WiFi Does Not Have a Valid IP Configuration Fix

WiFi Does Not Have a Valid IP Configuration: How to Fix It

When you run the Windows network troubleshooter and it reports "Wi-Fi doesn't have a valid IP configuration" (or "Ethernet doesn't have a valid IP configuration"), it means your PC joined the network but never got a working IP address from the router. Without that address it can't talk to anything beyond the router, so you see "No internet" even though the connection icon looks normal.

The fixes below work on Windows 10 and Windows 11. They start with the harmless ones.

First: Check Whether It Is Only This PC

Look at another phone or laptop on the same network.

• Other devices work: the problem is on this PC. Carry on below.
• Nothing works: the router itself is the problem. Follow router connected but no internet instead.

Check the Address Your PC Has

1. Open the Start menu, type cmd and open Command Prompt.
2. Run:

ipconfig

1. Find your Wi-Fi or Ethernet adapter and look at IPv4 Address.

If it starts with 169.254, Windows gave itself a temporary address because no router answered its request. That confirms this error. A normal home address usually starts with 192.168, 10. or 172.16-172.31.

Fix 1: Restart the PC and the Router

Shut the PC down (not sleep). Unplug the router for 30 seconds, plug it back in and wait until its lights settle, usually two to three minutes. Then start the PC. This clears a stuck address lease on both sides and fixes a surprising number of cases.

Fix 2: Release and Renew the IP Address

1. Right-click Command Prompt in the Start menu and choose Run as administrator.
2. Run these two commands, one after the other:

ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew

1. Run ipconfig again. If you now have a normal address, test a website.

If /renew waits a long time and then reports an error, move on to the next fix.

Fix 3: Make Sure Windows Asks for an Address Automatically

If someone set a fixed (static) address on this PC and the router has since changed, the old address won't work.

1. Open Settings > Network & internet.
2. Select Wi-Fi (or Ethernet), then your network's properties (on Wi-Fi, click the network name or Hardware properties depending on your build).
3. Next to IP assignment, click Edit and choose Automatic (DHCP). Save.
4. Do the same for DNS server assignment if it shows manual addresses you don't recognise.

Write down any manual settings before changing them, in case your office or ISP gave them to you on purpose.

Fix 4: Reset TCP/IP and Winsock

These two commands rebuild Windows' network settings to their defaults. They don't touch your files. Note any static IP or custom DNS first.

1. Open Command Prompt as administrator.
2. Run:

netsh winsock reset
netsh int ip reset

1. Restart the PC when Windows asks you to.

Fix 5: Reinstall the Network Adapter

1. Right-click the Start button and choose Device Manager.
2. Expand Network adapters.
3. Right-click your Wi-Fi adapter (names often include "Wireless", "Wi-Fi" or "802.11") or your Ethernet adapter and choose Uninstall device. Leave the box that deletes the driver software unticked.
4. Restart the PC. Windows reinstalls the adapter automatically.

If the adapter still misbehaves, download the current driver for your model from the laptop or motherboard maker's support page. Avoid "driver updater" programs; they are not needed and sometimes install the wrong driver.

Fix 6: Check the DHCP Client Service

The DHCP Client service is what asks the router for an address.

1. Press Windows + R, type services.msc and press Enter.
2. Find DHCP Client. Its status should be Running and startup type Automatic.
3. If it is stopped, right-click it and choose Start, then restart the PC.

Fix 7: Network Reset (Windows 10 and 11)

This removes and reinstalls all network adapters and sets networking components back to their defaults.

1. Open Settings > Network & internet > Advanced network settings > Network reset (Windows 10: Settings > Network & Internet > Status > Network reset).
2. Click Reset now and confirm. The PC restarts after about five minutes.

After the reset you will need to re-enter your Wi-Fi password. VPN clients and virtual adapters may need to be reinstalled or reconfigured.

If the Router Is Running Out of Addresses

On busy home networks with many phones, smart TVs, cameras and plugs, a small router can run out of addresses to hand out. If new devices keep failing while old ones work, sign in to the router's admin page and look at its DHCP settings or connected-device list. Removing old devices or widening the address range fixes it. The router's manual explains where these settings are.

Still Not Fixed?

• Try an Ethernet cable if you were on Wi-Fi (or the other way round). If one works, the problem is limited to that adapter.
• Temporarily turn off any VPN or third-party firewall, test, and turn it back on.
• If the PC gets an address but pages still don't load, see DNS server not responding and the full Wi-Fi connected but no internet guide.
• If Wi-Fi won't even connect, see laptop Wi-Fi not connecting.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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See Also:wifi ip address windows 11