Fixed “Windows Couldn’t Automatically Bind the IP Protocol Stack to the Network Adapter” Error

The “Windows could not automatically bind the IP protocol stack to the network adapter”  is an error that appears on your PC when the network adapter is not working properly. The biggest giveaway is the disturbed internet connection, where the internet stops working out of nowhere. 

Another instance of this error is encountered when you try switching between regular and VPN connections. 

The IP address of your network plays a crucial role in the smooth functioning of the internet. Therefore, when there is an issue with the VPN servers or while uninstalling VPN when it becomes difficult for your PC to bind the IP back to your network adapter, you face a “Windows couldn’t automatically bind the IP protocol stack to the network adapter” error. 

Some other issues that cause the error are – 

• Network adapter settings
• DNS Cache
• Incompatible network adapter drivers

Fortunately, all these issues can be resolved. Keep reading as we reveal that the ultimate fixes to Windows could not automatically bind the IP.

How to Fix Windows Couldn’t Automatically Bind the IP Error on Windows?

To fix the issue, identifying the core reason is a must. However, as multiple reasons may cause the error, you have no other option than to try a bunch of fixes one after the other. Check out the fixes below and apply them using the steps given.

Fix 1 – Change the Network Adapter Settings to Default

Step 1 – Press Win+R to open the Run search.
Step 2 – In the Run search, use the command ncpa.cpl to open the adapter menu.

Step 3 – Select the adapter that you are connected to and right-click on it to find Properties.
Step 4 – In the Properties pop-up, navigate to the Network tab and put an enable mark for the following – 

• File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks
• QoS packet scheduler
• Link-Layer Topology Discovery Responder
• Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)
• Link-Layer Topology Discovery Mapper I/O driver
• Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6)
• Microsoft LLDP Protocol Driver
• Client for Microsoft Networks

Step 5 – After enabling all of these, click OK to save the changes.

Read Also: Fixed – Your Computer Appears to Be Correctly Configured, But the Device or Resource Is Not Responding

Fix 2 – Ensure the WLAN AutoConfig Service is Running

Step 1 – Press Win+R to bring up the Run search.
Step 2 – In the Run search, use the command Services.msc

Step 3 – Find the WLAN AutoConfig service and double-click on it to check its status.
Step 4 – Change the Startup type of the service to Automatic so that it starts running every time you start your PC.
Step 5 – Click the Start button to initiate the WLAN AutoConfig service. 

Fix 3 – Reset Winsock and Flush DNS

Step 1 – Go to the Start Menu and search for Command Prompt.

Step 2 – Use the Run as administrator option to launch the CMD window.
Step 3 – In the cmd window, use the command – netsh winsock reset.

Step 4 – After you have run the command, use the next command – netsh int ip reset.
Step 5 – The above two commands will reset the Winsock for your PC. Simply restart your PC for the changes to take effect.
Step 6 – After you have restarted the PC, relaunch the CMD window using the admin privileges.
Step 7 – To flush the DNS cache, use the following commands one after the other (press enter after each) – 

• ipconfig /release
• ipconfig /flushdns
• ipconfig /renew

Step 8 – After you have performed all the steps, you can restart the PC and try checking if the Windows couldn’t automatically bind the IP protocol stack to the network adapter error is resolved or not. 

Read Also: Ways to Fix The Requested URL Was Rejected Browser Error

Fix 4 – Update Network Adapter Driver

Step 1 – Download the Advanced Driver Updater.

Step 2 – Click the Start Scan Now button to initiate the scan.

Step 3 – The scan searches for outdated drivers on your PC.
Step 4 – Check the results to find the network adapter listed there.

Step 5 – Click on Update all to clear all the outdated drivers.

Fix 5 – Use a System Reset as a Last Resort

Step 1 – Press Win+I to open the System Settings.
Step 2 – In System Settings, use the command look for recovery options.

Step 3 – Use the Reset this PC button to initialize the process in the recovery option.
Step 4 – Follow the shown steps on the screen to choose your reset mode and continue resetting the system. 

After trying all these fixes, you will be relieved that Windows could not automatically bind the IP protocol stack to the network adapter error is resolved. Also, ensure that you have uninstalled and removed all the components of your VPN client, as that is the primary reason behind the occurrence of this error. 

You might not need to apply all the fixes depending on the reason; the fixes work differently for everyone. To resolve the issue all you have to do is try the fixes until your problem is resolved.

 With that, we have reached the end of this post. Thanks for reading. Good luck!

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