Nintendo has been making a name for itself in the business of video game consoles over the past few years. In the last 20 years or so, Nintendo has made a lot of games with a lot of power. One of them came out in 2017: Nintendo Switch.
Even though the device is perfect and can run the games without any issues, the people who own it still have problems with it. Many users said that it was hard for them to download digital games from Nintendo’s eShop after the 12.0.3 update.
Since the last update, there has been an error code 2123-1502. Nintendo doesn’t have a way to fix this problem right now, but I’m sure their team is working on it. So, how do you fix error code 2123-1502? Here are some things you can do if you don’t know how to fix the error code 2123-1502.
Table of Contents
Causes of the Error 2123 1502
The error could be caused by a number of things on the client side, in addition to problems on the Nintendo side. Here are some of the most common ones:
Nintendo Switch is on the Sleep Mode
If the Nintendo Switch goes to sleep while content is being downloaded or updated, the connection between the Switch and its servers could be broken. This could cause the error 2123-1502 on the Switch.
The Nintendo Cache is Corrupt
The Nintendo Switch could get the error code 2123-1502 if its cache was broken and download packets couldn’t be cached correctly.
Bad DNS Settings on the Switch
The error 2123 on the Switch could be because the network’s DNS couldn’t translate the web addresses of the Nintendo servers correctly.
Firmware on the Nintendo Switch That is Either Corrupt or Outdated
If the Switch’s firmware is out of date or broken, the Switch and its servers won’t be able to work together.
The problems can show up in a few different ways. Some players can’t download games. They can’t be patched by anyone else. Some people are finding that their DLC doesn’t work anymore. And there doesn’t seem to be a quick way to fix it.
How Do I Fix Error Code 2123-1502 on Nintendo Switch?
Stability problems are rare on the Nintendo Switch, but the new 12.0.3 firmware is one of the few times that an update is causing a bug that affects many people. When trying to download or update games from the eShop, many users say they get the error code 2123-1502.
This keeps them from downloading any software. Nintendo stopped the rollout of the firmware for a short time to try to fix the bug, but it looks like some users are still having the problem. Error 2123-1502 on your Switch may be fixed by a few workarounds.
Method 1: Try the Download Options to Download Again
If you get the error 2123-1502 when trying to download an app or game, it could be because of a temporary problem with the handshake protocol between the Switch and its servers. Here, the error may be fixed by trying to download again from the Download Options menu. Make sure the Switch has enough space to finish the download before you continue.
- First, click Cancel to stop the download. Then, click the download button to try again. You may keep spamming the download button 15 or more times. If the download starts, wait for it to finish.
- If the error keeps happening, click Cancel again to stop the bad download, and when the download button appears, click it.
- Then quickly, so that the error doesn’t show up, click Download Options or Download Settings.
- Now, be patient and wait until the download in the background is finished. Don’t press anything while the process is going on. If the download is finished, a message that says “Download Successful” will appear in the top left corner.
- If that doesn’t work, try downloading again while the switch is docked to see if that fixes the problem.
- If the problem keeps happening, try downloading or updating an app or game from the E-shop to see if that fixes it.
Method 2: Remove and Re-set the Nintendo Switch’s Wi-fi Connection
The Switch error 2123-1502 could be caused by a temporary problem with the Nintendo’s communication modules. Here, taking the Nintendo Switch’s Wi-Fi connection off and putting it back on may fix the problem.
- Start the Switch’s System Settings and choose the Internet option.
- Open the Nintendo Switch’s Internet settings.
- Now, open Internet Settings and choose the network you’re using, like Wi-Fi.
- Then click Delete Settings. For the connections with WPA security, you can open Advanced Setup and delete the related file.
- Now confirm that you want to delete the settings, and then add the Wi-Fi connection back.
- Check to see if the download can be finished and the Switch error is gone.
If that doesn’t work, try connecting the Switch to an Ethernet network to see if the download will finish. A USB network adapter is one option. Keep in mind that some users might need to run the Switch’s connectivity test before trying to download.
Method 3: Use Google DNS settings
Some people say that changing the DNS settings on your Switch console’s wifi settings to Google DNS could also help.
- Go to System Settings > Internet > Internet Settings.
- Pick your WiFi network from the list of networks that are available.
- Click the “Settings” button.
- Scroll down and change “Automatic” to “Manual” in the DNS Settings.
- Set your main DNS address to 8.8.8.8.
- Set your second DNS address to 8.8.4.4.
- Pick “Save.”
- Stop the download and start over.
If this doesn’t work or causes new connection problems, change the DNS settings back to “Automatic” in the network settings.
Method 4: Turn on the Router and Switch Again
The error could be caused by a temporary problem with the Switch or the router that makes it hard for the app or game to download. The problem might be fixed if both devices are turned off and on again.
If the problem is with your computer or a laptop/notebook, you can try using Restoro Repair, which can scan the repositories and replace broken or missing files. Most of the time, this works when the problem is caused by a broken system.
- Hold down the power button on the Switch until it turns off. A “hard restart” is what this is called.
- Once the switch is off, turn off the router and unplug its power cord from the source.
- Wait 5 minutes, then plug the power cord back into the router and turn it back on.
- Once the lights on the router are steady, turn on the Nintendo Switch and see if the error 2123-1502 is gone.
- If not, turn on “Airplane Mode” in the Nintendo Switch’s System Settings.
- Now, press the Nintendo Switch’s power button, and when the Power Options screen appears, choose Turn Off.
- Then, when the Switch is off, take out the SD card and press the power button to turn it back on.
- Once the Switch is on and the Home Screen is showing, press and hold the power button until the Power Options screen comes up.
- Now, choose “Turn Off,” and when the Switch is off, put the SD card back in.
- Then turn on the Switch, and when it’s on properly, open its System Settings.
- Turn off “Airplane Mode” and check the Nintendo Switch to see if it still works.
If not, do steps 5 through 11 again, but at step 11, check to see if downloading something from the E-Shop fixes the problem.
Method 5: Restart the Nintendo Switch Console
To turn the console back on, press and hold the POWER button for three seconds, then go to Power Options, then Turn Off. After the console has turned off, press the POWER button to turn it back on.
Method 6: Try Connecting to a Different Internet Network
If you test your internet speed and find that your device isn’t fast enough, your Nintendo Switch won’t be able to connect to the server. Then, if you can, try a different Wi-Fi connection or a mobile hotspot to see if the error code 2123-1502 goes away.
Conclusion
It’s not clear how many players are affected by this error, but the problem has come up again in multiple forums, with people pointing out that Nintendo still hasn’t fully fixed the problem or made any new public statements since they did almost a week ago. You can try those steps if you’re getting error 2123-1502, but there’s not much else you can do right now.
It’s rare for Nintendo to have serious technical problems with the Switch, and even rarer for those problems to last this long. We hope there will be an update soon, but until then, just try the steps above to see if any of them work.