Fix Can’t Connect to the Internet: Trying to connect to the Internet but can’t? It’s not a rare situation that your computer connects to the router but you still can’t access the Internet. This error can be really frustrating and there could be a number of possible reasons for this issue; either your router is malfunctioning/misconfigured or your computer might have run into some problem. In this article, we will discuss different ways in which you can fix this problem.
Why you can’t connect to the Internet?
Before you move on to the methods, you first need to figure out where exactly the problem lies. Is it your router that is causing the trouble or is it just some disturbed setting on your computer? To find out the cause, try connecting different computers to the network and see if they can access the Internet. If other computers can’t connect too, the problem definitely lies in the router or the ISP itself. If, however, none of the other computers can connect, try accessing the Internet through different web browsers. If you can connect to the Internet on some other browser, it is an OS related issue. Otherwise, your computer’s Internet settings are misconfigured. Depending upon your type of issue, use the given below methods.
Fix Can’t Connect to the Internet
Make sure to create a restore point just in case something goes wrong.
ROUTER OR ISP RELATED ISSUE
Method 1: Restart your Router or Modem
Many network issues can be resolved by this very simple step of restarting the router and/or modem. Simply disconnect the power plug of your device and reconnect after a few minutes in case you are using a combined router and modem. For a separate router and modem, turn off both the devices. Now start by turning on the modem first. Now plug in your router and wait for it to boot up completely. Check if you can access the Internet now.
Also, ensure that all LEDs of the device(s) are working properly or you may have a hardware problem altogether.
Method 2: Reset your Router
If the above method does not work for you, try resetting your router. Note that resetting your router is different from restarting. When you reset your device, you basically erase all the saved settings on the device and restore it to the default settings.
You will find the reset button at the back of your router. It is a tiny hole that you need to press in using a pin or needle for about 10 to 30 seconds. Try connecting to the internet again. Note that once you reset your device, you will have to set up all your previous settings again. See if resetting the device fix Can’t Connect to the Internet issue.
Method 3: Contact your ISP
It is possible that this problem has been caused because of your ISP having some connection issues. It is also possible that your computer was infected with some virus or malware which could be causing botnet attacks or could be downloading some illegal stuff on your device. in such case, your ISP will block your connection and you will have to contact your ISP to investigate the matter.
WINDOWS RELATED ISSUE
Method 1: Enable Automatically Detect Settings
To allow your computer to automatically configure the internet settings,
1.In the search field located on your taskbar, type control panel.
2.Use the given shortcut to open Control Panel.
3.Click on ‘Network and Internet’.
4.Click on ‘Internet Options’.
5.In the Internet Properties window, switch to ‘Connections’ tab.
6.Click on ‘LAN Settings’.
7.Checkmark ‘Automatically detect settings’ checkbox.
8.Also, ensure that ‘Use a proxy server for your LAN’ checkbox is not checked.
9.Click on OK followed by OK.
See if disabling the proxy can fix can’t connect to the Internet issue, if not then continue with the next method.
Method 2: Disable Enhanced Protected Mode
If you are facing issues while connecting to the Internet on Internet Explorer alone, use this method to disable the enhanced protected mode that might be blocking your access. To disable enhanced protected mode in Internet Explorer,
1.Open Internet Explorer.
2.Click on the gear icon on the top right corner of the window.
3.Click on ‘Internet options’.
4.Switch to the Advanced tab.
5.Uncheck the ‘Enhanced protected mode’ checkbox to disable it.
6.Click on Apply.
COMPUTER RELATED ISSUE
If your computer just can’t connect to the Internet while some other devices connected to the same network can, the problem lies in your computer’s settings. Follow the given methods to fix it.
Method 1: Check all cable connections and hardware switches
This is one of the obvious steps that you must have already taken. Reconnect the cables if you are using any and ensure that they are properly inserted into the devices. Sometimes, a damaged cable might be the reason for connection problem so try a different cable to rule out the possibility.
If you are connecting wirelessly, ensure that the wireless card is enabled. Some computers have a physical switch to turn the Wi-Fi on or off. Some may need you to press a certain key combination for the same.
Method 2: Run Windows Network Troubleshooter
The Windows built-in troubleshooter may fix your misconfigured settings. To run the network troubleshooter on Windows,
1.Click on the gear icon in the Start menu to open Settings.
2.Click on ‘Network & Internet’.
3.Click on the ‘Status’ tab.
4.Click on ‘Network troubleshooter’.
5.Follow the given instructions to fix Can’t Connect to the Internet issue.
Method 3: Turn Off Antivirus & Firewall
Sometimes your internet security program like firewall or anti-virus software may hamper with your computer’s internet settings causing you this error. Turn off your firewall and see if the error is resolved. If not, try turning off your entire security software and check Internet access again.
1.Right-click on the Antivirus Program icon from the system tray and select Disable.
2.Next, select the time frame for which the Antivirus will remain disabled.
Note: Choose the smallest amount of time possible for example 15 minutes or 30 minutes.
3.Once done, again try to connect to the Internet and check if the error resolves or not.
Method 4: Set Automatic IP Address
The connection between your computer and router are connected using an IP address. Therefore, it is extremely important that a valid IP address is used. Incorrect IP address settings may cause no internet problem. For this,
1.In the search field located on your taskbar, type ncpa.cpl, and press Enter.
2.The Network Connections window will open.
3.In the Network Connections window, right-click on the connection that you want to fix the issue with.
4.Select Properties from the menu.
5.In the Ethernet Properties window, click on ‘Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)’.
6.Click on Properties button.
7.Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) Properties window will open.
8.Select the ‘Obtain an IP address automatically’ radio button.
9.Also, select the ‘Obtain DNS server address automatically’ radio button.
10.Click on OK.
11.Reboot your PC to save changes and see if you’re able to Fix Can’t Connect to the Internet issue.
Method 5: Update Network Drivers
Outdated drivers are also one of the common reasons for the no internet problem. Simply download the latest drivers for your network card to fix this problem. If you have recently updated your Windows to a newer version, this is one of the most probable causes. If possible, use the manufacturer update app like HP Support Assistant to check for driver updates.
Method 6: Run Some Commands
If the above methods haven’t worked for you, try running the following commands on Command Prompt.
Run the following commands to reset some files that might fix the error:
netsh winsock reset netsh int ip reset
Run the following commands to obtain a new IP address for your computer:
ipconfig /release ipconfig /renew
Finally, run this command to refresh DNS settings:
ipconfig /flushdns
Now restart your computer to check if you’re able to Fix Can’t Connect to the Internet issue.
Method 7: Re-Enable Network Card
Try disabling network card and enabling it again to fix some issues with IP address. To disable and enable network card,
1.In the search field located on your taskbar, type ncpa.cpl and press Enter.
2.The Network Connections window will open.
3.In the Network Connections window, right-click on the network card that has the issue.
4.Select ‘Disable’ from the menu.
5.Right-click again on the same network card.
6.Now select ‘Enable’ from the list.
If this doesn’t work, try uninstalling the network card completely. Windows will automatically reinstall it when you restart the computer.
1.In the search field located on your taskbar, type device manager.
2.Use the shortcut to open Device Manager window.
3.Expand ‘Network adapters’.
4.Right-click on the desired network card and select ‘Uninstall’ from the menu.
5.Restart your computer.
6.Alternatively, on Windows 10, you can reset your network using the following steps:
1.In the Start menu, click on the gear icon to open Settings.
2.Click on ‘Network & Internet’.
3.Switch to ‘Status’ tab.
4.Scroll down to ‘Change your network settings’ field. Under this, you will find ‘Network reset’ option. Click on it.
5.Click on ‘Reset Now’ button to restore all your network settings to default.
Method 8: Reset TCP/IP
If none of the methods work for you, you will have to reset the TCP/IP stack. A corrupted Internet Protocol or TCP/IP may prevent you from accessing the internet. You can reset TCP/IP using the command prompt or by using a Microsoft utility directly. Go to the following site to know more about the utility.
Some Tips to Fix Can’t Connect to the Internet issue
Here are some quick tips that you can use to solve this problem:
1.Many times users dig straight into advanced solutions and in fact, miss the obvious reasons that might actually be causing the issue. Loose or damaged cable wires, dysfunctional ports, etc. can also cause such trouble, so look for the basic things first. Check all physical cables and ports and ensure those things are working fine before starting with all other troubleshooting methods and solutions.
2.Is your problem really a problem? Sometimes, a basic one-time problem is overestimated to be a real error. It is possible that there’s a problem with the website you are looking at and not with your entire computer or router. So, you must check out multiple different websites before declaring a problem in your internet connection.
3.Another very obvious reasons for Internet problem is that you may be out of the Wireless signal range. You may encounter No Wi-Fi network found issue as You may encounter No Wi-Fi network found issue as Wi-Fi network connection performance decreases with the distance between the devices. A far away computer may lie out of the router’s signal range, causing you the trouble.
4.A faulty or damaged router also causes such issues. Check for display or LEDs if possible to ensure that the router is working fine.
5.IP address conflicts is also a popular reason for this problem. This minor issue may cause you a huge number of troubles including the internet connection problem. If two devices on a common network have the same IP address then both of them will face problems with internet access. So, ensure that this is not the case with you.
6.Computer firewalls have major control over your network traffic and internet accessibility. A problem with the firewall may be the reason for your problem. Malicious updates of firewall or multiple firewalls running together may cause this problem. To rule out this possibility, simply, disable your firewall(s) temporarily.
7.If you are using encrypted wireless networks, then your computer must have a correct set of security keys in order to make a successful connection. Ensure that your wireless network configurations have not been changed.
8.It is also possible that your Internet Service Provider has blocked you because of reasons like unpaid charges, termination of validity, downloading or uploading of illegal content, etc. In this case, again, you will face interruption with internet connectivity and accessibility.
9.Your internet problem might have been caused by some error in your computer or OS itself. For example, your network adapter can get corrupted or your network settings might get affected under a virus attack.
10.If nothing is working for you, you must contact your ISP to verify any issue that is being caused on their side and to get tips to troubleshoot the problem.
These were the methods and tips that you can use to solve your Internet issue.
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I hope the above steps were helpful and you were able to Fix Can’t Connect to the Internet issue but if you still have any questions regarding this guide then feel free to ask them in the comment’s section.
