The PS4 error code NW-31456-9 is another common error message that comes up when users can’t seem to get their PS4 to connect to the PlayStation Network, or else keep getting kicked from servers in a certain game. A message usually comes up saying “cannot connect to the PSN or game server” or something similar.

This error code can be especially annoying, as users often find everyone else in their house can connect fine to the Wi-Fi; it just seems to be the PS4 only that is having the connection problems. Like so many of the PS4 error codes, it also does not come from one source and so there is not just one solution that resolves it in all cases.

The most effective solution to this error code seems to be manually configuring your PS4’s DNS servers to Google DNS (8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4) or another provider. When this doesn’t work, fully unplugging and resetting your router and PS4 can also work, as well as switching off Wi-Fi onto a wired connection.

In reality there are loads of different solutions which seemed to have worked for different people in solving this problem. We will gather together all of the ones we could find online, running through the most popular ones that have worked most often first, and then going through some of the more obscure solutions some people have found which work in more rare cases.

Solution #1 – Changing Your DNS Servers

The solution which seems to have worked most often (though not every single time) for PS4 users with this error code is to manually configure your DNS settings to use Google DNS or another well known pair of free DNS servers.

DNS stands for Domain Name System and is a protocol which maps website names to actual IP addresses. You can’t get online without using functional DNS servers so they are very important.

The PS4 by default will automatically use the DNS servers provided by your ISP, but it is possible to override this and put your own servers in. Here are the 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.
• Choose 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 or you can also use these:
  • • Open DNS Servers: Primary 208.67.222.222 Secondary 208.67.220.220
    • Cloudflare DNS Servers: Primary 1.1.1.1 Secondary 1.0.0.1

 

If one pair of DNS servers doesn’t work, then try another pair before moving onto the other solutions below. Different users get different success with each set of servers depending on where they are in the world.

This DNS solution seems to work in 70-80% of cases with this error, perhaps indicating that this problem is most often caused by the default DNS servers supplied by your ISP not working for whatever reason.

Overriding this automatic selection by your PS4 and putting your own DNS servers in allows your console to connect through a different route to PSN and game servers, and restores the connection in most cases.

Other Solutions to PS4 Error Code NW-31456-9

This NW-31456-9 error code is definitely one of the more complex PS4 errors, with lots of potential causes and loads of different solutions that people have found online that has worked to fix it in their individual case.

We have gathered as many of these together as possible for anyone who has tried the main steps above and still can’t get online with their PS4.

Here are some other things you can try:

• Hook your console up to a different Wi-Fi network, like a friend, relative or neighbor, or a hotspot, and then reconnect back to your own Wi-Fi network at a later point. This sometimes resets everything and makes it work.
• If you are using Wi-Fi and get a message saying “can’t connect to server within time limit”, your Wi-Fi signal is probably too weak. Move closer to your router or switch to a wired LAN connection; see the section below for more on this.
• Also hard resetting your router/PS4 by unplugging for 15-30 minutes can reset all settings and restore the connection. You can also factory reset your router by pressing the button on the side or back to fully restore it to “out the box” settings.
• Implementing Port Forwarding can sometimes solve this problem if you keep getting kicked out of lobbies or downloads keep failing. See our article on different ways of Port Forwarding; our preferred method for consoles is to use DMZ settings.
• Logging into your router and removing parental controls, and unpausing paused devices has also worked for some people.
• Check the status of the PlayStation Network. It may be temporarily down for repairs or maintenance and there is nothing much you can do from your end.
• Also, if your console can connect to the internet in general, but not to PSN specifically, then try manually setting your MTU value to 1453 or 1473/1475. Works in rare cases. See the MTU section of this article for how to do this. Here are the quick steps:
  • • Go to Settings…..Network…..Set Up Internet Connection
    • Click Custom
    • Click through all the setting as they are without changing them, until you get to MTU Settings.
    • For MTU, switch to Manual
    • Enter 1453 or 1473 for the MTU value. If one doesn’t work, try the other.
    • Finish Setup and Test Connection. The PS4 should now be able to get online.
• The servers of the game you are trying to play may also be down. Check other games online to narrow down the error.
• If you keep getting the “cannot find an IP address within the time limit” error message, make sure IP address is set to Automatic when manually configuring your internet connection. Only switch to manual for the DNS settings; leave everything else as Default or Automatic.
• Make sure your router’s firmware is fully up to date. Also make sure it is not using WPA2-PSK security mode and switch to another mode if it is. See solution #2 of this article for a guide on how to do this. Here are the quick steps:
  • • Log into your router by typing it’s IP address into any browser bar on any device. This is most often 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.1.254.
    • Enter the password of the router, which is usually somewhere on a sticker on the back of it.
    • Alternatively, see here for a list of common router IPs/passwords.
    • Once inside the router, you are looking for Security, Wireless Security or some similar settings menu.
    • Then find an option like Network Authentication, Security Protocol, or something similar.
    • If this is set to WPA2-PSK, this is not compatible with the PS4, and this is why it can’t connect.
    • Switch it instead to WPA-PSK.
    • This should work and allow your PS4 to connect to the Wi-Fi.
• Another unusual solution to this problem is to download the PlayStation App on your phone plus the message app and delete all your messages. Some users have found this resets everything and allows them to reconnect.

If anyone has thoroughly tried literally all these solutions and hasn’t got any of them to work, then leave a note in the comments and we’ll try to look into it further.

Long Term Solution – Use Wired Connections

This error code seems to be happening the vast majority of the time when people are using Wi-Fi connections. It can happen when using LAN cables, but appears to be far less common. In general it is better for avoiding these kinds of error codes, and for online gaming in general, to use wired connections instead of wireless for online gaming.

Wired connections just deliver a stronger and more consistent, reliable connection than wireless, which is exactly what gamers need for maximum bandwidth and minimal latency. Wi-Fi by contrast is naturally temperamental and prone to dropping out over distance, leading to lag, slow downloads and these kind of connections issues.

Therefore try to get on a wired ethernet connection if you can. If you are only using Wi-Fi in the first place because you are too far away from the router to run ethernet directly, then a powerline adapter is an excellent next best solution to this problem, that allows you to bypass Wi-Fi and get onto an ethernet connection anywhere in the home.

Powerline kits consist of a pair of adapter plugs. You plug one adapter in and connect it to your router; you plug the other one in and connect it to your PS4, and the two plugs then communicate through the electrical wiring of the house to deliver a strong, wired ethernet connection to your console.

They are ideal for getting onto a wired connection even when you are several rooms or floors away from the router and don’t want to be messing around with DIY and running long cables through the house.

They basically do the same job, but using the electrical wiring of the house to transfer the data. They are plug and play devices and a great alternative to Wi-Fi if you keep suffering from lag and connection problems such as these.

 

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