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FIX: Windows has detected an IP address conflict (8 hacks)


Obtain an IP address automatically in Windows
  1. On Windows 10, right-click the Start button and go to Network Connections
  2. Click Change adapter settings
  3. Right-click your Internet connection and select Properties
  4. Double-click Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)
  5. In the General tab, select Obtain an IP address automatically
  6. Click OK

If you have IPv6 connectivity, then double-click Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6) and select Obtain an IP address automatically there, too.

A static IP address could be the reason why you keep seeing the Windows has detected an IP address conflict message.

But you can fix the problem by forcing your PC to obtain a dynamic IP address automatically from your ISP.

Private Internet Access (buy here) supports both static and dynamic IP addresses.

If you have trouble with modifying the static IP address on your PC, try forcing this option using PowerShell or Command Prompt (our guide shows how).

disable IPv6 in Windows
  1. Go to Network Connections and click Change adapter options
  2. Right-click your Internet connection and go to Properties
  3. Deselect Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6)
  4. Click OK

If your ISP didn’t assign an IPv6 address on your home network, there’s no point in keeping it enabled. In fact, it might clash with IPv4 and cause network errors due to incorrect IP assignments.

The steps above apply only to your Windows computer. If you want to be thorough about it, then you should disable IPv6 connectivity in your router admin panel.

disable IPv6 in the router admin panel
unintall a device using Device Manager
  1. On Windows 10, right-click the Start button and go to Device Manager
  2. Expand the Network adapters menu
  3. Right-click your network adapter and click Uninstall Device
  4. If you’re using a VPN, do the same for all TAP and Miniport entries
  5. Open the Action menu and select Scan for hardware changes

To get rid of the Windows has detected an IP address conflict message, it’s a good idea to reinstall your network adapters.

And, if this doesn’t fix the problem either, then make sure to update your network drivers to the latest version. You can do this manually or by using a driver updating tool.

Use the following DNS server addresses in Windows
  1. Head over to Network Connections > Change adapter options
  2. Right-click your Internet connection and select Properties
  3. Double-click Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)
  4. Select Use the following DNS server addresses
  5. Set Preferred DNS server to 8.8.8.8
  6. Set Alternate DNS server to 8.8.4.4
  7. Click OK

If your DNS resolver is faulty, it could cause various network errors, including IP conflicts on your local network. But you can fix this issue by modifying your DNS server addresses.

In our example above, we listed the free and public DNS server addresses provided by Google Public DNS.

However, if you use a premium VPN service like Private Internet Access (buy here), you don’t have to worry about DNS issues.

While staying connected to the VPN, PIA redirects your network traffic through its private DNS servers to make your Internet connection faster and protect you from DNS hijacking.

Conclusion

To sum up, you can fix PC network errors like the Windows has detected an IP address conflict message by restarting your router, resetting your IP address through Command Prompt, and refreshing your network settings.

But you can also disable or reconnect to your VPN, use a dynamic IP address instead of static, disable IPv6 connectivity if you don’t use it, change your DNS servers, as well as reinstall your network adapters and update your network drivers.

How did you manage to fix the network error? Did you use a solution not listed in this article? Let us know in the comment section below.

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Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in April 2017 and was revamped and updated in December 2020 for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.



This post was written by Elena Constantinescu and was first posted to WindowsReport

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