How to Fix Wired or WiFi Connection on Windows
Introduction
You may find yourself at times not being able to go online with your Windows PC and this can be frustrating.
This guide will help you with that and take you through the basic steps to get your wired or wireless connection fixed. These steps are listed in order, so start with the first one, see if that helps, and then continue with the next one if it doesn't.
1 Restart the PC
Many issues you may have with your PC can be easily and quickly resolved by just restarting the computer:
Before your restart your PC, make sure to save all necessary work to prevent data loss.
On Windows 10
- Select the Start menu, then select Power.
- Select Restart.
On Windows 8
- Open the Charms Menu by moving your cursor to the right corner of the screen.
- Click on the Settings icon.
- Click on Power.
- Click on Restart.
2 Determine the Connection Type
Devices can be connected to a network in two ways: wired or wireless. In order to continue, we need to determine the type of connection your device has.
A wired connection is provided by an Ethernet cable. Most commonly, these are used by desktop computers and other equipment you don't move around often.
If your device is not connected to the router with a cable, then you are using a wireless connection.
3 Fix a Wired Connection
To fix a wired connection, it's important to make sure the cable connecting the two devices is plugged in properly, and, if necessary, to reset the connection settings of the PC.
Check the Ethernet Cable
- Make sure the Ethernet cable is connected securely to the side or rear of your Mac.
- Make sure the other end of the Ethernet cable is connected securely to your Router, Modem or Wireless Gateway.
Reset the Network Settings
On Windows 10
- Using your right mouse button, right click on the Start Menu in the corner of your screen.
- A special menu will open up. Select PowerShell (Admin).
- You will be asked to allow this program to make changes. Select Yes.
- A blue-and-white PowerShell window will open.
- Enter the following 2 commands after the > prompt, pushing Enter after each:
netsh i i r r
netsh winsock resetDo not worry about the other text that comes from these commands.
- Restart your PC for the changes to take effect.
On Windows 8
- Using your right mouse button, right click on the Start Menu in the corner of your screen.
- A special menu will open up. Select Command Prompt (Admin).
- You will be asked to allow this program to make changes. Select Yes.
- A black-and-white command prompt will open.
- Enter the following 4 commands after the > prompt, pushing Enter after each:
net start dhcp
net start dnscache
netsh i i r r
netsh winsock resetDo not worry about the other text that comes from these commands.
- Restart your PC for the changes to take effect.
4 Fix a WiFi Connection
To fix a WiFi connection, it's important to make sure the PC is within good range of the wireless access point, and, if necessary, to delete the WiFi connection to that access point from within the network settings of the PC then reconnect the PC to the same WiFi network. A wireless access point can be anything between a wireless gateway, router, range extender (also called repeater or booster) or even mesh WiFi node.
Make Sure the PC is in Range
The PC needs to be within a reasonable range of the wireless access point in order to connect and have the best connection speeds.
- In general, in most homes, you can be up to 30 feet from the access point for a decent connection.
- From 30' to 50' away, the speeds will be slower, and may drop occasionally, but it should be usable.
- Greater than 50' away, and the signal will most likely be too weak to overcome interference. The speeds will be slow, and the connection may be sporadic.
The above numbers are approximates only. Optimal range may vary based on access point type, make and model.
Delete the WiFi Network
On Windows 10
- Click on the Start Menu icon.
- Select Settings.
- Select Network & Internet.
- Select Wi-Fi, then Manage known networks.
- Select your Wi-Fi network, then select Forget.
On Windows 8
- Open the Charms Menu by moving your cursor to the right corner of the screen.
- Select Settings.
- Select Change PC settings in the bottom-right corner.
- Select Network.
- Select Connections.
- Select Manage known networks.
- From the list, select your network, then select Forget.
Reconnect the PC to the WiFi Network
On Windows 10
- Click on the Notifications icon and then click on Network.
- Click the network you wish to connect to.
- Choose if you wish to automatically connect to your network, and then click on Connect.
- Enter in your security key and click Next.
- Choose whether or not you want to be visible to the network.
It is recommended to allow your PC to be discovered on private home networks because that allows you to see other wireless devices on the Network. If you're at a public location it is suggested to select "No".
- You can verify your connection by checking to see if it now says "Connected" next to the network.
On Windows 8
- Open the Charms Menu by moving your cursor to the right corner of the screen.
- Select Settings.
- Select Network.
- Select your Wi-Fi network from the list.
- Make sure Connect automatically is checked, then select Connect.
- Enter your network password, then select Next.
- Select Yes to be able to use other devices, such as printers, on your home network.
5 Check the Cables to the Modem and Router
Whether you have a wired or wireless connection, your Internet equipment such as your router, modem or wireless gateway requires to be wired to the Internet signal source and a power source.
Check the Connections to the Modem
- Make sure the power cable is connected firmly to the back of the modem and the electrical outlet, and the power light is on. The power light usually has the symbol below next to it.
- Make sure the connection to your service provider is proper. This could be a cable line if you have cable Internet, a phone line if you have DSL, or a Fiber cable for fiber Internet.
Check the Connections to the Router
If you have a "Wireless Gateway", or combination modem and router, you can skip these checks.
- Make sure the power cable is connected firmly to the back of the device and the wall, and the power light is on. The power light usually has the symbol below next to it.
- Make sure the Ethernet cable going to your modem is connected securely, and into the "Uplink" or "Internet" port.
- Make sure the other end of the Ethernet cable is connected securely to your Modem.
6 Restart the Modem and Router
Many times a connection issue can be resolved quickly and easily by restarting the Internet equipment:
- Disconnect the power cable from the back of your modem. The power cable is usually near the bottom, and tends to be a thin black cord. It usually does not have any clips on it.
Some modems may have a battery backup to keep the telephone service working in case of a power outage. If the lights on your modem do not turn off when you disconnect the power cable, make sure you also remove the battery as well, then put it back in place before you reconnect the power cable.
- Disconnect the power cable from the back of your router, or if your router has one, push the power button to turn it off.
Some Internet Service Providers now provide "Wireless Gateways", which contain both a modem and router in one simple device. Some users prefer separate devices. Both are perfectly acceptable. If you are using an all-in-one Wireless Gateway, you can safely continue without this step.
- Wait 30 seconds.
- Reconnect the power cables back into your modem and router.
- Make sure the power light comes on for each device. This is usually labeled by the symbol below.
Please allow 3 to 6 minutes for the modem and router to start up fully.
7 Check the Internet Light on Modem and Router
There's a light representing the Internet connection. It will usually be labeled "Internet", or have one of the common symbols below.
 |
 |
 |
Make sure the light next to this symbol is on and solid (or flickering very briefly) on both your modem and router. This means you should have a good connection to the Internet and your devices should be able to go online.
If the Issue Persists
Please contact your ISP or Router OEM for network assistance.
Was this content helpful?
YesNoRelated articles
You may find yourself at times not being able to go online with your Windows PC and this can be frustrating.
This guide will help you with that and take you through the basic steps to get your wired or wireless connection fixed. These steps are listed in order, so start with the first one, see if that helps, and then continue with the next one if it doesn't.
Many issues you may have with your PC can be easily and quickly resolved by just restarting the computer:
Before your restart your PC, make sure to save all necessary work to prevent data loss.
On Windows 10
- Select the Start menu, then select Power.
- Select Restart.
On Windows 8
- Open the Charms Menu by moving your cursor to the right corner of the screen.
- Click on the Settings icon.
- Click on Power.
- Click on Restart.
Devices can be connected to a network in two ways: wired or wireless. In order to continue, we need to determine the type of connection your device has.
A wired connection is provided by an Ethernet cable. Most commonly, these are used by desktop computers and other equipment you don't move around often.
If your device is not connected to the router with a cable, then you are using a wireless connection.
To fix a wired connection, it's important to make sure the cable connecting the two devices is plugged in properly, and, if necessary, to reset the connection settings of the PC.
Check the Ethernet Cable
- Make sure the Ethernet cable is connected securely to the side or rear of your Mac.
- Make sure the other end of the Ethernet cable is connected securely to your Router, Modem or Wireless Gateway.
Reset the Network Settings
On Windows 10
- Using your right mouse button, right click on the Start Menu in the corner of your screen.
- A special menu will open up. Select PowerShell (Admin).
- You will be asked to allow this program to make changes. Select Yes.
- A blue-and-white PowerShell window will open.
- Enter the following 2 commands after the > prompt, pushing Enter after each:
netsh i i r r
netsh winsock resetDo not worry about the other text that comes from these commands.
- Restart your PC for the changes to take effect.
On Windows 8
- Using your right mouse button, right click on the Start Menu in the corner of your screen.
- A special menu will open up. Select Command Prompt (Admin).
- You will be asked to allow this program to make changes. Select Yes.
- A black-and-white command prompt will open.
- Enter the following 4 commands after the > prompt, pushing Enter after each:
net start dhcp
net start dnscache
netsh i i r r
netsh winsock resetDo not worry about the other text that comes from these commands.
- Restart your PC for the changes to take effect.
To fix a WiFi connection, it's important to make sure the PC is within good range of the wireless access point, and, if necessary, to delete the WiFi connection to that access point from within the network settings of the PC then reconnect the PC to the same WiFi network. A wireless access point can be anything between a wireless gateway, router, range extender (also called repeater or booster) or even mesh WiFi node.
Make Sure the PC is in Range
The PC needs to be within a reasonable range of the wireless access point in order to connect and have the best connection speeds.
- In general, in most homes, you can be up to 30 feet from the access point for a decent connection.
- From 30' to 50' away, the speeds will be slower, and may drop occasionally, but it should be usable.
- Greater than 50' away, and the signal will most likely be too weak to overcome interference. The speeds will be slow, and the connection may be sporadic.
The above numbers are approximates only. Optimal range may vary based on access point type, make and model.
Delete the WiFi Network
On Windows 10
- Click on the Start Menu icon.
- Select Settings.
- Select Network & Internet.
- Select Wi-Fi, then Manage known networks.
- Select your Wi-Fi network, then select Forget.
On Windows 8
- Open the Charms Menu by moving your cursor to the right corner of the screen.
- Select Settings.
- Select Change PC settings in the bottom-right corner.
- Select Network.
- Select Connections.
- Select Manage known networks.
- From the list, select your network, then select Forget.
Reconnect the PC to the WiFi Network
On Windows 10
- Click on the Notifications icon and then click on Network.
- Click the network you wish to connect to.
- Choose if you wish to automatically connect to your network, and then click on Connect.
- Enter in your security key and click Next.
- Choose whether or not you want to be visible to the network.
It is recommended to allow your PC to be discovered on private home networks because that allows you to see other wireless devices on the Network. If you're at a public location it is suggested to select "No".
- You can verify your connection by checking to see if it now says "Connected" next to the network.
On Windows 8
- Open the Charms Menu by moving your cursor to the right corner of the screen.
- Select Settings.
- Select Network.
- Select your Wi-Fi network from the list.
- Make sure Connect automatically is checked, then select Connect.
- Enter your network password, then select Next.
- Select Yes to be able to use other devices, such as printers, on your home network.
Whether you have a wired or wireless connection, your Internet equipment such as your router, modem or wireless gateway requires to be wired to the Internet signal source and a power source.
Check the Connections to the Modem
- Make sure the power cable is connected firmly to the back of the modem and the electrical outlet, and the power light is on. The power light usually has the symbol below next to it.
- Make sure the connection to your service provider is proper. This could be a cable line if you have cable Internet, a phone line if you have DSL, or a Fiber cable for fiber Internet.
Check the Connections to the Router
If you have a "Wireless Gateway", or combination modem and router, you can skip these checks.
- Make sure the power cable is connected firmly to the back of the device and the wall, and the power light is on. The power light usually has the symbol below next to it.
- Make sure the Ethernet cable going to your modem is connected securely, and into the "Uplink" or "Internet" port.
- Make sure the other end of the Ethernet cable is connected securely to your Modem.
Many times a connection issue can be resolved quickly and easily by restarting the Internet equipment:
- Disconnect the power cable from the back of your modem. The power cable is usually near the bottom, and tends to be a thin black cord. It usually does not have any clips on it.
Some modems may have a battery backup to keep the telephone service working in case of a power outage. If the lights on your modem do not turn off when you disconnect the power cable, make sure you also remove the battery as well, then put it back in place before you reconnect the power cable.
- Disconnect the power cable from the back of your router, or if your router has one, push the power button to turn it off.
Some Internet Service Providers now provide "Wireless Gateways", which contain both a modem and router in one simple device. Some users prefer separate devices. Both are perfectly acceptable. If you are using an all-in-one Wireless Gateway, you can safely continue without this step.
- Wait 30 seconds.
- Reconnect the power cables back into your modem and router.
- Make sure the power light comes on for each device. This is usually labeled by the symbol below.
Please allow 3 to 6 minutes for the modem and router to start up fully.
There's a light representing the Internet connection. It will usually be labeled "Internet", or have one of the common symbols below.
|
|
|
Make sure the light next to this symbol is on and solid (or flickering very briefly) on both your modem and router. This means you should have a good connection to the Internet and your devices should be able to go online.