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

When Windows 11 says it is connected to Wi-Fi but websites will not open, the wireless link to the router may be working while the Internet connection itself is not. The problem could be the router, your ISP, DNS, an IP configuration issue, or the network adapter driver.

The quickest way to solve it is to determine whether the problem affects only the PC or the entire network.

1. Test another device first

Connect a phone or another computer to the same Wi-Fi network. If nothing can reach the Internet, restart the modem/router and check your ISP status. There is little value resetting Windows when the Internet connection is down before it reaches the PC.

If other devices work normally, continue on the Windows 11 PC.

2. Run the Network and Internet troubleshooter

Open the Get Help app and search for the Network and Internet troubleshooter. Let Windows run its diagnostics before manually changing adapter settings.

3. Forget and reconnect to the Wi-Fi network

1. Open Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi.
2. Open Manage known networks.
3. Select the affected network and choose Forget.
4. Reconnect from Quick Settings and enter the Wi-Fi password again.

This removes the stored profile for that network without resetting every network adapter on the PC.

4. Check the IP address

Open Terminal and run:

ipconfig

If the Wi-Fi adapter has an address beginning with 169.254, Windows did not receive a normal address from the router. Restart the router, disconnect and reconnect Wi-Fi, and check whether DHCP is enabled on the network.

5. Renew the connection and clear DNS

From Terminal (Admin), run:

ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew
ipconfig /flushdns

Then test the connection again.

6. Check VPN and proxy settings

Temporarily disconnect a VPN and open Settings > Network & internet > Proxy. A stale manual proxy can make the PC appear connected while web traffic fails.

7. Update or reinstall the Wi-Fi driver

Open Device Manager > Network adapters. If the problem started after a driver change, check the PC manufacturer for the current Windows 11 Wi-Fi driver. Download the correct driver from the PC manufacturer and keep an offline copy first. If needed, uninstall the adapter in Device Manager and restart Windows so it can detect the hardware again.

8. Use Network reset last

If the normal steps fail, use Settings > Network & internet > Advanced network settings > Network reset. This removes and reinstalls network adapters and resets their settings, so it should not be your first step. VPN clients and virtual switches may need to be reinstalled or reconfigured afterward; record their settings before resetting.

Check whether DNS is the only thing failing

If applications report no Internet but the connection otherwise looks healthy, test whether the problem is name resolution. Open Terminal and try ping 1.1.1.1, then try ping www.microsoft.com. A successful numeric-address test but failed hostname test points more strongly toward DNS than Wi-Fi signal or DHCP.

Do not permanently switch to a random public DNS server as the first fix. If the router normally supplies DNS automatically, restart it and clear the Windows DNS cache first. A manual DNS server is useful when you intentionally want one, not as a substitute for understanding why the existing configuration failed.

Public Wi-Fi can look connected before sign-in

Hotels, airports, and cafés may require a browser sign-in page. Open a normal non-sensitive website to trigger the captive portal. Until that sign-in completes, Windows can be connected to the access point but still have no usable Internet access.

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