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Error CE-38703-1 can appear on PS4 whenever the owner of the console tries to use its online functionality. The error message contains the following information:

Failed to connect to server.
(CE-38703-1)

The problem is extremely unpleasant, because many users cannot get rid of it for a long time. As the “sufferers” on the net note, no matter what they try, nothing can save them from the error.

However, error CE-38703-1 is a completely solvable issue. And now we will demonstrate it to you!

Solution for error CE-38703-1 on PS4

Of course, when online users claim that they have tried everything, they have not tried everything. In fact, most of them didn’t even bother trying to… reboot their console. Have you tried restarting your PS4? True, this is a tip from the category of “have you tried turning it off and on”, but this solution really works.

Unplug your PS4, wait 15-20 seconds and plug it back in – check for error CE-38703-1. Well, if that didn’t work … well, use the solutions below.

Solution # 1 Reboot the router / reset

People who have just started using routers do not yet realize how unreliable the latter are. Simply put, at any moment your router may start to work not quite correctly, causing all sorts of problems for the equipment that is connected to its network. The solution is a simple reboot. Press the power button on the router case, wait 10-15 seconds and press it again. Now go to PS4 and check for error CE-38703-1.

Unfortunately, in some cases, one reboot of the router is not enough: you need to do a complete reset of its settings. Obviously, this process is extremely unpleasant, since you will have to reconfigure everything again, but if this solves the problem on the console, it will be worth it. So, open the control panel of your router, for example, by going to the address 192.168.0.1, go to the section with system settings and start the device reset process.

Solution # 2 Contacting an Internet Service Provider

Connect your PS4 to the network with an Ethernet cable to eliminate a broken router from the equation. If the CE-38703-1 error occurs even after a direct connection, then the problem may lie in this very network. Go to the “Network” section in the console settings and select the “Test Internet connection” option. What does your PS4 tell you? Do you have any problems with Internet access? If so, it’s time to call your ISP, because the problem is almost certainly on their side. Well, if he tells you that everything is in order, then something is clearly wrong with your console or router.

Solution # 3 Opening UDP and TCP ports

On extremely rare occasions, the Wi-Fi router may start blocking a number of specific ports that the PS4 needs to have access to. You need to go to the settings of your router and check if the following ports are open on it:

• TCP: 80, 443, 3478, 3479, 3480
• UDP: 3478, 3479

It’s hard to say why some routers block the above ports, but it does, if the claims on the network are to be believed.

Solution # 3 Initializing PS4

As a rule, restarting the console or router will help get rid of the CE-38703-1 network error. Nevertheless, there are also cases when the error hangs tightly on the console, preventing the owner from using it for its intended purpose. What to do? The answer is PS4 initialization. Basically, initialization is the reinstallation of the console software. A similar process allows you to eliminate the bugs and errors that have arisen in the PS4 software.

To initialize, you need:

• turn off PS4 completely;
• connect a DualShock controller to the console, but only with a USB cable (wireless mode does not work in safe mode);
• press and hold the power button until you hear the second (!) beep;
• go down below the menu and select the item “Initialize the PS4 system (reinstall the system software)”;
• wait for the initialization to finish and start the PS4 in normal mode.

After PS4 initialization, error CE-38703-1 should no longer appear.