If a restart doesn't work, try these fixes
A “Wi-Fi doesn’t have a valid IP configuration” error message in Windows 10 or 11 happens when your PC fails to secure a functioning IP (Internet Protocol) address over Wi-Fi. You may also come across a similar IP-related error with Ethernet.
If restarting your computer didn’t fix the problem (try that if you haven’t already), then the following troubleshooting tips should help you sort things out.
Table of Contents
Restart Your Router
In most cases, the “Wi-Fi doesn’t have a valid IP configuration” error shows up due to random faults on the router side. The solution—restart your router.
Turn the router off, wait at least ten seconds, and then turn it back on. When your computer re-establishes its Wi-Fi connection, see if you can access the internet.
Reset Your Wireless Network Adapter
Disabling and re-enabling your PC’s wireless network adapter is another potential fix for connectivity-related issues in Windows.
1. Press Windows+R to open the Run box.
2. Type ncpa.cpl and select OK.
3. In the Network and Sharing Center, right-click the wireless network adapter and select Disable.
4. Wait at least ten seconds.
5. Right-click the Wi-Fi adapter again and select Enable.
Renew Your PC’s IP Lease
If restarting the router or disabling/re-enabling the wireless network adapter doesn’t resolve the issue, you can force your computer into renewing its IP lease by running a few commands via Windows PowerShell. The same commands also work in Command Prompt or the new Windows Terminal if you prefer to use that.
1. Press Windows+X and select Windows PowerShell.
2. Type each of the commands below, pressing the Enter key after each and waiting for the process to finish:
- ipconfig /release
- ipconfig /flushdns (optional)
- ipconfig /renew
3. Exit Windows PowerShell.
Reset the TCP/IP Stack
If renewing the IP lease didn’t help, you should reset your PC’s TCP/IP stack. That requires running another couple of commands, but this time you’ll need to run them in an elevated Windows PowerShell console (one you run with admin privileges). As before, you can also use these commands in Command Prompt or Terminal, as long as you run them as administrator.
1. Press Windows+X and select Windows PowerShell (Admin).
2. Run each of the commands below, pressing Enter after each line and waiting for the process to finish:
- netsh winsock reset catalog
- netsh int ip reset
3. Exit the PowerShell window and restart the computer. If a corrupted TCP/IP stack was at the source of the error, you should be able to connect online without problems.
Reinstall the Wireless Network Adapter
If you still receive the “Wi-Fi doesn’t have a valid IP configuration” error message, try uninstalling and reinstalling the wireless network adapter on your computer. That should rule out a corrupted driver.
1. Press Windows+X and select Device Manager.
2. Expand Network adapters.
3. Right-click your wireless network adapter and select Disable device.
4. Select Yes.
5. Right-click the wireless network adapter again and select Uninstall device.
6. Reboot your computer, and it should re-install the wireless network adapter automatically.
Note: If your computer fails to detect and install the wireless network adapter after the restart, open the Device Manager again, right-click your PC’s name to the top, and select Scan for hardware changes.
Update the Wireless Network Adapter
If disabling and reinstalling the wireless network adapter didn’t help, try updating its driver. Windows installs a generic driver by default, but it’s a good idea to grab an up-to-date copy from the device manufacturer’s website. You must—obviously—use a device with an active internet connection for that.
Once you’ve downloaded and transferred the driver setup file, just run it and follow all on-screen instructions to update the wireless network adapter.
Obtain the IP Address Automatically
Have you configured your PC’s wireless network adapter with a custom IP address and DNS settings? If so, you should switch back to obtaining them automatically.
1. Press Windows+R to open the Run box. Then, type ncpa.cpl and select OK.
2. Right-click the Wi-Fi adapter and select Properties.
3. Under the Networking tab, double-click Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) Properties.
4. Select the radio buttons next to Obtain an IP address automatically and Obtain DNS server address automatically.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6) Properties.
Change the Router’s SSID and Password
Another way to fix the “Wi-Fi doesn’t have a valid IP configuration” error is to change the SSID and password of your router. To do that, you must visit the router’s settings.
Note: You need the router’s gateway IP, username, and password to access its settings. You can typically find the details on a label somewhere on the router itself.
1. Enter the gateway IP into a new browser tab—in Chrome, Firefox, or Edge—and press Enter.
2. Log in to the router using the username and password.
3. Sift through the router settings and change the SSID and password. Then, save your changes.
Once you’ve done that, you must update your PC’s connection to the router with the new SSID and password. Don’t forget to update the network on other devices that connect to it as well.
Run the Network Adapter Troubleshooter
Now that you’ve worked through several fixes, it’s time to diagnose your Wi-Fi connection once more using the network troubleshooter.
- Press Start and type Network Troubleshooter.
- Select Find and fix network settings from the results (or Identify and repair network problems in Windows 10).
- Step through the wizard and select Wi-Fi when you have the choice. Then, select Next and follow the onscreen instructions to resolve any issues.
If you run into the “Wi-Fi doesn’t have a valid IP configuration” again, move on to the next fix.
Reset Your PC’s Network Settings
It’s time to reset your PC’s network settings. That should revert every network-related setting to its default and likely patch out incorrect or corrupt configurations for good.
- Press Windows+X and select Network Connections.
- Select Advanced network settings.
- Select Network reset.
- Select Reset now.
After resetting the network settings, reconnect to Wi-Fi, and you probably won’t run into the “Wi-Fi doesn’t have a valid IP configuration” error anymore.
The Wi-Fi IP Configuration Is Valid
You can usually resolve the “Wi-Fi doesn’t have a valid IP configuration” error by restarting the router, resetting the wireless network adapter, or renewing the IP lease. But if the issue recurs after some time, we recommend you work through some of the advanced fixes above until it goes away permanently.
