can still send and receive data on the network, albeit with limitations such as being unable to connect to the internet.

Understanding APIPA is essential for troubleshooting connectivity issues in a network environment where devices may fail to receive an IP address from a DHCP server. It indicates that while local network communication is possible, external connectivity is not achievable until proper IP addressing is restored.