Why Does My PS4 Keep Disconnecting From WIFI?

The PlayStation 4 may be one of the best-selling consoles of all time, but it can suffer from annoying connectivity issues. Competing networks can interfere with wireless technology, and devices connected to the router can slow the connection! If you encounter these problems often, you may wonder why your PS4 keeps disconnecting from WIFI?

Your PS4 might struggle to maintain a stable connection for many reasons. It may be caused by router issues, wrong DNS settings, improper router configuration, PS4 firmware issues, and many other problems.

So, in this guide, we will walk you through 10 solutions to the most common PS4 issues with WIFI – using clear step-by-step instructions and useful tips.

Why Does My PS4 Keep Disconnecting from WIFI?

There can be several reasons why your WIFI signal keeps abruptly disconnecting and reconnecting by itself. For example, updates from Sony to improve user experience may cause the problem, or your WIFI setup may be at fault.

Whatever it is, you can benefit from understanding all the possible reasons why your PS4 might be struggling to maintain its WIFI connection.

PS4 Software Update

Many users report that PS4 software updates cause trouble with their internet connection. If you notice your PS4 disconnecting from the WIFI after installing one of these updates, that is likely the culprit.

Router Issues

Just like any other piece of technology, routers do not last forever. Most only last a few years before they start malfunctioning. If your wireless network suddenly disconnects for no apparent reason, then your network hardware may be at fault.

Several factors can impact wireless reception. For example, if your neighbors set up a wireless network, they can unintentionally cause interference. Devices such as microwaves, fridges, Bluetooth speakers, and more can also cause similar issues. Anything that connects wirelessly to your network, such as your PS4, can be affected by router issues.

Improper Router Configuration

A router that is not properly configured may cause PS4 connection issues. For example, you could have a firewall setup that prevents your device from accessing the server.

Wrong DNS Settings

Sometimes, the DNS server of a network can struggle to translate a web address related to PS4 traffic. When this happens, your PS4 will keep requesting access but will receive no response from the server. As a result, your router will close the connection to the wireless network.

Slow Internet Speed

You may be sharing your internet connection with other people or have other devices connected to the same network. In that case, the connection speed is likely distributed among those people or devices. As a result, you might experience PS4 connection issues.

Other PS4 Issues

If you have ruled out PS4 DNS error and router problems, you may be dealing with other PS4 issues.

Your gaming console firmware may be outdated and incompatible with your router firmware, which might be why your PS4 cannot connect to the server. Your PS4 may also not connect to the WIFI due to a corrupt or overloaded database.

Other Technical Problems

Your PS4 may not connect to a server due to something as simple as bad weather interrupting your WIFI connection. Unfortunately, all you can do is wait for the storm to pass.

How to Fix PS4 Disconnecting from WIFI

If you have identified what is causing your connectivity issues, you can skip to a section relevant to your problem. However, if you want to find out how to connect your PS4 to WIFI using different methods, we recommend that you start with the simplest ones and move on to more complex ones if necessary.

Restart Your Console and WIFI Router

Rebooting your hardware is often a simple but effective way to fix connectivity issues. Start by unplugging the router from its power source. Wait a few minutes, then plug your router back in to reboot it. Now you have to do the same for your PS4. Press and hold the power button to turn off the system and remove the power cable from the power source. After a few minutes, you can plug it back in and boot everything up.

Test Your Internet Connection

If restarting your PS4 and WIFI router does not fix the problem, you need to figure out whether your internet connection is working at all. Follow these easy steps to test your internet connection.

1. Go to the PS4 Settings.
2. Select Network Settings, then Test Internet Connection.

You should now be able to see your download speed. Your connection speed should be at least 25 Mbps or higher; if not, that might be an issue.

Set Up an Internet Connection

Have you ever tried to fix Bluetooth pairing issues by forgetting a device on your phone? You can do the same thing, but with your PS4 and WIFI.

1. Go to the PS4 Settings.
2. Select Network Settings to view your current internet connection, then press Disconnect.
3. Set up the connection again by selecting your WIFI network and entering the correct password.

Once the internet connection is functioning again, you can test it to check whether anything has improved.

Enable DHCP

Your system may have specific settings that prevent a DHCP server from being set up. As a result, your IP address will not be shared with your PS4, which will cause PS4 connection issues.

1. Go to the PS4 Settings.
2. Select System and tick a check box that reads Enable HDCP. 
3. Restart your PS4 and establish a connection.

Manually Select a Frequency Band

Most devices automatically select the frequency band with the fastest connection, but this may cause WIFI issues if you have a PS4 Pro. Older versions of the PS4 only support 2.4 GHz bands, whereas the PS4 Pro supports both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands.

If you have a dual-band router, you can select a frequency band manually in your PS4’s network settings. Follow these steps to select a frequency band manually if your PS4 keeps disconnecting from Wi-Fi.

1. Go to the PS4 Settings.
2. Select the following: Network Settings, Setup Internet Connection, Use WIFI, and finally, Easy.
3. Click the Options Menu at the bottom of your screen.
4. Select either the 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz band in the Wi-Fi frequency bands section.

To decide which one to choose, you should consider that the 2.4 GHz band typically offers broader coverage at a slower speed, while the 5 GHz one provides a lesser range but faster speed.

Update Your PS4 Firmware

Outdated firmware on your PS4 may be incompatible with your networking device, which causes connectivity issues. Thankfully, you can easily update the firmware of your PS4 to the latest build with the following steps.

1. Go to the PS4 Settings.
2. Select System Software Update.
3. Click on Update Now. If there is an update available, wait until it has been fully installed.
4. Adjust router settings.

Update Your Router Firmware

Just like your console, outdated firmware on your router can be the reason why your PS4 keeps disconnecting from the WIFI. Luckily, it is easy to update.

1. Open a web browser and go to the router’s web portal.
2. Select the Tools menu.
3. Click on the Firmware tab and find a section that is similar to Check for latest firmware version.
4. Select a button that says Check Now. If there is a firmware update available, you will be able to apply it. 
5. Finally, restart the router.

Reset Router to Factory Default

Before following these steps, you should write down any credentials and settings you may need to set up the router after resetting it to the factory default.

1. Press and hold the reset button on your router.
2. Release the button once the router restarts and wait until the lights are stable.
3. Follow the ISP instructions to set it up.
4. Connect the PS4 to the WIFI network and check how it is working. To find out how to connect your PS4 to the WIFI, you can review the Set Up an Internet Connection section.

Disable the Firewall

Disabling your router’s firewall is a risk, as it might expose your devices and data to threats. We do not recommend doing this unless it is necessary.

1. Open a web browser and go to your router’s web portal.
2. Select Advanced and find the Firewall tab.
3. In this tab, you will have to uncheck the following three settings: Enable SPI, Endpoint-Independent (both in UPP and TCP Endpoint Filtering), and Enable Anti-Spoof Checking.
4. Save your new settings and reboot your router.

Modify DNS Settings on PS4

Your service provider will typically assign a DNS server by default, but it might not be the best one for your location.

1. Launch the Settings of your PS4.
2. Select Network Settings, Setup Internet Connection, and Custom.
3. Click on Automatic in the IP Address Settings menu.
4. Select Do Not Specify in DHCP Host Name, then select Manual in the DNS Settings menu.
5. Enter the Primary and Secondary DNS. We recommend using Cloudflare’s or Google’s DNS, but there are several high-performance DNS you can use.
   • Google Primary DNS: 8.8.8.8, Google Secondary DNS: 8.8.4.4
   • Cloudflare Primary DNS: 1.1.1.1, Cloudflare Secondary DNS: 1.0. 0.1
6. Go to MTU Settings and select Automatic.
7. Select Do Not Use under Proxy Server.
8. Click on the Test Internet Connection button.

Rebuild the PS4 Database

The WIFI disconnecting issue might be caused by corrupt data files on your PS4’s database. Rebuilding the database allows the system to scan the storage drive and build a new database with all the basic system contents.

Bear in mind that this process can take between 15 minutes to 1 hour to complete. It is entirely safe to rebuild the database, and no data will be deleted unless it is corrupted.

1. Turn off your PS4 console.
2. Hold the power button for 10 seconds to boot it in Safe Mode.
3. Connect the PS4’s controller with a USB cable and select Rebuild Database in the Safe Mode screen.
4. Wait until the process is complete. This may take up to an hour, depending on the data.
5. Your PS4 should automatically boot once it has finished rebuilding its database.

You can now connect to your WIFI network and see whether the issue has been resolved.

Do not panic if any of your games are missing from the game menu after rebuilding the database. You can quickly restore them by going to Settings > Account Management > Restore Licenses and hitting the Restore button.

Factory Reset Your PS4

If you have tried everything without success, the problem may lie with your PS4. You can perform a factory reset and see if that helps as a last resort.

However, you should know that resetting your PS4 will wipe out all your data, including any games you have installed. So, make sure to back up your PS4 saves and files before resetting.

1. Turn off your PS4 console.
2. Unplug the power cable from the back of the unit.
3. Wait for 5 minutes before plugging the power cable back into your console.
4. Hold the power button for about 10 seconds to boot it in Safe Mode and wait for a second beep before releasing the button.
5. Connect the PS4’s controller with a USB cable and select Restore Default Settings.

What to Do When Nothing Works?

If none of the ten solutions in this article has worked for you, you can try three other options, but they can be a hassle.

Connect Your PS4 With an Ethernet Cable

Your best option to fix PS4 connection issues is to use an ethernet cable to connect your console to the router. An ethernet cable connection ensures a reliable internet connection, and, in some cases, the speed can be a lot faster than that of a WIFI connection. 

Connecting your PS4 with an ethernet cable is quite simple:

1. Connect an ethernet cable to the respective ethernet ports of your router and PS4. 
2. Turn on both devices and go to your PS4’s Settings.
3. Select Network > Set Up Internet Connection > Use LAN Cable > Easy.

Redesign Your Setup

Many devices can interfere with your internet connection. If possible, you might want to consider removing any unnecessary devices near or connected to your router. Your PS4 and router should also be close to each other, so move them closer together to improve the internet connection. 

Call The Help Desk

If nothing else works to fix your connectivity issues, your remaining option is to contact support. You can call two help desks: your internet provider company or Sony. Additionally, if your console is still under warranty, you can take it to the store and get it fixed or replaced.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Won’t My PS4 Connect to 5G Wi-Fi?

If your PS4 does not connect to 5G WIFI, then your model likely does not support this connection. To connect to 5G WIFI, you need to have PS4 Slim or PS4 Pro models with the necessary 5G features to connect to the network.

How Do You Fix DNS Error on PS4?

If you get a message that reads, “A DNS server cannot be used. The DNS server did not respond within the time limit” or “A DNS error has occurred”, there is an issue with the primary DNS server. 

When a PS4 cannot connect to a server, then you have to check the DNS configuration. Follow the Modify DNS Settings section instructions to fix any PS4 DNS errors.

Why Is My PS4 Connection Speed So Bad?

If you are dealing with slow PS4 WIFI, there are several things you can do to improve speed.

• Change your DNS.
• Update your firmware.
• Change the band frequency to 5G if your console allows it.
• Upgrade to a faster internet plan.
• Connect your console to the router with an Ethernet cable.
• Move your PS4 closer to the router.

How Do I Manually Connect My PS4 to WIFI?

To manually connect your PS4 to WIFI, you must use an Ethernet cable. First, connect the cable to the console and the router. Then, turn on both devices, and go to your PS4’s Settings. Finally, Select Network > Set Up Internet Connection > Use LAN Cable > Easy.

Conclusion

PS4 internet connection issues may be common, but it can be difficult to figure out what may be causing them. Luckily, we have put together this complete guide to explain why your PS4 keeps disconnecting from WIFI and ten ways you can fix it. We hope you will find the solution to your PS4 connectivity issues and go back to gaming!