Internet Not Working? Try These Fixes to Get Back Online

When your internet is not working, even simple tasks like checking email, browsing websites or joining an online meeting can come to a stop.

The problem may be something simple, such as a loose cable or a temporary router issue. In other cases, the problem can involve your Wi-Fi connection, computer network settings, modem, router or internet service provider.

Before calling for technical support, work through the checks below in order. They can help you identify where the problem is and, in many cases, get your internet connection working again.

Why Is My Internet Not Working?

There are several reasons why a device may suddenly lose internet access.

Common causes include:

• Your modem or router has lost its connection.
• The internet service is temporarily unavailable.
• Your computer is connected to the wrong Wi-Fi network.
• A network cable is loose or damaged.
• Your Wi-Fi adapter is having a problem.
• Your device has incorrect network settings.
• The router needs to be restarted.
• DNS or IP configuration is causing a connection problem.
• Only one device is affected while the rest of the network works normally.

The first step is to determine whether the problem affects one device or the entire network.

1. Check Your Modem and Router

Start with the equipment that provides your internet connection.

Look at your modem or router and check the indicator lights. The exact lights and symbols vary between manufacturers, but you should normally be able to identify whether the device has power and whether it has an internet or network connection.

Check that:

• The modem or router is switched on.
• The power cable is firmly connected.
• Network cables are properly inserted.
• The internet cable has not been accidentally disconnected.
• There are no obvious warning or error indicators.

If a cable looks loose, disconnect it and reconnect it firmly.

If the router appears completely unresponsive, continue to the restart step below.

2. Check Whether Other Devices Have Internet

This is one of the quickest ways to narrow down the problem.

Try connecting another device to the same network.

For example, check your:

• Smartphone
• Laptop
• Tablet
• Desktop computer
• Smart TV

If every device has no internet

The problem is more likely to involve the modem, router, connection or internet provider.

If only one device has no internet

The problem is more likely to be related to that particular device, its Wi-Fi connection, network adapter or network settings.

This simple test can save you from changing router settings when the actual problem is on one computer.

3. Restart Your Modem and Router

A restart can clear temporary connection problems and allow the equipment to establish a fresh connection.

Try this:

1. Turn off your modem and router.
2. Disconnect their power if necessary.
3. Wait around 30 seconds.
4. Reconnect the power.
5. Allow the equipment several minutes to start completely.
6. Connect your device again.
7. Test the internet.

Don’t immediately assume the router has failed if the connection doesn’t return within a few seconds. Some equipment takes a few minutes to reconnect to the provider.

If your modem and router are separate devices, allow the modem to reconnect before testing the internet again.

4. Check for an Internet Outage

Sometimes your equipment is working correctly but the internet service itself is unavailable.

Check your provider’s service-status information if you can access it through another connection, such as mobile data.

You can also ask someone nearby using the same provider whether they are experiencing a similar problem.

An outage may affect an entire area or only certain services.

If there is a confirmed outage, changing settings on your computer or repeatedly resetting your router is unlikely to solve the underlying problem.

5. Check Your Wi-Fi Connection

If you are using Wi-Fi, make sure your device is actually connected to the correct network.

Open your device’s Wi-Fi settings and check:

• Wi-Fi is switched on.
• You are connected to your usual network.
• The network name is correct.
• You haven’t accidentally connected to a different nearby network.
• The device isn’t showing a disconnected or authentication message.

If the network is listed but the device won’t connect, try disconnecting from it and connecting again.

You may need to enter the Wi-Fi password again.

6. Try a Wired Ethernet Connection

If you have an Ethernet cable available, connect your computer directly to the router.

This is a useful troubleshooting test because it removes the Wi-Fi connection from the equation.

If Ethernet works but Wi-Fi doesn’t

The problem may be related to:

• Wi-Fi settings
• Wireless interference
• The device’s Wi-Fi adapter
• Router wireless settings
• Wi-Fi coverage

If Ethernet also doesn’t work

The issue may be further upstream, involving the router, modem, network configuration or internet service.

Testing with a wired connection can therefore help identify which part of the network needs attention.

7. Check Your Computer’s Network Settings

If other devices can access the internet but your computer cannot, check the computer’s network connection.

On Windows, you can go to:

Settings → Network & Internet

Check whether Windows reports a problem with the connection.

You can also disconnect and reconnect to the network.

If Windows reports that you are connected to Wi-Fi but there is no internet access, continue with the troubleshooting steps below.

8. Run the Windows Network Troubleshooter

Windows includes built-in troubleshooting tools that can identify some common network problems.

Depending on your Windows version, you can access network troubleshooting through:

Settings → Network & Internet

Look for the available troubleshooting or diagnostic options.

Windows may check issues involving the network adapter, connection configuration or other basic network components.

If it identifies a problem, follow the recommended instructions and then test your internet connection again.

9. Check Your Network Adapter

If the internet works on other devices but not on your computer, the network adapter could be contributing to the problem.

Open Device Manager in Windows and look under:

Network adapters

Check whether your wireless or Ethernet adapter appears normally.

Look for warning symbols or other indications that the device isn’t operating correctly.

If the adapter is disabled, enabling it may restore the connection.

If Windows reports a driver problem, the network adapter driver may need to be updated or repaired.

Avoid downloading random drivers from unfamiliar websites. Use the computer manufacturer’s or hardware manufacturer’s official support resources where possible.

10. Forget and Reconnect to Your Wi-Fi Network

If your computer recognises your Wi-Fi network but refuses to connect properly, forgetting the saved network can sometimes help.

The process generally involves:

1. Open Wi-Fi settings.
2. Find your saved network.
3. Select the option to forget or remove it.
4. Search for available Wi-Fi networks again.
5. Select your usual network.
6. Enter the Wi-Fi password.
7. Test the connection.

This gives the device a fresh opportunity to establish the wireless connection.

11. Check Whether Only One Website Is Not Working

Sometimes it may look like your internet is down when the problem is actually limited to a particular website or online service.

Try opening several unrelated websites.

For example:

• A search engine
• A news website
• Another website you regularly use

If other websites work

Your internet connection may be fine, and the problem could be specific to the website or service you’re trying to access.

If nothing loads

Continue troubleshooting your network connection.

This distinction is particularly useful before changing DNS, router or Windows settings.

12. Restart the Affected Device

If your router is working and other devices have internet access, restart the device that is having the problem.

A restart can clear temporary network or application issues.

After restarting:

1. Connect to your Wi-Fi or Ethernet network.
2. Wait for the connection to establish.
3. Open a browser.
4. Visit several websites.
5. Check whether the internet is working normally.

If the problem returns repeatedly, the device may require further investigation.

13. Reset Network Settings as a Last Resort

If you’ve tried the simpler troubleshooting steps and your device still cannot connect, resetting network settings may help.

However, this should be considered a later troubleshooting step, not the first thing you try.

A network reset can remove saved network information and other connection settings. You may need to reconnect to your Wi-Fi network and enter the password again.

Before resetting anything, make sure you understand what settings will be removed from your device.

What If Wi-Fi Is Connected but There Is No Internet?

One common situation is seeing a Wi-Fi connection on your computer while websites still won’t load.

This means your device may be communicating with the router but not successfully reaching the internet.

Possible causes include:

• Router or modem connectivity problems
• Internet provider issues
• Incorrect network configuration
• DNS problems
• Temporary network errors

Start by checking whether other devices connected to the same Wi-Fi network can access the internet.

If none of them can, investigate the router, modem and internet connection.

If other devices work normally, concentrate on the affected computer.

What If Only One Computer Has No Internet?

If phones, tablets and other computers work normally but one computer doesn’t, the problem is more likely to be local to that device.

Check:

1. Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection
2. Network adapter
3. Network settings
4. Windows troubleshooting
5. Network adapter drivers
6. Saved Wi-Fi connection
7. Restarting the computer

If the problem continues after these checks, professional troubleshooting may be needed.

What If the Internet Keeps Disconnecting?

If your internet works for a while and then repeatedly drops, that’s a different problem from having no internet connection at all.

Frequent dropouts can involve:

• Wireless interference
• Router problems
• Weak Wi-Fi coverage
• Network equipment
• Connection stability
• Internet service issues

For repeated or intermittent disconnections, see our guide on unstable internet connectivity for troubleshooting specifically focused on connection dropouts.

What If My Internet Is Working but Very Slow?

A slow connection is also different from a complete internet outage.

If websites eventually load but downloads, video calls or other online activities are unusually slow, the issue may involve internet performance rather than a complete loss of connectivity.

For those situations, our internet performance support service can help investigate network performance, Wi-Fi and connectivity issues.

When Should You Contact an IT Technician?

Basic troubleshooting can solve many straightforward internet problems, but professional support may be appropriate when:

• Several devices have lost internet access.
• The connection repeatedly stops working.
• Your modem or router shows an unusual error.
• Your computer cannot connect even though other devices work.
• Network settings have become difficult to diagnose.
• Your business depends on the connection for daily operations.
• You have already tried the basic troubleshooting steps without success.
• You aren’t comfortable changing network settings yourself.

For business users, prolonged connectivity problems can affect email, cloud applications, customer communication and day-to-day work.

Getting the underlying problem identified can be more useful than repeatedly restarting equipment without knowing why the connection is failing.