Hey, it’s Jessica.

You look at the bottom-right corner of your screen and see the Wi-Fi icon showing you’re connected.

Great, right?

Except… nothing loads.

Websites won’t open.
Emails won’t sync.
Apps say “No Internet.”
Zoom refuses to connect.

And yet Windows clearly says: Connected, Secured.

If your Windows 11 PC shows Wi-Fi connected but no internet access, this is one of the most confusing and frustrating issues you can face. It feels like everything should work — but nothing does.

The good news? In most cases, this is completely fixable.

In this guide, I’ll walk you step-by-step through why Windows 11 shows “Connected but No Internet” and exactly how to fix it properly — starting from simple checks and moving into deeper solutions only if needed.

Let’s fix this calmly and systematically.

Why Windows 11 Shows “Connected but No Internet”

When you see this message, it usually means:

• Your PC connected to the router successfully

• But the router isn’t providing internet

• Or your PC can’t communicate properly with DNS servers

• Or there’s a network configuration conflict

Common causes include:

• Router glitch

• DNS problems

• Incorrect IP address

• Corrupted network drivers

• VPN conflicts

• Windows update bug

• Firewall blocking connection

The key is identifying whether the issue is:

• Router-level

• PC-level

• ISP-level

Let’s start with the basics.

Step 1: Check If Other Devices Have Internet

Before changing anything on your PC, test this:

Does your phone have internet on the same Wi-Fi?

If:

• Other devices also have no internet → Router or ISP issue.

• Only your PC has no internet → Windows configuration issue.

This saves a lot of unnecessary troubleshooting.

Step 2: Restart Router and Modem (Properly)

This fixes more issues than people realize.

Here’s how to do it correctly:

1. Turn off your PC.

2. Unplug your router and modem from power.

3. Wait at least 60 seconds.

4. Plug modem back in first.

5. Wait until internet lights stabilize.

6. Plug router back in.

7. Wait for full connection.

8. Turn PC back on.

This resets:

• DHCP assignments

• DNS conflicts

• Router cache

• Temporary network errors

Test internet again.

If still no connection, continue.

Step 3: Forget and Reconnect to Wi-Fi

Sometimes saved Wi-Fi configuration becomes corrupted.

1. Go to Settings → Network & Internet → Wi-Fi

2. Click Manage known networks

3. Select your network

4. Click Forget

5. Reconnect by entering password again

This forces Windows to create a fresh connection profile.

Step 4: Run Windows Network Troubleshooter

It’s not perfect — but sometimes it works.

Go to:

Settings → System → Troubleshoot → Other troubleshooters
Run Internet Connections

If Windows detects and fixes an issue automatically, restart and test.

If it says “No issues found,” we move deeper.

Step 5: Reset Network Adapter

1. Right-click Start.

2. Click Device Manager.

3. Expand Network adapters.

4. Right-click your Wi-Fi adapter.

5. Click Disable.

6. Wait 10 seconds.

7. Click Enable.

This refreshes the adapter without full reset.

If still no internet, try updating the driver.

Step 6: Update or Reinstall Wi-Fi Driver

Outdated or corrupted drivers are common causes.

In Device Manager:

• Right-click Wi-Fi adapter.

• Select Update driver.

If that doesn’t help:

• Choose Uninstall device.

• Restart PC.

• Windows will automatically reinstall driver.

Test again.

Step 7: Reset TCP/IP and Flush DNS (Very Effective Fix)

This is one of the most powerful fixes.

Open Command Prompt as Administrator and type these commands one by one:

Restart your PC after running these.

This clears:

• IP conflicts

• DNS cache

• Winsock corruption

• Network stack errors

Test connection again.

Step 8: Set Manual DNS (Fixes Many Cases)

If DNS servers fail, internet appears “connected” but won’t load.

Go to:

Settings → Network & Internet → Advanced network settings → More adapter options

Right-click Wi-Fi → Properties
Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)
Click Properties.

Choose:

Use the following DNS server addresses:

Preferred:
8.8.8.8

Alternate:
8.8.4.4

Click OK.

These are Google’s public DNS servers.

Test internet again.

Step 9: Disable VPN Temporarily

If you use:

• NordVPN

• ExpressVPN

• Corporate VPN

• Built-in Windows VPN

Turn it off temporarily.

VPN conflicts frequently cause:

Connected but no internet issues.

Also check:

Settings → Network & Internet → Proxy
Turn off Proxy if enabled.

Step 10: Check Date and Time

Incorrect system time can block secure connections.

Go to:

Settings → Time & Language → Date & Time
Turn on Set time automatically

Restart browser and test.

Step 11: Disable Firewall Temporarily (Testing Only)

Sometimes firewall blocks internet.

Go to:

Windows Security → Firewall & network protection
Turn off temporarily and test.

If internet works:

Firewall rules may need resetting.

Turn firewall back on after testing.

Step 12: Network Reset (Full Refresh)

If nothing works:

Go to:

Settings → Network & Internet → Advanced network settings → Network reset

This:

• Removes all network adapters

• Reinstalls drivers

• Resets networking components

After restart, reconnect to Wi-Fi.

This solves most stubborn issues.

If It’s an ISP Problem

If:

• Router shows no internet light

• All devices have no internet

• Reset didn’t fix

Contact your ISP.

There may be:

• Service outage

• Line issue

• Account suspension

If It Happens After Windows Update

Sometimes updates break networking.

Go to:

Settings → Windows Update → Update history → Uninstall updates

Remove the most recent update and test.

When It’s Likely Hardware

If Wi-Fi keeps disconnecting and showing no internet randomly:

• Test with Ethernet cable.

• Test with mobile hotspot.

If Ethernet works but Wi-Fi doesn’t, the wireless adapter may be failing.

In that case:

USB Wi-Fi adapter is a quick and affordable fix.

Final Thoughts Before We Continue

Windows 11 showing Wi-Fi connected but no internet is usually caused by:

• DNS failure

• IP conflict

• Driver corruption

• VPN or proxy conflict

• Router glitch

Start simple:
Restart router
Forget network
Run troubleshooter

Then move deeper:
Flush DNS
Reset TCP/IP
Set manual DNS
Network reset

Most cases resolve before needing hardware replacement.

In the next section, we’ll go deeper into advanced router diagnostics, BIOS network settings, hidden adapter power-saving fixes, and how to permanently stabilize your Windows 11 internet connection.

Stay with me — we’ll cover everything.