It’s a frustrating feeling when you can connect to your home WiFi network, but not the internet.
You might be able to get online using your phone’s data connection (if it has one), but there are still plenty of reasons your internet connection may not work.
This article will show you how to fix this problem and restore access to the world wide web for all of your devices.
How to Fix “WiFi Connected But No Internet”
1. Restart your device
This is often the most obvious first fix when the issue of “WiFi connected but no internet” occurs.
In fact, chances are that you have already done this, but if you haven’t, it’s worth a try.
The principle behind this is simple:
When you reboot the devices, you force them to go through a fresh connection thus refreshing the IP and reloading the configuration files.
You can reboot your devices by going into Settings and choosing either restart or shut down.
The best practice is to restart both the router and modem. First, turn them off for a few seconds before turning them back on.
Also, it helps if you restart your computer while you are at it.
This should solve the problem. If you have been able to fix it by following these steps, make sure that your router and modem are configured correctly for your Internet Service Provider (ISP).
Also, remember to check if there isn’t a firmware update available that might improve the performance or stability of either device.
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2. Check Modem Lights
Sometimes, when your computer isn’t connecting to the internet, it’s not actually a problem with your computer but with your modem.
To check this, you’ll want to look at the lights on your modem. If they’re all off or if one is blinking, then there’s a good chance that there’s an issue with your modem and you’ll need to call your internet service provider to have them take a look.
If the lights are all on, however, then it’s likely an issue with your computer and you can continue troubleshooting from there.
One way to rule out whether or not the problem is with your computer is to try connecting to the internet using another device, like a phone or tablet.
If you’re able to connect using those devices, then the problem is with your computer.
If you’re still having trouble connecting to the internet after trying these things, there are a few more steps you can take.
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3. ISP is down
It’s not uncommon for your ISP to go down from time to time. When this happens, you’ll be unable to access the internet even if you’re connected to WiFi.
The best way to fix this is to call your ISP and let them know that their service is down.
If you don’t know your ISP, you can visit downdectector.com to see if others are reporting issues in your area.
There, you can also check for the most popular ISPs and see how often they go down.
This site tracks coverage all over the world, so it would help to streamline your search.
There’s also a live outage option to know if the outage affects you.
You can also carry out quick searches on Twitter. There’s a chance that other users affected by the outage have reported it.
If you’re tweeting about an outage, include your area code and @Downdetector in the tweet.
Some people have also suggested using a VPN as a workaround when your ISP is down.
A VPN (virtual private network) will create an encrypted tunnel between your device and the VPN server.
This can be helpful to mask your traffic.
It can also help you access content that’s restricted in your area or country.
However, a VPN won’t actually fix the problem with your ISP.
If this is something you’re trying out of curiosity, be sure it will work for what you want to do before signing up for any paid service.
If you’re not experiencing internet issues, but are still unable to reach some websites, your ISP might be blocking them.
If this is the case, there’s nothing that can be done on your end except for hoping that they will remove the block in the future.
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4. Antivirus or other security apps
Your computer might be too busy with security apps to allocate enough bandwidth for your internet connection.
Try disabling some of the antivirus or other security software and see if that fixes your problem.
Your firewall could also be blocking your access to the internet. Check to make sure you haven’t blocked any necessary ports required for internet access.
It would help to run a complete/full system scan to make sure everything is well and running smoothly.
You will need to make sure that your computer has not been infected with something dangerous that is capable of causing severe damage.
5. Use the built-in troubleshooter
Every computer has a built-in troubleshooter that can help you diagnose common problems.
If your computer is connected to the internet but it does not seem to be working, use the Windows Network Diagnostics tool. The following steps will guide you through using this tool:
Search for “troubleshooting” in Cortana or go to Control Panel > System and Security > Troubleshooting
If the network troubleshooter detects a problem, it will tell you how to fix it. If your computer is connected to the internet but there are no connections available, try using another connection or contact your ISP for help.
There is an alternate way of diagnosing problems as well:
- Go to Network and Sharing Center
- In the left pane, click Change adapter settings
- Right-click your active network adapter and select Properties
- On the Networking tab, scroll down to Internet Protocol Version Four (TCP/IPv) and double-click it.
Make sure that both Obtain an IP address automatically and Obtain DNS server address automatically are checked.
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6. Flush DNS
DNS (Domain Name System) is basically a phonebook for the internet.
It contains all of the domains and their corresponding IP addresses, which are numerical identifiers assigned to every website or any other computer in a network.
Flushing DNS means that you delete these records from your device’s temporary memory cache, forcing it to download them again from your ISP.
This can help resolve some internet connection issues, and it’s a process that only needs to be done occasionally.
To flush DNS on a Windows PC, open the Command Prompt by pressing Win+R and typing cmd into the Run dialog. Then type in the following command and hit Enter: ipconfig /flushdns.
To flush DNS on a Mac, open the Terminal app (also called ‘Command Prompt’ in macOS) and enter this command: dscacheutil -flushcache;sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder.
If you’re not sure which DNS server to use, pick one from the list at [Open Dns](opendns.com) or [Google Public DNS](google.com/speed/public-dns).
If you’re still having trouble connecting to the internet after flushing your DNS, then you can try the next step.
7. Change Wireless Mode on Router
If your wireless router is configured to operate in the 802.11a, b, or g standard and if you are using a laptop that only supports the n standard then chances are good there will be no connectivity between these devices.
The solution here is simple: change your router’s operating mode so it can better communicate with your laptop.
To do this, you’ll need to access your router’s configuration page. This is done by typing in the IP address of the router into a web browser address bar (most commonly 192.168.0.254).
Once on the configuration page, look for a setting called “Wireless Mode” or something similar and change it from its current setting to “802.11n only” or “Mixed Mode.” Apply the changes and test your connectivity.
If you are still having trouble connecting after changing the wireless mode, it’s possible that there is a physical obstruction between your router and laptop.
Try moving your router to a different location in your home and see if that makes a difference.
8. Obtain IP and DNS Automatically
If you are using a DHCP server, it is possible that your computer will receive its IP address and DNS server information automatically.
If this is the case, try renewing your IP address and see if that fixes the problem. To do this in Windows, open the Command Prompt window and type “ipconfig /release” (without quotes), and hit enter.
After your computer is released from the DHCP server, open a Command Prompt window and type “ipconfig /renew” (without quotes).
After that step, you should check to see if any other network adapters have fixed themselves.
To do this in Windows, click Start and find Network Connections (the exact wording may vary depending on your version of Windows).
Once you have located it, right-click the icon and select Properties. If any adapters show a green checkmark next to them, that means they are now working properly.
If none of your network adapters fixed themselves after renewing your IP address, there is one more step you can try: resetting the TCP/IP stack.
To do this in Windows, open a Command Prompt window and type “netsh int ip reset” (without quotes).
Once that process is complete, your computer will be back to its default settings for network adapters so you should see if any of them have been fixed now.
9. Fix Network Driver Issues
If you’re having problems with your network driver, the first thing you should do is update it.
You can do this by going to your computer’s manufacturer’s website and searching for the latest drivers for your model of computer.
If that doesn’t work, you can try reinstalling the driver.
To uninstall a driver:
- Open Device Manager.
- Right-click the device you want to uninstall and click Uninstall.
- Click OK.
- Restart your computer.
To reinstall a driver:
- Open Device Manager.
- Right-click the device you want to uninstall and click Uninstall.
- Click OK.
- Restart your computer.
Be sure to download the latest drivers for your model of computer from your computer’s manufacturer’s website.
If updating or reinstalling the driver doesn’t fix the problem, you may need to disable or uninstall your firewall software.
You can also try disabling IPv six on your router. To do this, you’ll need to log in to your router’s administration page.
If none of these solutions work, then you’ll need to call the manufacturer of your network adapter for support.
10. Reset Router and Modem
If you have tried all of the tips listed above and your router still doesn’t connect to the internet, then try resetting both.
Sometimes even if we don’t want it to happen, our devices forget or just get confused when trying out new settings that may interfere with other things in their network.
Resetting will delete any changes made and set your devices back to their original factory settings.
This can be done by pressing the reset button on your modem and router, or if those are not available, pulling out the power cord for 30 seconds and plugging it back in. After doing this, you will have to reconfigure all of your settings again.
You will have to enter your IP address, subnet mask, gateway, and DNS servers in order for the internet connection to work.
Things to note
For Desktop computers
A good WiFi router is essential when you are trying to connect with the internet wirelessly or even through a wired connection.
A lot of people do not realize that they have a weak signal in certain parts of their house and that is why their internet connection keeps cutting out.
If you are using a desktop computer, you will want to place the router as close to your desktop as possible in order to get the best signal.
You can also try using an Ethernet cable if you are having trouble connecting wirelessly.
For Laptops
If you are using a laptop and it is having trouble connecting to the internet, there are a few things you can do.
One thing you can try is moving your laptop closer to the router. If that doesn’t work, then you will want to check your WiFi settings on your computer.
Make sure that airplane mode is turned off, and that the WiFi is turned on. You will also want to make sure that your computer is not trying to connect to any other networks.
If you are still having trouble, try disabling the security settings on your router and then enter the password.
Conclusion
Now that you know what the problem is, how to fix it and why you are experiencing this problem in the first place.
Hopefully, that will help you get your internet connection back up and running.
