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I'm getting the error "Wi-Fi doesn't have a valid IP configuration" when I try to connect to only one specific network. It connects fine to all other networks. I've tried and other devices connect to this network with no problem. I'm running a new install of Windows 10 (upgraded from W7) and my wireless card is a Ralink RT3090 802.11n.

I've tried the following commands:

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

I've also tried:

  • Updating or rolling back wireless driver
  • Full Network Reset within Windows
  • Restarting the router and computer multiple times
  • "Forgetting" and reconnecting to the Network
  • Changing settings in the router page (Channel, bandwidth, changing to 802.11n instead of ax...)
  • Assigning a static IP (not convinced I used the right settings which I got from another machine that connects fine, but all different variations had the same result: nothing)

I'm all out of ideas, what else can I try? TIA! (Please let me know if I need to provide any more info)

EDIT 1 Sorry for the formatting:

  • I have reset and restarted the router multiple times.
  • I can connect to the internet through ethernet, but not Wi-Fi
  • manual IP hasn't worked (although I'm not confident I used the right settings)

ipconfig /all for working computer:

Windows IP Configuration

   Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : DESKTOP-UIBVL5H  
   Primary Dns Suffix  . . . . . . . :  
   Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid  
   IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No  
   WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No  
   DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : home  

Wireless LAN adapter Wi-Fi:  

   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . : home  
   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8723BE Wireless LAN 802.11n PCI-E NIC  
   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 64-6E-69-35-F2-CA  
   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes  
   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes  
   Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . :   fe80::b6b5:1843:d16e:c32f%13(Preferred)  
   IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.141(Preferred)  
   Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0  
   Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : 28 September 2023 16:59:09  
   Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : 29 September 2023 17:00:06  
   Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1  
   DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1  
   DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 107245161  
   DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-21-44-1F-B7-10-7B-44-  B7-9A-30
   DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 46.6.113.34  
                                       212.230.135.1  
   NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

ipconfig /all for problematic computer

Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.19045.3448]  
(c) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.  
  
C:\WINDOWS\system32>ipconfig /all  

Windows IP Configuration  

   Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : DESKTOP-P79S0HV  
   Primary Dns Suffix  . . . . . . . :  
   Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid  
   IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No  
   WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No  



Wireless LAN adapter Wi-Fi:  

   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . :  
   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Ralink RT3090 802.11n WiFi Adapter  
   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : CC-AF-78-56-7A-BD  
   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes  
   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes  
   Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::3870:dd63:5b4a:d7fa%18(Preferred)  
   Autoconfiguration IPv4 Address. . : 169.254.186.214(Preferred)  
   Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0  
   Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :  
   DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 315404152  
   DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-2C-A1-96-1C-F0-DE-F1-6E-D6-67  
   DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : fec0:0:0:ffff::1%1  
                                       fec0:0:0:ffff::2%1   
                                       fec0:0:0:ffff::3%1  
   NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

STATIC IP SETTINGS (didn't work):
IP: 192.168.1.150
Subnet prefix length: 24
Gateway: 100.119.0.1 Preferred DNS: 46.6.113.34
Alternate DNS: 212.230.135.1

CURRENT ROUTER SETTINGS:
Channel: Auto
Wireless mode: 802.11b+g
Bandwidth: 20 MHz
WAN addressing type: DHCP
VLAN ID: 20
MTU: 1500
Public IP Address: 100.119.112.39
Mask: 255.255.0.0
Gateway: 100.119.0.1
First IPv4 DNS Server: 46.6.113.34
Second: 212.230.135.1

Improve this question
15
  • What's the network configuration of the faulty device (IP Config /all) and what's the IP configuration on a working device (on the same network)? What type of network is it? Have you tried manually IP configuration?
    – Albin
    Commented Sep 27, 2023 at 20:49
  • When on DHCP is it receiving an IP address on the expected range, one on a different range, or one starting 169.254.x.x which would indicate that it's unable to reach the DHCP server / the DHCP server is unable/unwilling to allocate it an address?
    – Keith Langmead
    Commented Sep 27, 2023 at 21:18
  • Reboot the router!
    – davidgo
    Commented Sep 27, 2023 at 23:41
  • I've updated with mentioned info. Router reboot didn't work and manual IP either (though I'm not sure about the settings.) Thanks!
    – johnteach
    Commented Sep 28, 2023 at 15:10
  • Set the wireless channel to 6 (it may be already, or on auto), restart router, test - if unsuccessful set the wireless more to B/G instead of B/G/N (shortened from 802,11b/g/n which are the backwards compatible wireless modes) -Temporarily turn off 5Ghz too. Some routers let you name the 5Ghz and 2.4Ghz to different names - Either turn off 5Ghz or set a different name (SSID) let me know the results. Also, make sure that this device ISN'T really close or reasonably near the router.
    – JohnnyVegas
    Commented Sep 28, 2023 at 21:11

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
0

Depending on your device, it may only work on 2.4 GHz wifi instead of both 2.4 and 5 GHz. For some reason, these devices can see the wifi network but can't connect because they can't handle the right frequency (the device is trying to connect to 5 GHz but it can only handle 2.4 GHz).

I remember a workaround for this, from like 10 years ago when 5 GHz was fairly new.

Let's say your wifi network name is "MYWIFI". New routers broadcast the wifi name on both 2.4 and 5 GHz, so "MYWIFI" is actually two wifi networks using the same name. Here's what I remember doing many years ago:

  1. Turn off your router
  2. Enable wifi hotspot on your phone (any smart phone)
  3. Change your wifi hotspot name to "MYWIFI" (or whatever you normal wifi name is) and make sure it uses the same password as your normal wifi.
  4. Make you phone use only 2.4 GHz when broadcasting the wifi hotspot (you may need an app for this)
  5. Connect you computer to that 2.4 GHz network
  6. Turn off your wifi hotspot
  7. Turn on your router
  8. Connect you computer to the wifi network (it may even happen automatically)
  9. Voilà! (if this was indeed the issue)

Hope this helps!

Improve this answer
4
  • Just had a look at your wifi adapter, seems like a fairly old computer. This increases the chances of my answer actually solving your problem.
    – Super_Do
    Commented Oct 22, 2023 at 19:38
  • This explanation sounds unlikely; if a device can't handle 5 GHz, then it wouldn't be receiving beacons for the 5 GHz network either – it wouldn't have any way of knowing that the same network exists on 5 GHz at all, so why would it be trying to connect to it?
    – grawity_u1686
    Commented Oct 22, 2023 at 22:41
  • My router allows you to have it broadcast two separate networks for each bandwidth, with different names and passwords. I tried that and only the 2.4Ghz one was visible to my laptop but when I connected I had the same problem as before, so I don't think that's the issue here.
    – johnteach
    Commented Oct 23, 2023 at 16:31
  • 1
    Also, the wifi adapter is indeed quite old but has worked on every network I've tried it on except my home network.
    – johnteach
    Commented Oct 23, 2023 at 16:40
0

The solution to get the static configuration running is to use the correct gateway which must be the LAN IP address from your router (gateway is another wording for the router in your LAN). This is where your PC will send all packets that don't belong to your LAN:

IP: 192.168.1.150
Subnet: 255.255.255.0 (that is 24 bit)
Gateway: 192.168.1.1
Preferred DNS: 46.6.113.34
Alternate DNS: 212.230.135.1

The IP you have been using 100.119.0.1 is actually the router (gateway) your own router is using to send IP packets to the internet. It is not relevant for any machine in your LAN. You can read up on basic IP protocol and how it works if you find that interesting. There are loads of sources out on the internet with different requirements for preexisting knowledge. Just pick what fits you the best.

The DNS entries are probable both from your ISP, I always put in the secondary one from a different provider, e.g. Goole with 8.8.8.8

You can use this as a workaround, once you confirm it works we can continue working on the DHCP issue.

Improve this answer
4
  • I've tried those static IP settings and it doesn't work (including using 8.8.8.8 for second DNS). There are two things I'd like to clarify: (1) I am inputting the static IP info in windows settings>WiFi>manage known networks>edit IP settings. Is this the right place? (2) These are settings for IPv4. I haven't touched the settings for IPv6. Should I? Thanks.
    – johnteach
    Commented Oct 22, 2023 at 17:21
  • @johnteach try disabling IP6 for now. Don't worry about the DNS, that's just a side note. Please add the output from ipconfig to your question and include exactly how you tested it (e.g. ping etc.), maybe add a screenshot.
    – Albin
    Commented Oct 22, 2023 at 22:26
  • I think I've already added that info under "ipconfig /all for problematic computer" although I'm not sure what you been by how I tested it. Disabling IPv6 didn't do anything.
    – johnteach
    Commented Oct 23, 2023 at 16:38
  • @johnteach you only added the ipconfig output for the DHCP setup, please do it for the static setup as well. Also please try the static setup on a working PC.
    – Albin
    Commented Oct 23, 2023 at 19:55

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