It’s a good habit to check the Wi-Fi connectivity on your computer before a video call or when a site takes too long to open. At times, you can find your laptop connected to a Wi-Fi network, but you still can’t connect it to the internet. Let’s walk through some easy fixes for Wi-Fi connected but no Internet problem on your Windows computer.
Table of Contents
Before We Begin
There are a bunch of easy troubleshooting solutions you can employ before jumping to tougher or tricky solutions in the guide:
- Restart your computer and Wi-Fi router.
- Switch to a different Wi-Fi frequency band (2.4 GHz or 5 GHz).
- Check the LED lights. If they turn orange or red, there may be no internet connection.
- Your ISP may have disabled the internet if your connection has reached the monthly limit, for maintenance, etc.
- If you’re at school or work, access to websites such as streaming and social media sites might be restricted.
- Check for loose or damaged cables.
1. Manually Configure IP Settings
If you’re connected to Wi-Fi but have no internet access, there might be an issue with your DHCP service on your computer. That means, your router assigns the available IP address to your computer. You can instead assign an IP address manually. Follow the guide below to fix it:
For Windows 10 Users:
- Press Windows + S to search View network connections.
- Right-click on your Wi-Fi network and select Properties.
- Click the Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) option and click Properties.
For Windows 11 Users:
- Navigate to Settings (Windows + I) > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi > (Your Wi-Fi Name) Properties.
- Set the Network profile type to Private.
- Tap the Edit button next to IP assignment and switch from Automatic (DHCP) to Manual.
1. After that, open Command Prompt with administrator privileges, enter the following command and press Enter:
ipconfig /all2. Find the DHCP Server line and Gateway number above it. Note down the numbers next to both of them.
3. Select the Use the following IP address option (Windows 10) or enable the IPv4 toggle (Windows 11) and paste the number you copied from Command Prompt (step 2) in the IP address field.
4. Delete the last digit from the number and enter a number between 1-255. For example, change it to a private IP address – 192.168.1.28 or another number that your network supports.
5. In the Subnet mask field, enter 255.255.255.0 or another number your network supports.
6. In the Gateway field, enter the number that appears above the DHCP number.
7. Enter 8.8.8.8 in the Preferred DNS field and 8.8.4.4 in the Alternate DNS field. Then, click Save.
Tip: If the above solution didn’t work, repeat Step 4 with a higher last digit number than the previous one.
2. Reset Network Settings
Another way to fix the internet issue on your Windows computer is by simply resetting the network connection. To do that, open the Command Prompt with administrator privileges and hit Enter after typing in the following commands:
Automatically release your current IP address and obtain a new one:
ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renewClears the Domain Name System (DNS) cache used to resolve website names:
ipconfig /flushdnsClear the internet access files stored by Windows:
netsh winsock reset
netsh int ip resetAfter that, close the Command Prompt windows and restart your PC.
If you’re uncomfortable with the command prompt, you can perform Network reset from the Settings app. Head to Settings > Network & internet > Advanced network settings > Network reset and click the Reset now button.
After you perform a network reset, Windows will forget the details of Ethernet, Wi-Fi networks, and VPN connections. So have your network credentials and VPN settings handy before you proceed.
Also Read: You can easily fix slow internet speed on your Windows PC.
3. Try Reinstalling the Wi-Fi Driver
A faulty Wi-Fi driver can cause internet connectivity problems even when connected to Wi-Fi. In such a case, reinstalling the driver may fix the issue:
1. Right-click on the Start menu or press Windows + X keyboard shortcut and select Device Manager from the pop-up.
2. In the Device Manager window, expand Network Adapters, right-click on Wi-Fi device name, and select Uninstall device.
After restarting your PC, let it automatically reinstall the Wi-Fi driver.
Alternatively, you can also download the latest driver directly from the Wi-Fi manufacturer’s website.
4. Reset Router
This option can solve router-related problems by resetting the router to factory settings, which can remove any problematic changes. Depending on the router’s manufacturer, you may locate the reset option on either the Maintenance page or within the Advanced options.
Alternatively, you can do a hard reset by pressing the hardware reset button located on the back of the router. This button is usually hidden inside a tiny hole. Use a paper clip or mobile SIM tray opener to press and hold the button for 5-15 seconds, or until the lights blink and the router restarts. You should be able to connect to the internet afterward.
Note: Before you reset the router, log in to the router’s web interface. Then, note down the username and password that you need to access ISP’s internet subscription services.
The above tips can fix most network-related problems. However, if there is a hardware problem – like a damaged network card or router – then you will have to take your computer to a certified technician and have it replaced.
In case, you’re experiencing internet problems only on your computer, you may consider reinstalling Windows without losing your files.
