How to fix “Wi-Fi doesn’t have a valid IP configuration” error
3 min read
The “Wi-Fi doesn’t have a valid IP configuration” error is a common problem for Windows users. In this article, we explain what causes this issue and how to fix it.
What is the “Wi-Fi doesn’t have a valid IP configuration” error?
When you troubleshoot a network that won’t connect, you may receive an error message claiming that your Wi-Fi does not have a valid IP configuration. Until this problem is resolved, you might not be able to get online.
You encounter this error when your Windows machine is unable to secure a functioning IP address via your Wi-Fi network.
An IP address is a numerical identifier that helps devices and networks identify each other online. Want to know more about IP addresses? If you find your IP address, you can perform an IP lookup to see what information is associated with it publicly.
What causes the “Wi-Fi doesn’t have a valid IP configuration” error?
The error occurs if the router IP address is not the same as the IP address reported by the wireless network adapter.
A router is the device that connects your network to the internet (also known as an internet gateway), while the Wi-Fi network adapter is a system on your device that allows it to connect to the wireless network. Your router assigns a private IP address to your wireless network adapter to allow them to communicate, but sometimes (after an OS update, for example, or a random router malfunction) the router will associate the wrong IP addresses with the device’s Wi-Fi adapter.
As a result, the wireless network adapter tries to operate with one IP address, while the router tries to communicate with a different address, and the connection between them fails. This results in the “valid IP configuration” error.
Thankfully, you can fix this problem in a number of ways.
Fix the “Wi-Fi doesn’t have a valid IP configuration” error
Try the following steps to fix your network error.
Restart your router
If you’re having problems with network connections, the most likely culprit is the router, so switch it off and then turn it back on again. You can either use an on-off button on your router, if it has one, or simply turn it off at the power source. Most routers can take up to 30 minutes to fully reset after being powered back up, so give your router some time and then test to see if it’s working. If this solves the problem, the router and network adapters can establish a new IP address automatically and resolve the problem.
If you have set static IP addresses on your device or router this could interfere with the solution.
Restart your device
If rebooting the router doesn’t work, turn your Windows device off and on again completely. This should allow the Wi-Fi adapter to sync back up with the router, reestablishing and sharing accurate IP address information.
Reset network adapter IP address configuration and TCP/IP settings
If you’re willing to try a more complex solution, you can reset IP configuration on your network adapter, as well as your TCP/IP settings, to try and fix the problem.
- On your Windows machine, use the “Windows + R” keyboard shortcut to open the “Run” function.
- Input “cmd” (no quotation marks) and click the “Enter” key to open the “Command prompt” interface.
- Input the following commands, pressing the “Enter” key after each one: “ipconfig /release,” “ipconfig /all,” and “ipconfig /renew” (without quotation marks).
- Input the following commands, pressing the “Enter” key after each one: “netsh int ip set dns” and “netsh winsock reset” (without quotation marks).
- Exit the “Command prompt” application and restart your computer to complete the process.
To further examine your network settings on Windows, just use the “Win + X” keyboard shortcut to open your “Quick Access” menu and select “Network Connections.”
What if none of these solutions work?
If the error persists, then the problem may not result from your PC’s network settings or a simple router malfunction. Instead, you might be dealing with a more serious hardware problem. To find out if this is the case, try connecting another device to your network.
If the other devices still don’t connect, and you’ve tried the above steps for resolving the issues, then your Windows machine is not the problem, and you should contact your internet service provider for further support. Of course, if other devices are connecting, then your router settings and hardware may not be the issue, and your original machine is probably at fault.
You can also check out our guide on the “ethernet doesn’t have a valid ip configuration” error to resolve that similar issue.