How To • IP and DHCP Issues • Troubleshooting

How to fix IP issues after sleep or wake

This guide helps you restore your internet connection when your device loses its IP address or can't get online after waking from sleep or hibernation. You will learn how to renew your IP, reset network components, and adjust settings to prevent the problem from recurring.

Note: Steps may vary by device and router model. This guide focuses on safe, general methods.

Quick Answer

To quickly fix IP issues after sleep, force your device to request a fresh IP address from your router.

Toggle your Wi-Fi off and on, or unplug and replug your Ethernet cable.
Manually renew your IP lease using your operating system’s network troubleshooter or command line.
Restart your network router and modem.
Forget the Wi-Fi network on your device and reconnect, re-entering the password.
Update your network adapter driver or system software.
Disable power-saving features for your Wi-Fi adapter in Device Manager (Windows).

If this doesn’t work, follow the diagnostic flow and detailed steps below.

What you need

Before you start

Your Wi-Fi password or a working Ethernet cable.
Physical access to your router and modem.
Administrator or sudo privileges on your computer.
A basic understanding of how to open network settings on your OS.
A second device (like a phone) to test if the problem is isolated.

Good to know

Your router's admin IP address (often 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1).
How to check your current IP address (ipconfig, ifconfig, ip a).
The concept of DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol).
That sleep/hibernation can cause network adapters to power down incorrectly.
Some routers have a limit on the number of IP leases or short lease times.

Diagnose the issue in 2 minutes

Is it only one device or all devices?
- One device: Problem is with the device's settings, adapter, or driver. Proceed with device-specific fixes.
- All devices: Problem is likely with the router, modem, or ISP. Restart your router/modem first.
On the affected device, what is the symptom?
- No connection icon or "No Internet": Check if you have a valid IP address (not starting with 169.254.*).
- "Connected, no internet": Likely a DNS or gateway issue. Try pinging your router's IP.
- Wi-Fi drops but Ethernet works: Focus on Wi-Fi adapter power management.
- Works immediately after reboot, but fails after sleep: Classic sign of a stuck DHCP lease or adapter power state.

Quick Checks:

Run ipconfig /all (Windows) or ifconfig (macOS/Linux). Do you see an IPv4 address?
Can you ping your router's gateway IP? If yes, but no web, it's often DNS.
Is a VPN or firewall active? Disable it temporarily as a test.
Does the issue happen on both 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi bands?

Step-by-step guide

Step 1 — Perform a quick network reset

The simplest software-based fix is to force your network interface to restart and renegotiate a connection.

Windows: Right-click the network icon, select "Troubleshoot problems" and follow the wizard.
macOS: Turn Wi-Fi off from the menu bar, wait 10 seconds, turn it back on.
All Systems: Use the "Forget this network" option on the problematic Wi-Fi, then reconnect.

What you should see: The connection icon will cycle off and on, and you should briefly see "Acquiring IP address" before connecting.

Step 2 — Manually renew your IP lease

This commands your device to release its old IP address and request a brand new one from the router's DHCP server.

Windows: Open Command Prompt as Admin. Run ipconfig /release then ipconfig /renew.

macOS: Open Terminal. Run sudo ipconfig set en0 DHCP (replace "en0" with your interface).

Linux: Use sudo dhclient -r to release, then sudo dhclient to renew.

What you should see: New IP, subnet mask, and gateway addresses appear in the command output.

Step 3 — Restart your router and modem

This clears the router's memory, DHCP lease table, and re-establishes the connection to your ISP.

Unplug the power cables from your modem and router.
Wait for 60 seconds. This ensures all capacitors discharge.
Plug in the modem first, wait for all its status lights to be solid.
Then plug in the router and wait for it to fully boot.

What you should see: All devices should be able to reconnect and obtain a fresh IP address.

Step 4 — Disable network adapter power saving

A common cause is the OS turning off the adapter to save power during sleep, which it then fails to wake properly.

Windows: Go to Device Manager > Network adapters. Right-click your Wi-Fi/Ethernet adapter > Properties > Power Management tab. Uncheck "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power".

macOS: This is less common, but you can prevent automatic Wi-Fi disconnection in System Settings > Battery > Options (on laptops).

What you should see: The network adapter remains active, preventing the post-sleep disconnect.

Step 5 — Update drivers and firmware

Outdated network adapter drivers or router firmware can contain bugs that cause wake-from-sleep issues.

Device Drivers: Visit your PC manufacturer or network adapter chipset (Intel, Realtek, Broadcom) website for the latest driver.
Router Firmware: Log into your router's admin page and check for a firmware update section.
OS Updates: Install the latest system updates for your Windows, macOS, or Linux distribution.

What you should see: Updated software may include specific fixes for power state transition bugs.

Step 6 — Adjust DHCP and DNS settings

If problems persist, tweaking how your device gets its IP and resolves domain names can help.

Set a static IP address on your device for your home network (advanced).
Change your DNS servers to a public, reliable service like Google (8.8.8.8) or Cloudflare (1.1.1.1).
In your router admin, increase the DHCP lease time from a few hours to 24 hours or a week.

What you should see: More stable IP assignment and faster, more reliable domain name resolution.

Common fixes by symptom

Connected but no internet

Likely causes:

Router's DHCP gave an IP but default gateway is wrong.
DNS server is unresponsive.
Router lost its upstream connection to the modem/ISP.

Safe fixes:

Renew IP lease (Step 2).
Set manual DNS to 1.1.1.1.
Restart router/modem (Step 3).

When to stop: If restarting the router doesn't help, the issue may be with your ISP.

IP conflict (windows error)

Likely causes:

Router's DHCP assigned the same IP to two devices.
A device has a static IP that's within the DHCP pool.

Safe fixes:

Renew IP lease to get a different address.
Restart the router to clear its DHCP table.
Ensure static IPs are outside the router's DHCP range.

When to stop: If conflicts keep happening, check your router's DHCP settings.

Wi-Fi drops, Ethernet stable

Likely causes:

Wi-Fi adapter power saving is too aggressive.
Outdated or buggy Wi-Fi driver.
Router Wi-Fi radio interference or channel congestion.

Safe fixes:

Disable adapter power saving (Step 4).
Update Wi-Fi driver (Step 5).
Change your router's Wi-Fi channel to a less crowded one.

When to stop: If updating drivers and adjusting power settings doesn't work, the hardware may be failing.

Self-assigned IP (169.254.x.x)

Likely causes:

Device cannot reach the router's DHCP server.
DHCP service on the router is malfunctioning.
Firewall blocking DHCP discovery packets.

Safe fixes:

Restart the device and router.
Check firewall settings (temporarily disable).
Connect via Ethernet to rule out Wi-Fi-specific issues.

When to stop: If all devices get a 169.254 IP, the router's DHCP is likely off or broken.

Quick reference

Table A: What the metric means

Metric	Ideal Range	Indicates
Latency (Ping)	< 50 ms	Delay in data travel. High after sleep suggests a slow reconnection.
Jitter	< 30 ms	Variation in latency. Unstable after wake points to a shaky connection.
Packet Loss	0%	Data not reaching its destination. Any loss after sleep is a bad sign.
Signal Strength	> -65 dBm	Wi-Fi power. Weak signal can cause DHCP requests to fail.

Table B: Safe baseline settings

Setting	Recommendation	Why it helps IP issues
Wi-Fi Security	WPA2/WPA3 Personal	Secure protocols prevent unauthorized access that can disrupt DHCP.
DNS Server	Cloudflare (1.1.1.1) or Google (8.8.8.8)	Reliable, fast DNS prevents "no internet" errors after IP assignment.
Router Admin Password	Unique and strong	Prevents others from changing DHCP settings that could cause conflicts.
DHCP Lease Time	24 hours (86400 seconds)	Longer leases mean devices keep their IPs longer, reducing renewal failures.
Router Updates	Check quarterly	Firmware updates often fix DHCP bugs and improve stability.

Mind map summary

IP Issue After Sleep/Wake
|
+---> Symptom: "No Internet" or "Identifying..."
|     |
|     +---> Quick Action: Toggle Wi-Fi/Ethernet.
|     +---> Core Fix: Renew IP Lease (ipconfig /release /renew).
|     +---> Device Fix: Disable adapter power saving.
|
+---> Symptom: One Device Only
|     |
|     +---> Focus: That device's settings/driver.
|     +---> Action: Update network adapter driver.
|     +---> Action: Forget network & reconnect.
|
+---> Symptom: All Devices
|     |
|     +---> Focus: Router or ISP.
|     +---> Action: Restart Router/Modem (Full 60-second cycle).
|     +---> Action: Check router DHCP settings.
|
+---> Prevention & Stability
      |
      +---> Router: Increase DHCP lease time.
      +---> Router: Keep firmware updated.
      +---> Device: Use reliable public DNS (1.1.1.1).
      +---> Device: Install OS & driver updates.

Troubleshooting checklist

Device

Toggle network connection off/on.
Run built-in network troubleshooter.
Renew IP lease via command line.
Disable network adapter power saving.
Update network adapter driver.
Forget Wi-Fi network & rejoin.

Router

Perform full power cycle (60 sec).
Check for firmware updates.
Verify DHCP server is enabled.
Increase DHCP lease time.
Try a less crowded Wi-Fi channel.

ISP & External

Test connection on another device.
Check for ISP outage reports.
Test with a different DNS server.
Ensure modem lights indicate online status.

When to escalate

Contact your ISP if:

All devices in your home lose internet simultaneously and router restarts don't help.
Your modem's "online" or "DSL" light is flashing or off.
The issue coincides with new construction or lines work in your area.

Consider replacing your router if:

It's over 5 years old and issues persist after all firmware updates.
You consistently see DHCP failures even with wired connections.
It randomly reboots or overheats frequently.

Ask IT support (for work devices) if:

Your device is managed by corporate policy (Group Policy, MDM).
You suspect the issue is related to a mandatory VPN or security software.

What to collect before you call:

Time and date stamps of when the problem occurs.
Results of a speed test and ping test from a working device.
The exact error message (e.g., "DHCP is not enabled for WiFi").
Your router and modem model numbers.
Whether the issue happens on both Wi-Fi and a direct Ethernet connection.

FAQ

Why does sleep mode break my IP address?

When your computer sleeps, it powers down most components, including the network adapter, to save energy. Sometimes the adapter or its driver fails to re-initialize properly upon waking. This can cause it to not send a new DHCP request, or to get confused and hold onto an old, expired IP address.

Is it bad to set a static IP address on my device?

Not necessarily, but it requires careful setup. You must choose an IP outside your router's DHCP range to avoid conflicts. The main downside is loss of plug-and-play simplicity; if you change networks, you'll need to revert to DHCP or configure a new static IP for that network.

What's the difference between "sleep", "hibernate", and "hybrid sleep"?

Sleep (Standby) keeps data in RAM, using low power. Hibernate saves data to disk and powers off. Hybrid Sleep saves to disk but also keeps RAM powered. Network issues are most common after regular Sleep, as the quick resume process is more error-prone for drivers.

Can my antivirus or firewall cause this?

Yes. Security software can sometimes block the DHCP discovery or offer packets that are essential for getting an IP address. This interference can become apparent after a sleep cycle. Try temporarily disabling your firewall/antivirus (for a few minutes as a test) to see if the problem goes away.

Should I disable "Fast Startup" in Windows?

It can help. Fast Startup is a hybrid shutdown that can cause driver state issues. Disabling it forces a full shutdown and cold boot, which often clears persistent hardware glitches. You can find it in Power Options > "Choose what the power buttons do".

Why does it work after a full reboot but not after sleep?

A full reboot completely re-initializes all hardware and software from a clean state. Sleep/resume tries to save and restore the state, which is a more complex process. Bugs in drivers, firmware, or the OS itself can cause the state restoration for the network adapter to fail.

Does using a VPN make this problem worse?

Often, yes. VPNs add another virtual network adapter and complex routing rules. When waking from sleep, the VPN software may try to reconnect before your primary adapter has a valid IP, causing a conflict or blocking the DHCP process entirely. Disconnect the VPN before sleeping as a test.

How long should a DHCP lease be?

For a stable home network, a lease time of 24 hours (86400 seconds) or even a week is reasonable. Very short leases (e.g., 2 hours) mean devices are constantly renewing, which can increase the chance of a failure after sleep. You can adjust this in your router's LAN or DHCP settings.

Sources and references

Microsoft Windows documentation on TCP/IP networking and the ipconfig command.
Apple macOS support articles on managing network connections and DHCP.
Linux man pages for dhclient, ifconfig, and the ip command.
General networking guides on DHCP protocol from network equipment vendors.
IEEE 802.11 standards overview regarding power management for wireless adapters.
Router manufacturer support databases for firmware update procedures.
Online tech community knowledge bases discussing common post-sleep networking bugs.
Fundamental networking texts on the OSI model, specifically the Data Link and Network layers.

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How to fix IP issues after sleep or wake

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