IIS binds to all IP addresses on a server when you install IIS 7.0 on Windows Server 2008

When you install Internet Information Services (IIS) 7.0 in Windows Server 2008, IIS binds to all IP addresses on the server, not merely the IP addresses that are assigned to Web sites. This behavior may occur even though you have set the DisableSocketPooling metabase property in the IIS configuration settings to True.

This issue occurs when the IP listen list is not configured by using specific IP addresses. By default, this behavior occurs in IIS 7.0.

To resolve this issue, use the Netsh command prompt utility to configure the IP listen list in Windows Server 2008.

Add an IP address to the IP listen list

1. Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then click OK. A Command Prompt window opens.
2. At the command prompt, type the following command:
   netsh http add iplisten xxx.xxx.x.x
   Note xxx.xxx.x.x represents the IP address that you want to add.
   
   If the IP address is successfully added, you receive the following message:
   IP address successfully added
3. To list the IP address, type the following command after the IP address is added:
   netsh http show iplisten
   The Netsh utility returns the following information:
   IP addresses present in the IP listen list: xxx.xxx.x.x
4. Stop the HTTP service and its dependent services. To do this, type the following command:
   Net stop http
5. Restart the HTTP service and its dependent services. To do this, type the following command:
   Net start http
6. Restart the W3SVC service. To do this, type the following command:
   Net start w3svc

Note The IP listen list is read when the HTTP service starts. If you modify the list, you must restart the HTTP service.

This behavior is by design.

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