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To reset your TCP/IP stack in Windows, open Command Prompt as an administrator and run the five commands below in order, pressing Enter after each. Then test your connection. This is a troubleshooting step, not a guaranteed fix.

Reset TCP/IP and refresh network settings

  1. Open Start, search for Command Prompt, select Run as administrator, and approve the User Account Control prompt.
  2. Run each command in this order, pressing Enter after each:
    1. netsh winsock reset
    2. netsh int ip reset
    3. ipconfig /release
    4. ipconfig /renew
    5. ipconfig /flushdns
  3. When the commands finish, restart the PC if prompted or if the connection has not recovered, then test Wi-Fi or Ethernet again.

Microsoft Support gives this sequence as a manual Windows Wi-Fi troubleshooting step: Fix Wi-Fi connection issues in Windows. The referenced Microsoft guidance applies to Windows client troubleshooting; check the current instructions for your Windows version.

What each command changes

The commands address related but distinct parts of networking. Winsock and IP resets change networking configuration; DHCP release and renewal refresh an automatically assigned address; flushing DNS clears cached name lookups.

  • netsh winsock reset resets the Winsock catalog to a clean state and removes custom Layered Service Providers. Microsoft says it does not affect Winsock Name Space Provider entries. See Microsoft’s netsh winsock reference.
  • netsh int ip reset resets TCP/IP configuration. Microsoft’s dedicated TCP/IP reset article describes overwriting TCP/IP and DHCP registry parameters, with an effect similar to removing and reinstalling TCP/IP. That article is written for supported Windows Server versions; Microsoft’s client Wi-Fi page separately includes the command in its troubleshooting sequence.
  • ipconfig /release discards the current DHCP configuration and sends a release. On adapters set to obtain an IP address automatically, this disables TCP/IP until configuration is renewed. Use caution if you are connected remotely or rely on the affected connection.
  • ipconfig /renew requests a new DHCP configuration for adapters configured for automatic IP addressing.
  • ipconfig /flushdns clears the DNS client resolver cache, including dynamically added entries. Microsoft documents release, renew, and flushdns in its ipconfig reference.

Before resetting a managed or specially configured PC

If your workplace or network administrator has assigned static settings or other custom network configuration, record the current values and check your organization’s policy before running resets. DHCP release and renewal are intended for adapters configured for automatic IP addressing; they are not a substitute for correcting an invalid static address, gateway, or DNS setting.

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Microsoft’s Windows Server troubleshooting guidance shows an administrator backup-and-restore approach: save interface configuration with netsh -c interface dump > C:netConfig.txt, reset and restart, then restore with netsh -f C:netConfig.txt. This is server troubleshooting guidance, not a required step for a typical home PC. Microsoft cautions that restoration depends on interface names remaining unchanged, or on updating the script if they change. See Guidance for troubleshooting TCP/IP communication.

If the connection still does not work

A reset does not establish whether the fault is on the PC, the router, or farther upstream. Check the connection’s actual configuration and work out which layer is failing before repeating commands.

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  • Check IP configuration: Run ipconfig /all and inspect the adapter’s IP address, subnet mask, default gateway, and DNS server addresses. Microsoft recommends checking these values when troubleshooting DNS and TCP/IP connectivity. See Troubleshooting DNS clients.
  • Identify automatic versus static addressing: If the adapter uses automatic addressing, ipconfig /renew can request DHCP configuration. If it uses a static address, verify that its IP, gateway, and DNS settings are correct for that network instead.
  • Consider the network beyond the PC: If the local settings look valid, test another device on the same network and check the router or network service. A reset cannot repair an upstream outage.
  • Continue with adapter troubleshooting: Microsoft’s Wi-Fi guidance moves on to network-adapter driver troubleshooting if earlier steps do not work. Before uninstalling an adapter driver, keep a suitable driver available: Windows may reinstall one after restart, but you may need the manufacturer’s driver if it does not. Microsoft’s Ethernet connection guidance discusses this precaution. A TCP/IP reset itself does not reinstall a driver.

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