How to Fix "No Internet Access" or "Connected, No Internet" on WiFi

What "Connected, no internet" really means

Your PC has joined the WiFi network, but Windows can't reach a Microsoft test server. The problem can be at your PC, the router, the modem, or the ISP. Let's isolate it systematically.

Step 1: Test other devices

Does your phone have internet on the same WiFi? Yes → the problem is your PC (continue below). No → the problem is the network: restart your router and modem, and check with your ISP for outages.

Step 2: Restart everything properly

1. Power off modem and router for 60 seconds.
2. Power on modem first, wait for it to sync, then the router.

Step 3: Forget and rejoin the network

Settings → Network & internet → Wi-Fi → Manage known networks → find yours → Forget. Then reconnect and re-enter the password. This clears corrupted saved settings.

Step 4: Flush DNS and renew your IP

Open Command Prompt as admin:

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

Reboot after winsock reset.

Step 5: Fix DNS problems

Set DNS manually to a reliable public resolver: Settings → Network & internet → Wi-Fi → Hardware properties → Edit next to DNS, switch to Manual, and enter 1.1.1.1 and 8.8.8.8. Flaky ISP DNS servers are a very common cause of this exact symptom.

Step 6: Check date, time and VPN

Wrong system date/time breaks secure connections. Also, VPN and proxy software can hijack routing — temporarily disable them and test.

Step 7: Check the adapter's IP address

Run ipconfig. If your IPv4 starts with 169.254.x.x, your PC failed to get an address from the router (DHCP failed) — reboot the router or set a static IP like 192.168.1.50 with your router's gateway.