Fixing PS4 Error NW-31315-3 – Multiple Solutions

The PS4 error code NW-31315-3 sometimes comes up for PS4 users connecting on Wi-Fi, telling them they cannot connect to the network. Annoyingly, it comes up even when other devices in the home are fine connecting to the same router on Wi-Fi, indicating it is more a problem with the PS4 hardware than anything else.

This error code usually appears to come up because the Wi-Fi signal between the PS4 and router is so weak that there is either no connection, or a very weak one. Getting a stronger connection by moving to wired or resetting your devices is the best way to resolve this issue. Changing your DNS settings to Google DNS (8.8.8.8; 8.8.4.4) may also in rare cases resolve this issue.

Unfortunately the PS4 is known to be quite fickle in terms of the consistency and reliability of it’s wireless connectivity. So many of these PS4 NW error codes we cover on this site relate to a weak Wi-Fi signal, and longer term it is best if PS4 users get off Wi-Fi altogether and move onto a wired connection in some form. We will cover this in detail in a later section.

Let’s first run through some quick solutions to try to get a good enough signal for this error code to disappear.

Quick Tips For Resolving Error Code NW-31315-3

Here are some quick initial steps to take to see if you can resolve this error code:

  • Move your PS4 and router closer together.
  • Quick reset your router and PS4.
  • Power cycle your router and PS4, unplugging them for a few minutes before restarting them, router first.
  • Make sure your PS4 is fully up to date by going to Settings….System Software Update.
  • Try setting up your connection on Wi-Fi, but entering your router name (SSID) and password manually rather than selecting it from the list of detected routers that come up.
  • Make sure the Wi-Fi password you have entered is correct. If you enter the wrong password too many times, it can sometimes trigger this error code. In this case fully power cycle your router and PS4.
  • Preferably move off Wi-Fi altogether and onto a wired LAN connection instead. See the section below for more on this.

If these quick settings changes don’t get rid of this error message, it is time to try some more advanced network settings changes, starting with DNS settings and then some IPv6 router settings. Lets look at each of these solutions in turn.

Solution #1 – Manually Change The DNS Servers on Your PS4

The first thing to try is to manually configure the DNS servers on your PS4 instead of letting your PS4 use the default ones by your ISP. This can sometimes resolve these poor/weak connection error messages and deliver more bandwidth to your PS4.

Here are the general steps to do this:

  • Go to Settings….Network……Set Up Internet Connection
  • Select Wi-Fi or LAN depending on your connection. Plug into your router and use wired if the Wi-Fi doesn’t work.
  • Select Custom setup
  • Run through all the settings as they are, without changing them, until you get to DNS Settings
  • For DNS Settings, switch to Manual
  • Input these Google DNS servers: Primary: 8.8.8.8 Secondary: 8.8.4.4
  • You can also use other free DNS servers; here are two common pairs:
      • Cloudflare DNS – Primary 1.1.1.1 Secondary 1.0.0.1
      • Open DNS – Primary 208.67.222.222 Secondary 208.67.220.220
      • If one pair don’t work, try another pair.
  • See just below for a video demo of how to do this.

 

NB – The guy in the video above selects LAN because that’s what he’s using; obviously if you are on wireless then select Wi-Fi at that point instead and proceed from there. The setup process is virtually the same between the two anyway; just select the correct connection method according to what you are using.

Solution #2 – Disable IPv6 on Your Router

One solution which has been reported to work for this error code is to simply disable the IPv6 protocol on your router/PS4. This is a more advanced IP addressing schema that is slowly being phased in to accommodate for more devices as the space begins to run out on the older IPv4 addressing schema. See our article on IPv6 for more on this.

However, the PS4 does not really use IPv6 and it can sometimes clash with the PS4’s network settings and cause these errors. Disabling it can on occasion resolve this.

Here are the steps to do this:

  • Log into your router by typing it’s IP address into the address bar of any browser on a device on your home network. A router IP is usually 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1.
  • Then enter your router password, usually found on a sticker on the back of it.
  • Once inside your router settings, look for an IPv6IPv4/6 option or something similar.
  • Disable the IPv6 option, either completely or for your PS4 only if you can do it on a device by device basis.
  • Delete your PS4 console if it appears in an IPv6/4 entry box.
  • Fully reset both your router and PS4. You can also power cycle them if you want, unplugging them for a few minutes.
  • Reconfigure your PS4’s internet connection, re-entering your Wi-Fi password if you are staying on wireless.
  • This can sometimes resolve this error code.

Getting Off Wi-Fi and Onto Wired Connections For Gaming

A broader and longer term solution to this NW-31315-3 error code is to simply get off Wi-Fi connections altogether and move onto a wired ethernet connection instead. Wired connections are always more solid and consistent than wireless ones for gaming, delivering a number of benefits including connection strength and stability and low latency.

Given the choice, it is always better to be on a wired connection than a wireless one for gaming, especially on the PS4 which has a notoriously fickle and unreliable Wi-Fi card in it. So many of the PS4 NW Error Codes we cover on this site result from having a poor wireless connection between the console and router, which could be avoided by using a wired LAN connection instead.

Some PS4 users are only on Wi-Fi in the first place because they are too far away from the router to easily run a long cable all the way down to it, and they don’t want to be messing around with loads of DIY, drilling holes and feeding 10 or 20 meter network cables all through the house.

In these cases, then it is worth considering a powerline adapter as a good next best solution. Powerline adapters are basically a pair of adapter plugs which use wall sockets to deliver a wired ethernet connection to any room and device you want in the home.

You plug one adapter in and connect it to your router; you plug the other adapter in and connect it to your PS4. The two plugs then communicate through the existing electrical wiring of the house to deliver a wired ethernet connection, allowing you to bypass unreliable Wi-Fi and get on a wired connection.

They can be an excellent middle ground solution if you find yourself struggling with an inconsistent Wi-Fi signal on your PS4 and want to get on a wired connection instead. See the video below for a quick demonstration of how powerline technology works.

 

You can find links to the TP Link Nano Powerline adapter pictured above, plus more advanced models, from different retailers, on our Powerline Adapters page.

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