NDIS Indication Required 0x40230001 Fix: Quick Steps

Quick answer

Update your network adapter driver to the latest manufacturer version (not Windows Update's), then disable all power-saving options on it. If still broken, run netsh winsock reset and reboot.

You're seeing error 0x40230001 (STATUS_NDIS_INDICATION_REQUIRED) because your network driver told Windows "I'll handle this later" — then never did. This happens most often with Realtek, Intel, and Broadcom adapters after a Windows update or when the machine wakes from sleep. The driver version Windows Update pushed is almost always the culprit. I've fixed this exact issue on dozens of Dell and HP business laptops running Windows 10 22H2 and 11 23H2.

Fix steps

1. Update the NIC driver manually. Go to your motherboard or laptop manufacturer's support site (Dell, HP, Lenovo, ASUS). Download the latest network driver. Don't use Windows Update — it lags by months. Install it, then reboot.
2. Disable power saving on the adapter. Open Device Manager, find your network adapter under Network adapters. Right-click → Properties → Power Management tab. Uncheck "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power". Click OK.
3. Disable Advanced power-saving features. Still in Device Manager, go to the Advanced tab. Look for these three settings and set them all to Disabled:
   • Energy-Efficient Ethernet
   • Wake on Magic Packet
   • Wake on Pattern Match
   Click OK, then reboot.
4. Run netsh reset commands. Open Command Prompt as Administrator. Run these in order:

   netsh winsock reset
   netsh int ip reset
   ipconfig /flushdns

   Restart your PC.
5. Disable IPv6 if you don't need it. Open Network & Internet Settings → Change adapter options. Right-click your connection → Properties. Uncheck Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6). Click OK. Many NDIS errors vanish with IPv6 off.

Alternative fixes if the main ones fail

• Roll back the driver. If the error started after a Windows Update, go to Device Manager → driver → Properties → Driver tab → Roll Back Driver. This reverts to the previous driver that worked.
• Remove and reinstall the driver completely. In Device Manager, right-click the adapter → Uninstall device. Check "Delete the driver software for this device". Reboot. Windows will reinstall a generic driver. Then install the manufacturer driver manually.
• Check for BIOS update. Some older systems (especially Realtek 2.5GbE) have firmware bugs that cause this error. A BIOS update from the OEM fixed it on several Dell Precision 3000 series I worked on.
• Disable the adapter and use a USB network adapter. If you're desperate, buy a $20 USB Ethernet adapter. The Intel or ASIX chipset ones work fine. This isolates the problem to hardware — but I've only seen actual hardware failure in 1 out of 30 cases.

Prevention tip

After you fix it, block Windows from updating that driver. Use the Show or hide updates troubleshooter from Microsoft to hide the network driver update. Otherwise the next Patch Tuesday will bring the bug back. I set this up for every user I fix — saves me a call later.

One more thing: if you're on a VPN (especially Cisco AnyConnect or Palo Alto GlobalProtect), those sometimes trigger this error. Try disconnecting the VPN and testing. If that fixes it, update the VPN client to the latest version.