How to Fix Wi-Fi Connected but No Internet in Windows 11

Seeing Wi-Fi connected but no internet in Windows 11 means your PC has joined the wireless network, but traffic is not successfully reaching the internet. The fault may be the router, your internet provider, Windows network settings, DNS, a VPN or proxy, or the Wi-Fi driver. It does not necessarily mean your Wi-Fi hardware is broken.

This guide is designed for Windows 11 PCs in the US, UK and Europe. Work through the fixes in order, stopping as soon as a test confirms the connection is working. Microsoft’s current Windows guidance recommends starting with the Get Help network troubleshooter, checking the connection on another device, and using Network reset only as a last resort.[1]

First, identify where the failure is

Before changing Windows settings, connect a phone or another computer to the same Wi-Fi network and open two unrelated websites. If every device is offline, the likely causes are an ISP outage, an unplugged modem, or a router problem. Check your provider’s service-status page, especially if you are in a UK or European home using a separate fibre ONT, modem and router.

If other devices work but your Windows 11 PC does not, the problem is probably local to that PC. Also test one website in a private browser window. If only one site or app fails, the network may be fine and the issue may be that service, browser, firewall or VPN.

Check whether Windows says “No internet, secured”

Open Quick Settings by selecting the network, sound or battery icons on the taskbar. Confirm that Wi-Fi is on, Airplane mode is off, and your network is shown as connected. “Connected” describes the link to the router; it does not guarantee that the router has a working route to the wider internet.[1]

1. Run Windows 11’s network troubleshooter

Select Start, search for Get Help, and open the app. Search for network or internet connection problems and follow the automated diagnostic prompts. The wording can change as Microsoft updates Get Help, but the purpose is the same: test common configuration and connectivity faults before you make manual changes.

Restart the PC if the tool applies a fix. If it reports that Windows cannot identify the problem, continue with the checks below rather than repeatedly running the same scan.

2. Forget the Wi-Fi network and reconnect

A damaged saved profile or changed router password can leave Windows associated with a network while authentication or addressing is failing.

1. Open Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi.
2. Select Manage known networks.
3. Select your network and choose Forget.
4. Return to the Wi-Fi list, select the network, and enter its password again.

Have the correct password available first. Forgetting the network removes the saved profile but does not reset the whole computer. If your router broadcasts separate 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz names, try the other band. The 2.4 GHz band can travel farther; 5 GHz can be faster at short range but may be weaker through walls. Microsoft specifically recommends trying another available frequency band when one is present.[1]

3. Restart the modem, router and PC

Save work, then restart the Windows PC. For the network equipment, unplug the router and modem (or the single gateway device) from power. Wait at least 30 seconds, reconnect the modem first, and wait for its normal status lights. Then reconnect the router and wait several minutes before reconnecting the PC. Microsoft notes that this temporarily disconnects everyone on the network and that exact light patterns vary by device.[1]

Do not press the router’s factory-reset button for a routine restart. A factory reset can erase ISP settings, Wi-Fi names, passwords and custom configuration.

4. Temporarily check VPN, proxy and captive-portal issues

A VPN can block traffic when its tunnel or DNS path is broken. Disconnect the VPN temporarily and test a normal website. If the internet returns, update or reconfigure the VPN rather than leaving security protection disabled permanently.

For Windows’ proxy setting, open Settings > Network & internet > Proxy. If you did not intentionally configure a manual proxy, turn that manual entry off. Do not change an employer, university or managed-device proxy without checking with the administrator.

On hotel, airport, university and some public networks, open a browser and visit a plain HTTP page such as http://neverssl.com to trigger the sign-in page. Avoid entering credentials into an unfamiliar page. Public Wi-Fi may also block some traffic until you accept its terms.

5. Check the IP address and test the router

Open Windows Terminal (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin). Run:

ipconfig

Under the Wi-Fi adapter, look for Default Gateway. It commonly resembles 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1, but your network may use a different private address. Test the gateway by replacing the example address with the one shown on your PC:

ping 192.168.1.1

Replies indicate that the PC can reach the router. If the gateway responds but websites do not load, the failure may be upstream at the modem, ISP or DNS service. If the gateway does not respond, move closer to the router, try the other band, reconnect the profile, and check the router before changing DNS.

An address beginning 169.254 usually means Windows did not receive a usable address from the router’s DHCP service. Restarting the router and reconnecting the profile are safer first steps than manually inventing an IP address.

6. Reset DNS and the TCP/IP stack

If the router responds but names such as example.com do not resolve, DNS may be stale or unavailable. In an elevated Command Prompt, run these commands one at a time:

netsh winsock reset
netsh int ip reset
ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew
ipconfig /flushdns

Restart Windows afterward. These commands reset Winsock, refresh TCP/IP configuration, request a new DHCP lease and clear the local DNS resolver cache. They can remove a custom network configuration, so record unusual static settings before using them. Microsoft includes this sequence in its Wi-Fi troubleshooting flow.[1]

Do not disable IPv6 simply because a guide suggests it. Many modern home, business and mobile networks use IPv6, and disabling it can create a different problem. Change DNS only when testing shows a DNS-specific failure and your network administrator or ISP does not require a particular resolver.

7. Reinstall or update the Wi-Fi adapter driver

If the problem began after a Windows update, sleep event or driver change, inspect the adapter. Open Device Manager, expand Network adapters, right-click the wireless adapter and choose Properties to read its status and driver details.

First, check Windows Update and the PC manufacturer’s support page for a driver that matches the exact model and Windows 11 release. If the PC is offline, download the driver on another computer and copy it with a USB drive. Microsoft warns that you should have a backup driver before uninstalling the current one.[1]

Only then consider Uninstall device in Device Manager and restart. Windows may reinstall the adapter automatically, but it is not guaranteed to have the newest manufacturer driver. Avoid third-party “driver updater” utilities that bundle unrelated software or make unsupported promises.

8. Disable Wi-Fi power saving if the connection drops

For intermittent failures, open Device Manager > Network adapters, right-click the Wi-Fi adapter, choose Properties, and open Power Management. If present, clear Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power, then select OK and restart.

This option is not available on every adapter or driver. On a laptop, changing it may increase battery use, so revert the change if it does not help. Also install available firmware updates for the router from the manufacturer’s official instructions; do not interrupt a firmware update.

9. Use Network reset only at the end

Network reset removes installed network adapters and resets their settings to defaults. It can resolve corruption after an upgrade, but it also removes remembered Wi-Fi networks and may require VPN clients, virtual switches or other networking software to be configured again.

Use Settings > Network & internet > Advanced network settings > Network reset > Reset now. Confirm only when you are ready to reconnect to Wi-Fi and reinstall or reconfigure any necessary VPN or virtual-network software. Microsoft describes Network reset as a last step, not a first-line fix.[1]

What to do if nothing fixes it

If another device also cannot connect, contact your ISP or check its outage information. If only this PC fails after a driver reinstall and network reset, test with Ethernet or a known-good USB Wi-Fi adapter. Ethernet working while Wi-Fi fails points toward the wireless adapter, its driver, interference or router Wi-Fi settings.

For a work or school PC, ask IT before resetting certificates, proxy settings, VPN software or managed profiles. For a new PC, check the manufacturer’s support page and warranty rather than repeatedly forcing network changes.

Frequently asked questions

Why does Windows 11 say “connected” when there is no internet?

Windows can be connected to the local Wi-Fi router while the router has lost its ISP connection, DNS is unavailable, or traffic is being blocked by a VPN, proxy or firewall. The Wi-Fi link and internet access are separate parts of the connection.

Should I change my DNS to Google or Cloudflare?

Not automatically. Test the router and run the DNS/TCP-IP commands first. A different DNS resolver can help when your current resolver is unavailable, but it will not repair an ISP outage, faulty router or bad Wi-Fi driver. On managed networks, use the administrator’s settings.

Will Network reset delete my files?

Network reset is intended to reset networking, not personal files. It can remove saved Wi-Fi profiles, adapters and custom network settings, so you may need to reconnect and reconfigure VPN or virtual-network software afterward.[1]

Is “No internet, secured” a security warning?

Usually it means Wi-Fi security is active but Windows cannot verify internet access. It is not, by itself, proof that the network has been hacked. Avoid sensitive activity on unknown public Wi-Fi until you complete its sign-in process and confirm that the network is legitimate.

For failures that extend beyond the network connection, our Windows 11 troubleshooting guide covers update, driver and app checks in a broader diagnostic sequence.

Sources

1. Microsoft Support, “Fix Wi-Fi connection issues in Windows