Computers · Repair guide

How to fix a computer that won't connect to the internet

9 fixes, easiest first4 min readUpdated November 2026

Quick fix

Restart the PC, make sure airplane mode is off, then run the Network and Internet troubleshooter in the Get Help app on Windows 11. If that fails, run the network reset commands in an administrator Command Prompt and restart.

What it means

When your phone and other devices are online but your Windows PC is not, the problem is almost always on the PC itself rather than the router or internet service. Common culprits are airplane mode or a switched-off adapter, a stuck network setting, a VPN or proxy, or a network driver that broke after an update.

Common causes

  • Airplane mode is on or the Wi-Fi adapter is switched off
  • A loose Ethernet cable or a saved Wi-Fi profile that no longer works
  • A VPN, proxy or security app blocking the connection
  • Stuck IP address or DNS settings on the PC
  • A disabled, damaged or out-of-date network adapter driver
  • A recent Windows update or driver change that broke networking

How to fix it

Work down the list. Each fix is safe to try before moving on to the next.

01Confirm the problem is only this PC, then restart itEasy

  1. Check that a phone or another computer can get online on the same Wi-Fi or router.
  2. If nothing in the house can get online, the problem is the router or internet service, not the PC; see the related router guides instead.
  3. If only this PC is offline, select Start > Power > Restart and test again.

Why it helps: A restart clears temporary network glitches, and knowing it is only the PC tells you where to look.

02Turn off airplane mode and turn Wi-Fi onEasy

  1. Go to Settings > Network & internet and make sure Airplane mode is off.
  2. On the same page, make sure Wi-Fi is switched on.
  3. On a laptop, check for a physical Wi-Fi switch or a function key with a wireless or airplane symbol, and press it if Wi-Fi seems stuck off.
  4. Select your network from the Wi-Fi list and connect.

Why it helps: Airplane mode or a switched-off adapter is one of the most common reasons only one PC is offline.

03Run the network troubleshooterEasy

  1. Windows 11: open the Get Help app from Start, search for connect to network and internet, and run the network diagnostics it offers.
  2. Follow the prompts and apply any fix it offers.
  3. On Windows 10: type troubleshoot in the Start search box, open the troubleshoot settings and run the internet connections troubleshooter.

Why it helps: The troubleshooter checks common settings automatically and can fix many of them for you.

04Check the cable or rejoin the Wi-Fi networkEasy

  1. Ethernet: push the cable firmly into the PC and into a LAN port on the router (not the port that goes to the modem). Try a different cable if you have one.
  2. Go to Settings > Network & internet and look for Connected under the Ethernet or Wi-Fi name. If it says Action needed, select it to see what is wrong.
  3. Wi-Fi: go to Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi > Manage known networks, select your network, choose Forget, then reconnect with the password.
  4. If your router has both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz networks, try the other one.

Why it helps: A bad cable or a broken saved Wi-Fi profile stops the PC connecting even when the router is fine.

05Turn off VPN and proxy temporarilyMedium

  1. Disconnect any VPN app you use, then test the internet.
  2. Go to Settings > Network & internet > Proxy and make sure no manual proxy is turned on unless your work or school set one up.
  3. If a third-party security app has its own firewall, turn it off for a quick test only, then turn it back on straight away.
  4. If the internet works with the VPN or security app off, update or reinstall that app.

Why it helps: VPNs, proxies and some security apps route or block traffic and can leave the PC without a working connection.

06Reset IP and DNS settings with commandsMedium

  1. Select Search, type command prompt, choose Run as administrator, then Yes.
  2. Type each command and press Enter after each one: netsh winsock reset, netsh int ip reset, ipconfig /release, ipconfig /renew, ipconfig /flushdns.
  3. Close Command Prompt and restart the PC.
  4. To check the result, open Command Prompt again and run ipconfig. An IPv4 address starting with 169.254 means the PC still is not getting an address from the router.

Why it helps: These commands clear stuck network settings, request a fresh address from the router and empty the DNS cache.

07Enable or reinstall the network adapter driverAdvanced

  1. Warning: the PC may have no network at all until the driver is reinstalled. Before you start, use another device to download the latest Wi-Fi or Ethernet driver for your exact model from your PC maker's support site, and copy it to a USB drive.
  2. Select Search, type Device Manager and open it, then expand Network adapters.
  3. If your adapter shows a down arrow, right-click it and choose Enable device.
  4. If it is already enabled, right-click it, choose Uninstall device, check Attempt to remove the driver for this device, then select Uninstall.
  5. Select Start > Power > Restart. Windows should reinstall the driver; if not, install the driver you saved.

Why it helps: A disabled or damaged adapter driver is a common cause when only one PC cannot get online.

08If it started after an update: remove the latest updateAdvanced

  1. Warning: back up important files first. Removing an update can bring back problems it fixed.
  2. Go to Settings > Windows Update > Update history, then select Uninstall updates under Related settings.
  3. Choose the update that was installed just before the internet stopped working and select Uninstall. Some updates cannot be removed.
  4. Restart the PC and test the connection, then check Settings > Windows Update later for a fixed version.

Why it helps: Occasionally an update or the driver it installs breaks networking on certain PCs.

09Use Network reset as a last resortAdvanced

  1. Warning: this removes and reinstalls all network adapters and forgets saved Wi-Fi networks and passwords. You may need to reinstall VPN software afterwards.
  2. Windows 11: go to Settings > Network & internet > Advanced network settings > Network reset.
  3. On Windows 10: go to Settings > Network & Internet > Status > Network reset.
  4. Select Reset now, then Yes, and wait for the PC to restart.
  5. Reconnect to your Wi-Fi or plug the Ethernet cable back in.

Why it helps: Network reset returns every network setting to its default, which fixes problems the other steps miss.

Check it's fixed

  • Websites load in the browser on the PC.
  • Settings > Network & internet shows Connected under your Wi-Fi or Ethernet.
  • Running ipconfig shows an IPv4 address that does not start with 169.254.

When to get help

If the PC cannot connect on any network, even after a network reset and a fresh driver, the network adapter may be faulty; contact your PC maker or a repair shop. If other devices also lose the internet, contact your internet provider.

Questions

Why will my phone connect to the internet but not my computer?

If the phone works on the same Wi-Fi, the router and internet service are fine, so the problem is a setting, driver or app on the computer. Start with airplane mode, the troubleshooter and the reset commands.

Why did my computer stop connecting to the internet after a Windows update?

An update can replace a network driver or change settings. Try the reset commands first, then reinstall the adapter driver from your PC maker, or remove the latest update.

What does it mean if my IP address starts with 169.254?

It means the PC did not get an address from the router. Restart the router, check the cable or Wi-Fi password, and run ipconfig /release and ipconfig /renew.

Will Network reset delete my files?

No. It only resets network settings and adapters, but you will need to re-enter Wi-Fi passwords and may need to reinstall VPN software.

Related fixes

Wi-Fi connected but no internet: how to fix itCheck whether other devices also have no internet. If they do, restart the modem and router and check for a provider outage; if only one devHow to fix "Ethernet doesn't have a valid IP configuration"Restart the modem and router, check that the Ethernet cable is firmly plugged into one of the router's LAN ports, then renew your IP adWhy is my internet not working?Check whether other devices are also offline. If they are, restart your modem and router and check your provider for an outage; if only one How to fix "DNS server not responding"Restart your modem and router, then flush your device's DNS cache (on Windows, run ipconfig /flushdns in Command Prompt). If it still fWhy does my Wi-Fi keep disconnecting?Restart your modem and router and move closer to the router to test. If only one device keeps dropping, forget and rejoin the Wi-Fi network

Still stuck?

Paste the exact message to find the closest fix, or search it on Google, Microsoft, Apple, Reddit and YouTube.

Sources