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If Windows 11 will not connect to Wi-Fi—or connects but cannot reach the internet—first check whether the problem affects only this PC or every device on the network. Run Windows’ built-in Network and Internet troubleshooter, check Wi-Fi and Airplane mode, then reconnect or restart the network equipment. Save driver removal and Network reset for later: they can remove settings or disrupt VPN and virtual-switch setups.
Start with Windows’ basic connection checks
- Run the troubleshooter: Open the Get Help app and run the Network and Internet troubleshooter. Microsoft says it diagnoses network problems and attempts to fix common ones. See Microsoft’s Wi-Fi troubleshooting guide.
- Check Wi-Fi and Airplane mode: Select the network icon on the taskbar and confirm Wi-Fi is on and your intended network is selected. Then open Settings > Network & internet > Airplane mode and make sure Airplane mode is off.
- Reconnect to a saved network: If the PC will not join a network it has used before, open Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi > Manage known networks, select the network, choose Forget, then reconnect and enter its password. Forgetting a network removes its saved credentials, so have the correct password available.
- Restart the modem and router: Follow the equipment maker’s restart instructions. The connection will temporarily drop for everyone using that network. If the modem and router are one combined device, one restart is generally sufficient.
A Wi-Fi connection is only the wireless link between the PC and router. It does not guarantee that the router has working internet service.
Find out whether the fault is the PC, router, or ISP
Connect another phone or computer to the same Wi-Fi and see whether it can access the internet. If other devices work, concentrate on this PC’s settings, adapter, or driver. If they fail too, inspect the modem and router, then check with your internet provider if its service appears to be down.
- Only this PC has trouble: Continue with the Windows checks below. If available, try another Wi-Fi band supported by both the router and adapter—for example, 2.4 GHz instead of 5 GHz—and move closer to the router if the signal is weak.
- Several devices have trouble: Restart the network equipment and check its status. Avoid changing or replacing hardware unless the symptoms point to the router or modem rather than Windows.
“You’re connected to Wi-Fi, but no Internet connection is detected”
Windows may be connected to the local wireless network while lacking access to the wider internet. Microsoft explains that Windows checks internet connectivity with a small HTTP request to an internet server; if it receives no information, Windows can report No Internet. A status message is a clue, not proof that the Wi-Fi link itself is broken.
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Check the address and connection settings
- Check whether the PC received a valid IP address. An address beginning with
169.254.can indicate Windows did not obtain an address from the router, provided the connection is not intentionally configured with a static address. - Check whether a proxy is configured and whether it is needed for this connection. An unintended proxy can prevent access to websites even when Wi-Fi is connected.
- Renew the IP configuration and clear the DNS resolver cache using the command sequence below if simpler checks have not helped.
- Do not change DNS settings at random. First inspect the connection’s reported settings and use Microsoft’s documented Windows TCP/IP guidance.
“Connected to Internet but very slow speed”
Check signal strength first: move closer to the router and compare the result. Then see whether another device on the same Wi-Fi is also slow and whether an app or download on the PC is using substantial bandwidth. If several devices are slow, investigate the router or internet service; if only this PC is affected, continue with its adapter and connection checks.
“Wi-Fi connection is dropping frequently”
Weak signal or interference can cause repeated disconnections. Test closer to the router and compare another device in the same location. If drops persist only on this PC, inspect the wireless adapter’s power-management settings and driver. If you change a router channel, use the router maker’s instructions and administrative controls; channel changes are not a Windows setting.
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Run Windows network commands after simpler checks
If reconnecting and restarting did not help, run Microsoft’s commands in this order from an elevated Command Prompt. Right-click Start, choose Terminal (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin) if shown, and approve the User Account Control prompt. Enter each command and press Enter before proceeding:
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netsh winsock reset— resets the Windows Sockets catalog used by network applications.netsh int ip reset— resets TCP/IP configuration.ipconfig /release— releases the current IP address lease.ipconfig /renew— requests an IP address lease again.ipconfig /flushdns— clears the DNS resolver cache.
Check the connection after the sequence. If the problem remains, move on to adapter-specific checks rather than repeating commands without a new reason.
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“Wi-Fi option is missing” or no wireless networks appear
Check the radio and Windows adapter
- Look for a physical wireless switch or function-key control on the PC and make sure wireless is enabled.
- Open Device Manager, expand Network adapters, and check that the wireless adapter is enabled. If it is disabled, enable it.
- Check that the WLAN AutoConfig service is running; restart it if necessary.
Check adapter detection, compatibility, and driver
If the adapter appears in Device Manager but lists no networks, verify it supports the router’s broadcast frequency and that the router is broadcasting a band it can use. In Device Manager, inspect the adapter’s properties for an error code, then compare its driver version and date with the current driver from the PC manufacturer.
If the adapter is absent from Device Manager, Windows may not be detecting it. Get the correct Windows driver from the computer maker, using the exact PC model. If the PC is offline and you need another computer to download it, save the driver to a USB flash drive and transfer it.
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“Correct password rejected”
Recheck the password and confirm you are joining the intended network. If the password is correct but the connection still fails, review the router’s configuration and the saved network entry in Windows. Do not factory-reset the router as a first response: that can erase its configuration and change settings used by other devices.
Use driver removal and Network reset only as later steps
Reinstall a driver if the issue followed an update
If the problem began after a recent Windows or driver update, Microsoft suggests considering uninstalling and reinstalling the wireless adapter driver. Before uninstalling it, obtain the correct replacement driver from the PC manufacturer and keep it available locally or on a USB drive. Windows may reinstall the adapter driver after a restart, but the backup gives you a recovery path if it does not.
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Reserve Network reset for persistent failures
Network reset should be among the last steps. It removes installed network adapters and their settings, then reinstalls the adapters with default settings after the PC restarts. You may need to reinstall or reconfigure VPN software or Hyper-V virtual switches, and Windows can change known network profiles to Public. Use Microsoft’s Windows 11 reset instructions in its Wi-Fi connection guide only after weighing those effects.
Quick Recap
Choose the next step by symptom
| What you see | Best next check | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi missing or no networks listed | Physical wireless control, Device Manager, WLAN AutoConfig, adapter frequency support, and the PC maker’s driver | These checks establish whether Windows detects and can use the wireless adapter. |
| Connected to Wi-Fi, but no internet | Test another device; check IP address, proxy, router/modem status, and ISP service | The local Wi-Fi link may work while internet access does not. |
| Frequent drops | Compare signal near the router and test another device; then inspect this PC’s adapter power settings and driver | This helps separate weak coverage or interference from a PC-specific fault. |
| Slow internet | Compare another device, signal strength, and bandwidth-heavy activity | Whether the slowdown affects one device or the whole network helps identify where to investigate. |
| Correct password rejected | Verify credentials and the intended network, then inspect the saved Windows entry and router configuration | A factory reset can erase router settings and should not be the opening fix. |
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