DOS on windows XP

so Ive been trying to get a new IP address through the dos promt thing, like here>start menu>run/typed command>dos> IPconfig /renew and if that doesnt work   IPconfig /release, but then I type in IPconfig /renew again but I have the same IP address. I'm not sure how to get a new one, other than typing in IPconfig /renew but that gets me the same IP address again. so could you guys help if you know how.

If you don't even know what a static IP address is, what are you doing dicking around with command line TCP/IP utilities?