Unable To Contact Your DHCP Server [Solved]

Say you’ve tried refreshing your IP address or releasing it using the ipconfig /renew command, but you’re still getting Unable to contact DHCP server.

If your device can’t reach the DHCP server, the issue is always related to the ipconfig /renew command that you execute in Command Prompt.

The ipconfig /renew command will disable communication from your Network Interface Controller to the DHCP server. Therefore, in case something goes wrong, you get the ipconfig /renew DHCP request failed error message.

How can I fix the Unable to contact your DHCP server error?

1. Update or reinstall your network drivers

In order to update the network drivers, follow these steps:

1. Press Windows Key + X, and select Device Manager.
2. Select a category to see names of devices, then right-click on the one you’d like to update.
   
3. Select Update Driver.
4. Click on Search automatically for updated driver software.
5. Once it’s done updating you’re all set.

To reinstall your network drivers, follow these steps:

1. Press Windows Key + X, and select Device Manager.
2. Locate your network device, right-click it and choose Uninstall device.
3. Check the Remove driver software for this device option.
4. Select Uninstall.
5. Click the Scan for hardware changes icon.
6. Windows will now try to install the default driver.

If Windows is unable to find a new driver, you can try looking for one on the device manufacturer’s website. This also works when Wi-Fi cannot find the DHCP server.

Downloading drivers manually is a process that carries the risk of getting the wrong driver installed, which may lead to serious malfunctions.

The safer and easier way to update drivers on a Windows 10 PC is by using automatic software.

We strongly recommend the Outbyte Driver Updater tool to update your drivers in order to avoid damage to your PC by manually downloading the wrong driver versions.

This great tool was developed so that you do not have to worry about manually downloading and installing your drivers yourself.

It scans your system and lists all existing and possibly missing drivers. The tool also detects if there is already a new version for current records. If necessary, these can be updated directly by this program.

⇒ Outbyte Driver Updater

2. Register your DNS via cmd

1. Type cmd in your Start Menu.
2. Open Command Prompt.
3. Enter ipconfig /registerdns.
4. Type exit in Command Prompt.
5. Restart your PC.

Our second fix for the ipconfig DHCP request failed issue is to run the command to register DNS. This should fix things, but if it doesn’t jump to the next solution.

3. Enable or disable DHCP

In order to disable your DHCP, follow these steps:

1. Press Windows key + X, and select Network Connections.
2. Double-click the active network connection.
3. Select Properties.
4. Click on Internet Protocol Version 4 or Internet Protocol Version 6..
5. Choose Properties.
   
   
6. Click on Use the following IP address.
7. Enter the values for your IP Address, Subnet Mask, etc.
   

Be careful when you disable DHCP and move to a static IP configuration. If you enter the wrong settings, this can result in your Internet connection not working.

To enable your DHCP, follow these steps:

1. Press Windows key + X, and select Network Connections.
2. Double-click the active network connection.
3. Select Properties.
4. Click on Internet Protocol Version 4 or Internet Protocol Version 6..
5. Choose Properties.
6. Click on both Obtain an IP Address automatically and Obtain DNS Server Address Automatically.
7. Click OK.

If you’ve re-enabled your DHCP, reboot your PC to apply the changes, then check whether ipconfig /renew works properly now.

Read more about this topic

• Splatoon 3 Connection Issues: How to Fix Them
• Wake on Magic Packet Missing: 5 Ways to Fix it

4. Restart your DHCP client service

1. Press Windows + R, type services.msc, and hit Enter.
   
2. Scroll down to the DHCP Client service and double-click on it to get to its properties.
   
3. Make sure Service status is set to Running; if not, click on Start.
   
4. Makes sure the Startup type is set to Automatic, then click Apply and OK.
   

We hope that these solutions worked for you in solving the unable to contact your DHCP server error message and that your Ethernet works fine now. Let us know what other network issues you have faced, in the comments section down below.