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Use ipconfig to find your active connection’s default gateway, then ping that address to check whether your PC can reach the router. If that works but the internet still does not, test further with care: a ping or route trace can narrow down a problem, but neither proves that every website or service is reachable.

Open Command Prompt

For the inspection commands in this guide—ipconfig, ping and tracert—a standard Command Prompt window is sufficient. You do not need to run it as administrator unless you move on to the network reset commands later.

Find the active connection’s default gateway

  1. Open Command Prompt.
  2. Enter ipconfig and press Enter.
  3. Find the section for the adapter you are actually using, such as Wi-Fi or Ethernet, and note its Default Gateway.

Use the gateway for the active connection, not an address listed under a disconnected adapter, VPN, virtual adapter or other interface. A gateway such as 192.168.1.1 is only an example; your router may use a different address. Microsoft’s Wi-Fi troubleshooting guide uses the gateway as the target for a local connectivity ping.

Ping the router to check the local connection

At the prompt, enter ping followed by the gateway address you found. For example, if the gateway is 192.168.1.1, enter:

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ping 192.168.1.1

Replies mean the PC can reach the router interface over the local network. They do not establish that the router has internet access. If the ping fails, first check that you used the gateway from the active adapter and that Wi-Fi or Ethernet is connected. A failed ping alone does not prove the router is off; network equipment can decline to answer ping requests.

If possible, compare with another device on the same network or try a wired connection. Microsoft recommends a wired comparison when available; if wired access works, check the router’s firmware or documentation. For a PC without an Ethernet port, Microsoft notes that a USB-to-Ethernet adapter can be an option. Check compatibility with your computer before choosing one.

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If the router responds but websites still fail

A successful gateway ping only checks the PC-to-router segment. If sites or apps still do not work, compare more than one destination and, if possible, another device. Possible causes include the modem or ISP, DNS, a VPN or proxy, firewall rules, the browser or app, or the destination itself. Microsoft’s Wi-Fi guidance suggests checking configured DNS servers and pinging a DNS server, but a DNS server that does not answer ICMP is not by itself proof that name lookups are broken.

You can try a ping to an external IP address as an additional clue. If it replies while a hostname does not, name resolution may warrant investigation. If it fails, do not treat that result as conclusive: external hosts or network equipment may filter ICMP, and pinging a hostname also depends on resolving that name. A ping is not a test of internet speed or a guarantee that a particular service will work.

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Use tracert to inspect the route

To see which routers along a route return trace responses, enter tracert followed by a hostname or IP address, for example:

tracert example.com

tracert sends probes with increasing time-to-live (TTL) values and relies on intermediate routers returning ICMP time-exceeded messages. Its output can show responding hops, but not every router will appear. Microsoft Support explains that “some routers silently drop packets that have expired TTLs, and these packets are invisible to TRACERT.” Asterisks or a missing hop therefore do not prove that the destination is unreachable.

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A trace is a clue about route responses, not a bandwidth measurement or a complete assessment of service quality. Microsoft’s TRACERT documentation explains the utility’s TTL and ICMP behavior; its applicability section names Windows Server 2019, so it should not be read as a Windows 10 or 11 support promise.

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Reset network configuration only after basic checks

These commands change network configuration and IP lease or cache state; they are not neutral tests. Before running them, note any manually configured network settings and workplace VPN requirements. Microsoft recommends running the following sequence in an administrator Command Prompt, in this order:

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  1. netsh winsock reset
  2. netsh int ip reset
  3. ipconfig /release
  4. ipconfig /renew
  5. ipconfig /flushdns

Expect the connection to be interrupted while settings are reset and renewed. Restart if Windows or the command output requests it, then check the connection again. Microsoft lists these steps in its Wi-Fi connection guidance; the sequence cannot guarantee recovery for every configuration.

Choose the next check based on the result

  • Gateway ping succeeds, but internet access still fails: the PC-to-router segment responds. Compare another device and consider the modem or ISP, DNS, VPN or proxy, firewall, browser or app, or the destination.
  • Gateway ping fails: recheck the active adapter, gateway address and Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection. Consider that the router may not answer ICMP, and compare with another device or a wired connection if available.
  • A tracert hop is missing: that router may be suppressing expired-TTL responses; the gap alone does not establish where the fault lies.
  • The reset sequence does not resolve the issue: Microsoft’s Wi-Fi and Ethernet guides include further adapter and driver troubleshooting. Follow the relevant guidance for your Windows version, and back up a driver before uninstalling it if you proceed with those steps.

On Windows 11, you can also open the Get Help Network and Internet troubleshooter as a guided alternative. Windows 10 and Windows 11 users can also use Microsoft’s built-in Wi-Fi and Ethernet troubleshooting guidance.

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