Connected but no internet access
Wi-Fi says connected but no internet. Why?
Written by The CommonFixes team · fact checked by CommonFixes review desk
Last updated
Short answer
The computer reached the router but the router cannot reach the wider internet, or the name lookup service on your computer is broken. The quickest thing to try first: test on another device — If your phone also has no internet on the same network, the fault is with the router or the provider, not the computer. Most people are done in about 15 minutes.
Full walkthrough below: 5 steps for Windows and Mac, rated easy.
Sounds like this
- •Yellow warning on the Wi-Fi icon
- •Pages will not load
- •Router light normal
Why it happens
The computer reached the router but the router cannot reach the wider internet, or the name lookup service on your computer is broken.
Work through these in order
0% done- 1
Test on another device
If your phone also has no internet on the same network, the fault is with the router or the provider, not the computer.
- 2
Restart the router the right way
Unplug it from power for a full thirty seconds, then plug it back and wait two minutes for all the lights to settle.
- 3
Renew the address
Open Terminal as administrator and run ipconfig /release, then ipconfig /renew, then ipconfig /flushdns.
- 4
Change the name server
In Settings, Network and internet, Wi-Fi, Hardware properties, edit the DNS assignment and enter 1.1.1.1 and 8.8.8.8 manually. This fixes pages that will not load even though the connection works.
- 5
Switch off a VPN or proxy
Disable any VPN app, then check Settings, Network and internet, Proxy, and turn off manual proxy settings.
If none of that worked
If only some websites fail, it is almost always the name server step above. If nothing loads on any device, call your internet provider.
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Who wrote this and how we checked it
The CommonFixes team
Writer and researcher
We are a small group of people who spend our days repairing laptops and desktops for family, friends and small offices. Every guide here starts with a problem someone actually brought to us, and we only write down the steps that put the machine right.
- Everyday repairs
- Windows and Mac
- Plain language
CommonFixes review desk
Technical editor
Before a guide goes live, a second person walks through it on a real machine and checks each instruction against the maker's own support pages. Anything we cannot confirm is removed rather than guessed at.
- Fact checking
- Safety warnings
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This guide was last updated on 10 August 2026. If a step no longer matches what you see on screen, tell us on the contact page and we will test it again.
A gentle reminder: back up anything you cannot afford to lose before major repairs. If a step ever feels risky, stop and ask a technician. There is no shame in that.