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Windows 10 Update Broke DHCP, Knocked Users Off the Internet (arstechnica.com)
Microsoft has quietly fixed a software update it released last week, which effectively prevented Windows 10 users from connecting to the Internet or joining a local network. From a report on ArsTechnica: It's unclear exactly which automatic update caused the problem or exactly when it was released -- current (unconfirmed) signs point to KB3201845 released on December 9 -- but whatever it was appeared to break DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol), preventing Windows 10 from automatically acquiring an IP address from the network. There's also little detail on how many people were affected or why, but multiple cases have been confirmed across Europe by many ISPs. A Microsoft spokesperson has meanwhile confirmed that "some customers" had been experiencing "difficulties" getting online, but that's about it for public statements at present. However, a moderator on the company's forums has said the fix was included in a patch released on Tuesday called KB3206632.
Reports mention that the failure to acquire an address is, at least sometimes, tied to the "Connected Devices Platform Service" crashing. Apparently this service is "used for Connected Devices and Universal Glass scenarios", which really clears things up.
Nobody seems to have much to say on what exactly the 'connected devices platform' is; but it sounds like the problem isn't with the DHCP client itself; but with some questionably sensible abstraction layer failing at automagic above it, in the service of some windows-everywhere-in-the-connected-home fever dream.
Sort of like the time they broke all those webcams, not by monkeying with UVC support; but by quietly inserting a poorly thought out frameserver without telling anyone because being able to log in with your face is obviously more important than Directshow working as expected.