Encountering network adapter error code 31 can be frustrating for Windows users. Typically, when this error occurs, the following message comes up on your screen:
Network adapter error code 31: this device is not working properly
The error code 31 typically arises because of incorrect or corrupt network adapter driver. That said, other causes, such as incorrect device configuration (i.e. the network adapter is not correctly configured in the BIOS or device manager) or hardware conflict (i.e. a conflict between the network adapter and other hardware components) cannot be entirely ruled out.
This post discusses all the ways to fix the network adapter code 31.
Solution 1 – Ensure your network driver is up to date
First, check the network driver version installed on your system. Next, visit the manufacturer’s website to check if any new driver updates are available.
Perform these steps to check the network driver version:
- Type devmgmt.msc in the Start Search box and press Enter
- In the Device Manager window, locate and expand the Network adapters entry
- Right-click on your network adapter and select Properties
- Click the Driver tab. You’ll now be able to see the driver version and other important details regarding your network card driver. Note down the version of your network driver
Perform these steps to download and install a new driver version (if available):
- Open a web browser and go to the network card’s manufacturer website
- Search for the latest driver version for your network card model
- If the driver version that you have is the latest one, go to the solution 2
- If a new driver version is available, download it and save the .exe file in a suitable location on your PC, such as the desktop
- Now, double-click the .exe file to launch the installation process
- Follow on-screen instructions and restart Windows after installation is complete
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Pro Tip: Instead of manually checking the driver version and downloading the latest driver yourself, consider using a reliable driver update tool. It will save you time and rule out the chances of any human error. We recommend you give Driver Updater a try. You can find more information about it towards the end of this post. |
Solution 2 – Perform a driver roll back
Counter-intuitive as it may sound, the error code 31 can at times occur after you’ve updated the network driver. If the error has cropped up after a recent driver update, rolling back to the previous network driver is worth a try.
- Type devmgmt.msc in the Start Search bar and press Enter
- In the Device Manager window, locate and expand the Network Adapters entry
- Right-click the network adapter and select Properties
- Click the Driver tab
- Click the Roll Back driver option. In case the Roll Back driver button is not active (meaning it is greyed out), it simply means there’s no previous network driver version to roll back to. In this situation, we recommend you to visit the manufacturer website and check if an older driver version is available. If it is, manually download it and install it
- If you’ve clicked the Roll Back driver button, a confirmation dialog box will appear; select the appropriate reason for rolling back the driver and then click the Yes button
- Wait for Windows to complete the rollback and then restart Windows
- Now check if the error is fixed
If it is not, go to the next solution.
Solution 3 – Perform a Network Reset
Windows 11 and 10 include a “network reset” option. Some users have said they were able to fix the error after performing a network reset. It’s possible you may also be able to resolve the issue after a network reset.
A network resets all network adapters to their factory settings. Follow these steps to run a network reset:
- Press Windows + I keys
- In the Settings window, click Network & internet in the left pane
- Click Advanced network settings in the right pane
- Click Network reset in the right pane
- Click Reset now and then click the Yes button
- Wait until your PC restarts and then check if the error is fixed
Solution 4 – Reinstall the Network Card Driver
Manually uninstall the network adapter driver and then restart your PC to reinstall the driver.
Perform these steps to uninstall the network adapter driver using Device Manager
- Type devmgmt.msc in the Start Search bar and press the Enter key
- In the Device Manager window, locate and expand the Network Adapters entry
- Right-click your network adapter and click Uninstall Device
- A confirmation dialog box will appear; tick the checkbox before the Attempt to remove the driver for this device option and then click Uninstall
- Wait for Windows to uninstall the network adapter driver
- Restart your PC
Upon restart, Windows will automatically detect and install the network drivers. If, for some reasons, Windows fail to do that, then you can manually install it from Device Manager.
Perform these steps to manually install network driver:
- Open Device Manager
- Expand Network Adapters and right-click your network adapter and then select Update driver
- Select the first option (Search automatically for drivers)
- Wait for Windows to complete the installation
- Restart Windows, if prompted
The other method to manually install the latest network driver is by downloading it from the manufacturer website and installing it by double-clicking the .exe file.
Solution 5 – Perform a system restore
If none of the above steps have worked for you, try restoring Windows to a previous state when there was no error code 31.
- Type restore point in the Start Search bar and select Create a restore point in the search results
- Click System Restore in the System Properties tab
- Click Next to see all restore points that are available
- Select the restore point that is most recent and then click the Next button
- Confirm your choice and carefully read the text to ensure you understand what programs and data will be affected
- Click Finish
- Now Windows will reboot and your system will be restored to the previous state
In case Windows fail to restore the system to the selected previous state, we recommend you to give one or two more tries. It’s not uncommon for the restore process to take more than one try to be successful.
Solution 6 – Ensure the network card is properly installed
As said earlier, the network adapter error code 31 can also arise if the network card is not properly inserted in its slot. You can visually inspect the card to ensure it’s properly inserted in its slot. Another option is to open Device Manager and check if there’s a red or yellow exclamation mark next to the network adapter. If there’s one, it could indicate the network card isn’t properly inserted.
Solution 7 – Check for Hardware conflicts
If everything else has failed, check if there’s conflict between the network adapter and other hardware components installed on your system. To do so, open Device Manager and then check if there’s any yellow exclamation mark against any device. If there is, then update the driver for that device.
As mentioned above, you can update a device driver manually from the Device Manager or using an advanced driver update tool. A driver update tool saves you time and also ensure there’s no possibility of installing the wrong driver by mistake, which can further complicate matters. Driver Updater has been repeatedly voted by both users and experts as the fastest and most reliable driver update software, so give it a try.
Automatic driver update tools offer many benefits, the most important ones being:
- You can update device drivers automatically
- The software scans and updates all outdated or missing drivers at one go
- The tool picks the right drivers for your device and operating system, so you won’t have to worry about installing an incorrect driver by mistake
- Automatic driver updates are 100% safe
Driver Updater is one of the best driver update tools out there. Outbyte Driver Updater will give you access to a database of over 1 million drivers. It will regularly scan your PC, suggesting new driver versions to install. Driver Updater contains drivers for a variety of Windows devices. With just one click, you can update drivers in your system.
Step 1
Click here to Install and launch the app
Step 2
Scan all devices
Step 3
Install or update drivers automatically
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