A missing Wi-Fi switch needs a different repair from Connected, no internet. To fix Wi-Fi not working on Windows 11, first establish whether the computer can detect its wireless adapter, join the network, and reach the router.
I would avoid running a block of reset commands immediately. One comparison with another network can tell you whether those commands are relevant at all.
Check whether the problem follows the PC or the network
Press Windows + A, turn Airplane mode off, and confirm that Wi-Fi is enabled. Some laptops also have a wireless key or physical switch; use the instructions for your model rather than guessing an Fn combination.
Restart the PC using Start > Power > Restart. Then make these two comparisons:
| Test result | Where to investigate next |
|---|---|
| Several devices cannot get online through the same router | The router, modem, or internet connection |
| The PC works on a phone hotspot but fails on home Wi-Fi | The saved connection or an interaction with that router |
| The PC fails on two known-working Wi-Fi networks | The PC’s adapter, driver, settings, or networking software |
For the hotspot test, confirm the phone has working mobile data. Downloading updates through it can use your data allowance.
When multiple devices are offline, restart your router and modem according to their instructions. With separate devices, let the modem establish its connection before powering up the router. A power restart is different from pressing a recessed Reset button, which can erase the router’s configuration.
Another device working does not prove that Windows alone is faulty. A router can reject one device, and two devices may connect through different frequency bands or mesh access points.
You can also open Get Help from Start, search for connect to network and internet, and run the network diagnostics. On current Windows 11 versions, this is the supported troubleshooting route. If Get Help cannot load while the PC is offline, continue with the relevant manual checks below.
The Wi-Fi switch is missing or no networks appear
Start with hardware detection rather than DNS settings. DNS cannot make a missing wireless adapter appear.
Right-click Start > Device Manager and expand Network adapters. Look for the physical wireless adapter, often named Intel, Realtek, MediaTek, Qualcomm, Wireless, Wi-Fi, or 802.11. WAN Miniport entries are not the Wi-Fi card.
- A disabled adapter: Right-click it and select Enable device, if offered.
- A yellow warning icon: Open Properties > General and record the exact message under Device status.
- Network Controller under Other devices: Windows may detect the hardware without having its driver.
- No physical adapter listed: Select View > Show hidden devices, then Action > Scan for hardware changes. A faded entry can be a record of a previously connected device; it does not establish that the adapter is currently detected.
For an unidentified controller or a missing-driver error, use Windows could not find a driver for your network adapter. Match the driver to the exact computer model and wireless hardware.
Check WLAN AutoConfig when the adapter is present
Windows uses WLAN AutoConfig to manage wireless connections.
- Press Windows + R, enter
services.msc, and press Enter. - Open WLAN AutoConfig.
- If it is stopped, set Startup type to Automatic and select Start.
- If it is already running, try Restart from its right-click menu.
If the service fails to start, record the error. Repeatedly reinstalling the wireless driver is not a diagnosis for a service-start failure. On a managed work or school PC, ask IT before changing service settings.
Networks appear, but your network will not connect
Confirm the network name and current password before deleting its saved profile. This matters after replacing a router or changing its security settings.
To rebuild that one connection:
- Open Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi > Manage known networks.
- Find the affected network and select Forget.
- Open the available Wi-Fi networks again.
- Select the correct network and enter its password.
An Android phone already connected to the network may help you retrieve or share its connection details; see how to share a Wi-Fi password on Android.
If other networks appear but yours is absent, move closer to the router and check which bands it broadcasts. A computer must support the network’s band and security configuration. Test a separate 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz network if your router provides one, without disabling Wi-Fi encryption.
On a workplace or university network, an expired certificate or changed account requirement can also prevent connection. A personal hotspot password is not an appropriate substitute for that network’s sign-in instructions.
“Connected, no internet”: check the address, router, and DNS
First open two unrelated websites. If only one website or application fails, investigate that service, browser, or app before rebuilding Windows networking. If browsing works normally despite the warning icon, investigate Windows’ connectivity check or filtering software rather than assuming the wireless connection has failed.
On hotel, airport, or café Wi-Fi, check for a Sign in notification or required access page. Joining the wireless network does not necessarily complete its internet sign-in process.
For a broader failure, open Command Prompt from Start and run:
ipconfigRead the Wireless LAN adapter Wi-Fi section, or the equivalent name on your PC. Ignore disconnected Ethernet and unrelated VPN adapters.
An address beginning with 169.254 needs attention
On an ordinary IPv4 home network using automatic addressing, a 169.254.x.x address usually means Windows assigned itself a link-local address because it did not obtain a DHCP lease. It is not evidence of a DNS failure by itself.
Reconnect to Wi-Fi and confirm the router is working. To request another lease, open Command Prompt as administrator and run:
ipconfig /renew "Wi-Fi"Replace Wi-Fi with the adapter name shown by ipconfig if yours differs. The command applies to an adapter configured for automatic addressing; it does not repair an intentionally configured static address.
Check the address again. If it remains link-local only on one router, investigate that router’s DHCP service or device restrictions. Do not copy an arbitrary IP address from another computer.
Test whether the router is reachable
Find Default Gateway in the same adapter section. Then ping that address. For example, if your gateway is 192.168.1.1, run:
ping 192.168.1.1Use your actual gateway, not the example automatically. Replies show that the PC can exchange those packets with the router. They do not prove the router has internet access. Timeouts alone do not prove hardware failure either, because some devices or networks block ping replies.
If every device reaches the router but none can access the internet, check the modem, router’s internet status, and provider service.
Check name resolution before changing DNS
Run:
nslookup microsoft.comA returned address means that lookup succeeded. A timeout or server error calls for checking the configured DNS service and network path; it does not identify the Wi-Fi card as faulty.
For suspected stale DNS cache entries, use an administrator Command Prompt:
ipconfig /flushdnsThis clears the local DNS resolver cache. It does not change your DNS provider or repair a missing adapter. Avoid switching to public DNS blindly on a work network, VPN, or connection that requires internal name resolution.
Also review Settings > Network & internet > Proxy for an unexpected manual proxy. If you use a VPN, disconnect it briefly where your network policy permits, then test again. Repair the affected software if it is the cause; disabling the firewall or security suite permanently is not a useful repair.
Repair the driver when the evidence points to it
Driver repair is especially relevant when Device Manager reports an adapter error, Wi-Fi fails across working networks, or the problem began immediately after a wireless-driver update.
Before uninstalling anything, download the correct Wi-Fi driver from the computer or motherboard manufacturer. Save it locally or transfer it using a USB drive. Ethernet or USB tethering can provide temporary access; USB tethering troubleshooting on Android can help if that fallback also fails.
Then open Device Manager > Network adapters > your wireless adapter > Properties > Driver.
For a recent driver regression, try Roll Back Driver if available. Record the current version first so you can compare the result.
For an outdated or damaged package, install the matching manufacturer driver and restart. “The best drivers for your device are already installed” in Device Manager does not establish that no different supported package exists on the manufacturer’s site.
For a reinstall, right-click the affected adapter and choose Uninstall device, then restart. Windows attempts to reinstall it, but a usable driver is not guaranteed to be available. Keep the downloaded installer ready, particularly before selecting an option that removes the driver package.
Do not uninstall the latest Windows update solely because it is recent. Check whether a driver changed, whether the manufacturer documents the issue, and whether a corrective update exists before removing a system update.
Wi-Fi drops after sleep or disconnects intermittently
Compare the same connection close to the router, on battery, and while plugged in. Note whether a restart restores it, whether it fails immediately after waking, and whether other devices disconnect at the same time.
Power controls vary by adapter and laptop. Some systems do not expose the Power Management tab or Wireless Adapter Settings shown in older tutorials.
Avoid treating Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power as a universal fix. Intel’s wireless power-management guidance distinguishes that setting’s suspend and hibernation behavior from ordinary Wi-Fi power saving and recommends retaining its default setting. Follow your computer manufacturer’s guidance for sleep-related failures rather than forcing hidden controls through registry changes.
Capture the disconnection in Windows’ wireless report
Open Command Prompt as administrator and run:
netsh wlan show wlanreportOpen the HTML report at the path displayed by the command. It covers the previous three days of wireless events.
Find the session matching the failure time and review Disconnection Reason, nearby events, and the adapter’s driver information. Compare repeated failures rather than treating one reason code as a complete hardware diagnosis.
Microsoft’s wireless report guide explains the report sections. The useful question is whether failures repeatedly follow wake-up, occur on one network, or happen across several networks.
The report contains computer and network details. Share relevant excerpts with support instead of posting the entire file publicly.
Reserve broader resets for a persistent PC-side problem
When the adapter works but the connection remains broken after targeted checks, a Winsock or TCP/IP reset may be appropriate. These change networking configuration, so record custom IP, DNS, and VPN details first and avoid doing them through the remote connection you depend on.
In an administrator Command Prompt:
netsh winsock reset
netsh int ip resetRestart afterward. These commands do not install a missing wireless driver or fix an internet-provider outage.
The broader Network reset option is under Settings > Network & internet > Advanced network settings > Network reset. It removes and reinstalls network adapters and resets their settings. VPN software and virtual networking may need to be configured again, and network profiles may return to Public.
Use how to reset network settings in Windows 11 for the preparation and reconnecting steps. It does not erase personal documents, but it can interrupt the networking setup you use to reach them.
When the adapter needs manufacturer support
An internal adapter that stays absent or reports repeated errors across restarts deserves closer inspection, particularly after the correct driver and model-specific troubleshooting have failed.
A USB Wi-Fi adapter working on the same network narrows the problem to the internal connection path. That still includes the internal adapter’s driver, radio, antenna, firmware, and hardware. It is not proof that the card alone needs replacing.
Check your manufacturer’s diagnostics and any documented wireless setting in BIOS/UEFI. Do not change unrelated firmware options or apply a generic “hold Power for 15 seconds” procedure; power-reset methods vary by model.
Give support the exact model, adapter name, Device Manager error, driver version, and results on two known-working networks. For intermittent failures, include the matching wireless-report events. Those details provide a clearer basis for repair than a list of resets that made no difference.
