How To Fix ‘Windows Has Detected an IP Address Conflict’ Issue

Windows Has Detected an IP Address Conflict Error in Windows 10, 8 and 7

An IP (Internet Protocol) address is a unique address. Every device connected to a network is assigned an IP Address. Since the IP address is unique, it helps the network to differentiate between the different devices connected with the network.

When the IP address of your computer is not unique, you get the error ‘Windows has detected an IP Address Conflict‘.

In other words, when the IP address assigned to your system is already in use in the network, it causes the IP Address Conflict.

Usually, the problem lies with the Private IP Address and has nothing to do with your Internet Service Provider since it is due to some misconfiguration with your PC settings or some glitch in the router.

For example, if you connect three different devices to a network, say your PC, Laptop, and mobile phone to a network, there should be three different IP addresses.

Windows Has Detected an IP Address Conflict Error in Windows 10, 8 and 7

If all the devices are given the same IP Address, it is impossible to differentiate between the three devices. A simple analogy will help you to understand this scenario better. For instance, two people are given the same mobile phone number.

When you want to make a call to one of them, there is no way to identify that person from the other person as both of them are having the same phone number.

A similar problem is faced when IP addresses are in conflict. Another analogy will be two houses having the same addresses. In this case, the courier boy will have a hard time delivering a courier correctly to the house.

This is what happens when two devices have the same IP Address. Either your PC settings or any problems in the router causes the Windows has detected an IP Address Conflict error. When your system faces an IP Address Conflict, an error message similar to the one shown below might be displayed on your screen.

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How to Fix Windows Has Detected an IP Address Conflict Error in Windows 10, 8 and 7

If Another computer on this network has the same IP address as this computer. Contact your network administrator for help resolving Windows has detected an IP Address Conflict issue. More details are available in the Windows System event log.

Method 1 – Disable and Enable the Network Adapter

Step 1 – First of all, press Windows Key + R, and a new window will appear on the screen.

Step 2 – Secondly, type “ncpa.cpl” in the blank space and hit Enter. Here, make sure that your PC is not facing the Network Adapter Missing Error

Step 3 – Thirdly, right-click on the Wireless Adapter. A list will appear. From this list, select the ‘Disable‘ option. This will stop the network adapter on your computer.

Step 4 – Lastly,  you have to enable the network adapter. For this right-click on the wireless adapter and select ‘Enable.’ This will restart your adapter.

Method 2 – Disable IPv6

IPv6 stands for internet protocol version 6. It is the most recent version of the Internet Protocol (IP). Sometimes, disabling IPv6 will do the trick.

Step 1 – Press Windows Key + R. A new window will appear on the screen.

Step 2 – In the blank space named ‘Open:’ type “ncpa.cpl” and hit Enter. Network Connections window will open.

Step 3 – Right-click on the Network Adapter and select properties from the list.

Step 4 – Uncheck the box for Internet Protocol Version (TCP/IP) and click OK.

Method 3 – Release & Renew IP Address

In this method, we will be using the command-line tool of windows, the command prompt (cmd), to release and renew the IP Address. Follow the steps mentioned in the article religiously.

Step 1 – Go to the start menu and search cmd. Launch the command prompt in the administrator mode. Alternatively, press Windows key + X and the select command prompt

Step 2 – This will launch the black screen of the command prompt. Type in the command ‘ipconfig/release’ and press enter. This will release the current IP configuration. It will display some information on the screen regarding the connection.

Step 3 – When the cursor appears again, enter the command ‘ipconfig\renew.’ Wait for a while. The DHCP server will assign a new IP address for your computer. Look out for any DNS Address could Not be Found an error in your PC as well.

Step 4 – Now, check for the Windows Has Detected an IP Address Conflict error. Most probably, it is solved.

Method 4 – Explicitly Restarting the router

A router, as you know, is a networking device that forwards data packets between networks. To route, the data packets correctly,  identify each node as a unique address. It may be the case that your router has failed to give a unique IP Address to your device.

In that case, explicitly restarting the router will resolve the issue. This is a simple method; just follow the steps.

Step 1 – Find the power button of the router and switch it OFF.

Step 2 – Now wait for 10-20 seconds.

Step 3 – Press the power button to power on the router again. Windows Has Detected an IP Address Conflict problem should be solved by now.

Method 5 – Eliminating the static IP

Step 1 – Press Windows key + R and a window will pop open.

Step 2 – In the blank box named ‘open:’ type “ncpa.cpl” and press Enter. A Network Connections window will open up.

Step 3 – In the Network Connections window right-click on Local Area Connection and choose ‘properties‘ from the list.

Step 4 – In the new window that opens up, Double-click on the Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4).

Step 5 – In the new window, select the radio buttons for ‘Obtain an IP address automatically’ and ‘Obtain DNS server address automatically’ options. Then click on, OK.

Step 5 – Now restart your computer, and the Windows has Detected an IP Address Conflict error message will be gone.

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Conclusion

Lastly, any one of the above-mentioned methods must have worked for you. Windows has detected an IP address conflict is a common error, and it is easily solvable by using any of the methods described above.

So next time your computer faces this error, be sure you try the fix yourself. Also, make sure that you don’t have any Windows Update Not Working error in your system.