How to Fix “Ethernet Doesn't Have a Valid IP Configuration” Error

This post offers 8 possible fixes to help you solve the “Ethernet doesn’t have a valid IP configuration” error on your Windows 10/11 computer.

Table of contents Hide

1 What Does “Ethernet Doesn’t Have a Valid IP Configuration” Error Mean?

2 Fix “Ethernet Doesn’t Have a Valid IP Configuration” – 8 Tips

3 Bonus: How to Set Up a VPN on Windows 10/11

4 Bottom Line

What Does “Ethernet Doesn’t Have a Valid IP Configuration” Error Mean?

The “Ethernet doesn’t have a valid IP configuration” error often occurs when your computer can’t obtain a valid IP address from the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol server, namely, your router.

The common causes of this internet error are listed below.

Wrong configuration with the DHCP server.
Wrong configuration of your network settings like incorrect IP address settings, default gateway, or DNS server address.
The DHCP server (router) is down or malfunctioning and doesn’t assign an IP address to your computer.
An outdated or corrupted network adapter driver may also cause the problem.
Hardware problems like damaged Ethernet cables, routers, or network adapters may prevent the DHCP server from assigning an IP address to your computer.
Software conflicts like a firewall or antivirus software may block the network access of your computer.

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Fix “Ethernet Doesn’t Have a Valid IP Configuration” – 8 Tips

Your computer can’t access the internet or communicate with other devices if it doesn’t have a valid IP address. Check the 8 tips below to fix the “Ethernet doesn’t have a valid IP configuration” issue.

Fix 1. Restart Your Computer, Modem, and Router

Sometimes a restart of your device can help solve many minor issues.

Restart your Windows 10/11 computer and check if your computer gets a valid IP address.
Disconnect the Ethernet cable from your computer and router. Connect the cable again. Check if the cable is damaged. You can also change a different Ethernet cable to try.
Restart your modem and router. Unplug your router or modem from the power source and plug them again.

Fix 2. Update or Reinstall the Network Adapter Driver

Your network adapter driver may be outdated or corrupted. Try to update or reinstall it to see if the “Ethernet doesn’t have a valid IP configuration” error can be solved.

Press Windows + X and select Device Manager.
In Device Manager, expand the Network Adapters category.
Right-click your Ethernet adapter and select Update driver.
Select “Search automatically for updated driver software”. Your computer will automatically update your network adapter driver to the latest version.

Alternatively, you can right-click your Ethernet adapter and select “Uninstall Device” to remove the driver from your computer. Then you can restart your computer and it will automatically reinstall the network adapter driver.

Fix 3. Reset Network Settings and Renew IP Address with CMD

You can also reset your network settings to see if it can help fix the “Ethernet doesn’t have a valid IP configuration” problem.

Press Windows + R, type “cmd” in the Run dialog, and press Enter to open Windows Command Prompt.

In the Command Prompt window, type the following command lines to reset TCP/IP settings and renew your IP address.

netsh winsock reset
netsh int ip reset
ipconfig /flushdns
ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew

Note: If you are not familiar with commands, you should be cautious when using the command lines since wrong commands may cause permanent data loss.

Fix 4. Manually Set the IP Address and DNS Server

If your computer doesn’t get a valid IP address, you can manually set the IP address and DNS server to see if it can help solve the network configuration issue.

Press Windows + X and select Network Connections.
Click “Change adapter options”
Right-click your Ethernet connection and select Properties.
Double-click the Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) option.
Select “Use the following IP address” and enter an IP address provided by your ISP (Internet Service Provider).
Select “Use the following DNS server addresses” and enter a DNS server address.

Fix 5. Disable IPv6 to Resolve Network Connection Issues

You can also try to disable IPv6 to see if it helps solve the “Ethernet doesn’t have a valid IP configuration” error on your Windows 10/11 computer.

Press Windows + X and select Network Connections.
Click “Change adapter options”
Right-click your Ethernet connection and select Properties.
Make sure the “Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6)” option is unchecked.
Click OK to save the changes.

Fix 6. Fix IP Configuration Issue with Network Troubleshooter

If your computer doesn’t have a valid IP address, you can try to run the built-in Network Troubleshooter in Windows. This tool may help you fix the issue.

Press Windows + S, type “network troubleshooter” in the search box.
Click “Identify and repair network problems” to open the Windows Network Diagnostics tool.
Let Windows Network Diagnostics automatically detect and fix network errors on your computer.

Fix 7. Temporarily Disable Antivirus on Your PC

If you have installed some third-party antivirus software on your computer, you can disable them temporarily to see if it fixes the invalid IP error on your PC.

Fix 8. Contact Your ISP (Internet Service Provider)

If you still can’t fix the invalid IP configuration error on your computer, you may contact your ISP (Internet Service Provider) to ask for professional help.

Bonus: How to Set Up a VPN on Windows 10/11

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Bottom Line

To fix the “Ethernet doesn’t have a valid IP configuration” error on Windows 11/10, you can try the 8 solutions in this post. If you are seeking a fast, stable, and secure VPN for Windows/Mac/Android/iOS, LightningX VPN is a good option.