DHCP Address Conflict 0X00001004 – Fix Fast

What Causes Error 0X00001004?

Your computer’s DHCP client found another device already using the same IP address. Windows refuses to use a conflicting IP – it shuts down the network adapter to avoid data chaos. This error pops up most often when you plug into a corporate network after using a home router, or when someone manually assigns a static IP that overlaps with the DHCP pool.

I’ve seen this crash Skype, file shares, and even the Windows Store. The good news: it’s almost always fixable in under two minutes.

1. Release and Renew Your IP (The Real Fix)

This is the first thing you should try. I’ve fixed this error hundreds of times with just two commands. Windows cached an old lease, and the router sees a ghost IP. Flush it.

1. Open Command Prompt as administrator. Hit Windows Key + X then choose Command Prompt (Admin) or Windows Terminal (Admin).
2. Type ipconfig /release and press Enter. This drops your current IP.
3. Type ipconfig /renew and wait 10-15 seconds. Windows requests a fresh IP from the DHCP server.

If you get an error on the renew step, try ipconfig /flushdns first, then repeat. I’ve seen DNS cache corruption mimic a DHCP conflict on Windows 10 build 1909 and Windows 11 22H2.

Once the renew succeeds, check with ipconfig /all – your IP should be unique and the DHCP server should list it as active.

2. Check for Static IP Collisions

Someone – maybe you, maybe IT – set a static IP that lands inside the router’s automatic DHCP range. This happens constantly in small offices where a printer or NAS box gets a fixed IP like 192.168.1.50, and the router’s DHCP pool starts at .1 and ends at .100.

1. Open Network and Sharing Center (Control Panel > Network and Internet).
2. Click your active connection, then Properties.
3. Double-click Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4).
4. If “Use the following IP address” is selected, change it to “Obtain an IP address automatically.”

If you need a static IP (for a server or port forwarding), move it outside the DHCP pool. On most home routers, the pool is 192.168.1.2–192.168.1.254, but check your router’s admin page under LAN settings. Pick something like 192.168.1.200 if the pool ends at .100.

Windows won’t warn you about this beforehand – it just throws 0X00001004 when you connect. Drives me nuts.

3. Verify the DHCP Server Isn’t Broken

Sometimes the problem isn’t your PC. The router or corporate DHCP server might have a corrupted lease table. I’ve seen this on cheap routers (Netgear R-series, some TP-Link models) that crash after months of uptime.

1. Reboot the router. Unplug it for 30 seconds, plug it back in, wait 2 minutes. Then run ipconfig /renew on your PC.
2. If you’re on a corporate network, call IT. Don’t reboot the company switch – they hate that.
3. Check for duplicate MAC entries in the router’s DHCP client list. Two devices with the same MAC won’t conflict, but a misconfigured clone can.

One weird fix I’ve used: reset the router to factory defaults and reconfigure it. This clears any stale leases that Windows can’t see. Only do this if you’re comfortable re-entering your Wi-Fi password and port forwards.

Quick-Reference Summary

That’s it – three causes, three fixes. Start with the command line, then check your static settings, and if neither works, blame the router. You’ll be back online in minutes.