When the internet doesn't work, there can be several causes and also different ways of not working.
The main case is that of a total connection failure and inability to open websites (" No internet connection "), in other cases, however, an error may appear that says " The PC is not connected to the Internet " when you open it an app or program that needs to download data (like email or Windows update).
Usually, when the internet connection doesn't work, the first thing one does is to call the telephone company to speak to a technician who will solve the problem.
At this point there are two possibilities: there is a technical fault that has taken away the internet connection (and sometimes even the phone) from all the inhabitants of the area, or we have our own problem that can depend on our PC, modem or from the connecting cables.
Except for the rarest case of a failure of the cables that go from the control unit to our home, if there is a problem with the computer or modem then it will be better to try to solve it yourself and try all the ways to restore the network and go back to surfing or use applications.
In this article we see both the preliminary operations to be done before calling the internet call center, and also everything that can be used to correct connection errors (both via cable and wirelessly) and restore internet browsing .
READ ALSO: I can't connect to the internet; guide to correct network and navigation errors
1) Restart of the modem / router
Let's start from the first solution that technicians and operators of internet providers generally offer.
Turn off the modem or router for 10 minutes, turn it back on and let's see how it goes.
2) Reset the network settings on the PC
The second thing to do is to reset the Windows network configuration, to be sure there are no errors.
To do this, you can use an automatic network troubleshooting tool built into Windows 10 and Windows 8.1 or through a manual procedure (in Windows 7, 10 and 8).
To restore the network in Windows 10, go to the Start menu, in Settings> Network and Internet, remaining in the Status section, scroll down the right screen and click the Network recovery link.
In Windows 8 the tool is found by pressing the Windows-C keys together, then write Troubleshooting to find it in the settings and launch the Network Troubleshooter .
On every Windows computer, including Windows 7 and Windows 10, there are some network reconfiguration commands that can be executed if, for some reason, the PC is not connected to the Internet even if it should be
From the Start menu, type CMD in the search window, right click on cmd.exe and then click Run as administrator .
Then run the following commands, pressing Enter after each entry.
netsh winsock reset
netsh int ip reset
ipconfig / release
ipconfig / renew
ipconfig / flushdns
These commands update the system's IP and DNS settings and can, with a little luck, solve the problem.
Without exiting the command prompt, now try to run the ipconfig command, write down the parameters (if nothing appears there is a problem) and then write the ping command ip_gateway_address .
If it says that it responds, then the network is there and connected, otherwise the modem may be offline.
These network reset and reset operations can also be done with an automatic network recovery program described in the article on limited or absent connectivity and errors on the socket .
As for the ipconfig / flushdns command, which is used to clear the DNS cache, I refer to the guide for How to solve if there is the error: "The DNS server is not responding" for more details.
Also, it can be useful to manually set DNS addresses that are definitely working, like Google DNS.
3) Reset the router / modem
Network error can be caused by incorrect configuration of the router / modem.
Resetting the router is an operation that varies from model to model, so you may need to consult the device manual or the manufacturer's website to view the steps.
In general, as seen also in the guide to reset the modem, there is always a small button on the back of the device, which is usually pressed for 10 or more seconds with the tip of a pen.
Note that resetting the router may then require a new configuration.
We can refer to another article to find how to configure the modem for TIM, Fastweb, Infostrada, Tiscali connections.
4) Disable the proxy server
Using a proxy to connect to the Internet can sometimes block internet browsing.
In Windows 7, 8.1 and Windows 10 do this:
Press the Windows + R keys together, type inetcpl.cpl and press OK.
Go to the Connections tab, click on LAN settings and select Automatically detect settings .
Uncheck the box next to Use a proxy server if enabled.
5) Deactivate the software or hardware firewall you have.
In this case we are talking about external firewall programs installed on the PC, which if poorly configured can lead to the failure of the internet connection of some programs or all, including the web browser.
As for the Windows firewall, while deactivating it is not necessary, it may instead be useful to reset it.
In another article, the guide for managing and restoring the Windows Firewall.
6) Deactivate the antivirus
Also rarely the antivirus can give problems to the internet connection of some program or application.
Deactivating the antivirus means disabling the real time control in the settings.
If you use Windows Defender in Windows 10, to disable it just go to Settings> Update and security and then, open Windows Security .
On the right side, press on Virus and Threat Protection, scroll down the right side and under Virus and Threat Settings press the Manage Settings link to turn off real-time protection.
7) Antimalware scan
Eliminate any doubts about having viruses or malware by scanning with a powerful program like MalwareBytes Antimalware to remove malware viruses and spyware from the infected computer as described in another article.
Furthermore, with HiJackThis you can see if there are programs (rootkits) that disturb the network and with Process Explorer you can check if there are malicious processes.
8) Leave the command prompt and go to the window with the list of connections and networks (from the control panel).
Here we should find the list of network cards (on Windows 7, from the connection center, you have to press on Change adapter settings ).
On the active and used one (generally called " Connection to the local network (LAN) ", you need to press the right mouse button, go to properties, select the internet protocol version 4 ( TCP / IPv4 ) and check that everything is automatic (in DHCP) and that there are no written numbers.
Same thing must be done with TCP / IPv6 which, in some cases, it might be useful to disable by removing the cross.
Just to try them all, always from the properties of the internet protocol, by going to " Advanced " and then on the " Wins " tab you can disable the NetBios (this is difficult but you never know).
9) If, on Windows XP, in the lower right corner near the clock there are illuminated computers (and there is no yellow escalamative point), the network works and the PC is connected so, by pressing the right button, you can check the properties and details of the connectivity parameters .
On Windows 7, 8 and 10 there are no computers, there is a global network icon but the check can be done equally from the network and sharing connection center -> Edit network cards, press the right button on the icon and view the State.
The fact that the network is there and works does not mean that the computer is also connected to the internet.
10) Reset Internet Explorer
In Windows 10 and especially in Windows 7, Internet Explorer is still an important system component and a bad configuration could cause problems to surf the internet even with other browsers.
To reset Internet Explorer, open the Tools menu by pressing the gear icon, go to Internet Options and then Advanced to find the Reset button, to be pressed.
In another article, the guide to reset Firefox and Chrome and other browsers to default settings.
11) Check the hosts file .
To view this file in Windows, just open Notepad (click on it with the right mouse button on the icon and choose " Run as administrator " to edit the file) and go to File -> Open, navigate on the disk C - > Windows -> System32 -> driver -> etc -> hosts .
In this text file there is an introduction and then two lines that read like this:
# 127.0.0.1 localhost
# :: 1 localhost
Everything underneath must be canceled.
12) Run SFC (System File Checker)
The SFC utility might be useful if the problem is caused by the corruption of some system files.
Run the command prompt as seen in step 2, with administrator rights and then run the sfc / scannow command.
13) Activate Microsoft services
If you disable an essential Microsoft service for Windows, your internet connection may no longer work.
To ensure that all Microsoft services are running, go to Start, search for msconfig and start it.
Go to the services tab, press on disable all to deselect the various services and then on Enable all to reactivate all Microsoft services.
14) Log in using a different user account
Damaged network settings may only affect the user account used.
You can then try using another Microsoft user account or even create a new one
To create user accounts you can go to the Control Panel or, in Windows 10, to Settings> Accounts
15) For VPN, PPP or PPTP connections, there may be an avalanche of possible errors each with a numeric code.
My advice, in those cases, is to try to disable the LAN card, reactivate it and try again, sometimes it works!
To disable the network card, go to Control Panel> Device Management, locate the network card used to connect to the internet, right-click on it and disable the device.
16) If the connection is there but the websites do not load and the downloads are stopped, try the solution explained in the related article.
17) Other ways to solve internet connection problems are explained in detail in another article
In other articles:
- Network problems related to connection between computers and sharing
- Solutions if Wi-Fi on Android does not connect to the network or the internet
- Programs for network analysis between PCs and diagnostics of connectivity problems
- Repair the internet connection in case of errors
- Meaning of errors if a site does not open or load on the browser
For all the rest, leave your free comment that we try to solve, even if, as you may have understood, diagnosing these errors is not a simple thing.
The main case is that of a total connection failure and inability to open websites (" No internet connection "), in other cases, however, an error may appear that says " The PC is not connected to the Internet " when you open it an app or program that needs to download data (like email or Windows update).
Usually, when the internet connection doesn't work, the first thing one does is to call the telephone company to speak to a technician who will solve the problem.
At this point there are two possibilities: there is a technical fault that has taken away the internet connection (and sometimes even the phone) from all the inhabitants of the area, or we have our own problem that can depend on our PC, modem or from the connecting cables.
Except for the rarest case of a failure of the cables that go from the control unit to our home, if there is a problem with the computer or modem then it will be better to try to solve it yourself and try all the ways to restore the network and go back to surfing or use applications.
In this article we see both the preliminary operations to be done before calling the internet call center, and also everything that can be used to correct connection errors (both via cable and wirelessly) and restore internet browsing .
READ ALSO: I can't connect to the internet; guide to correct network and navigation errors
1) Restart of the modem / router
Let's start from the first solution that technicians and operators of internet providers generally offer.
Turn off the modem or router for 10 minutes, turn it back on and let's see how it goes.
2) Reset the network settings on the PC
The second thing to do is to reset the Windows network configuration, to be sure there are no errors.
To do this, you can use an automatic network troubleshooting tool built into Windows 10 and Windows 8.1 or through a manual procedure (in Windows 7, 10 and 8).
To restore the network in Windows 10, go to the Start menu, in Settings> Network and Internet, remaining in the Status section, scroll down the right screen and click the Network recovery link.
In Windows 8 the tool is found by pressing the Windows-C keys together, then write Troubleshooting to find it in the settings and launch the Network Troubleshooter .
On every Windows computer, including Windows 7 and Windows 10, there are some network reconfiguration commands that can be executed if, for some reason, the PC is not connected to the Internet even if it should be
From the Start menu, type CMD in the search window, right click on cmd.exe and then click Run as administrator .
Then run the following commands, pressing Enter after each entry.
netsh winsock reset
netsh int ip reset
ipconfig / release
ipconfig / renew
ipconfig / flushdns
These commands update the system's IP and DNS settings and can, with a little luck, solve the problem.
Without exiting the command prompt, now try to run the ipconfig command, write down the parameters (if nothing appears there is a problem) and then write the ping command ip_gateway_address .
If it says that it responds, then the network is there and connected, otherwise the modem may be offline.
These network reset and reset operations can also be done with an automatic network recovery program described in the article on limited or absent connectivity and errors on the socket .
As for the ipconfig / flushdns command, which is used to clear the DNS cache, I refer to the guide for How to solve if there is the error: "The DNS server is not responding" for more details.
Also, it can be useful to manually set DNS addresses that are definitely working, like Google DNS.
3) Reset the router / modem
Network error can be caused by incorrect configuration of the router / modem.
Resetting the router is an operation that varies from model to model, so you may need to consult the device manual or the manufacturer's website to view the steps.
In general, as seen also in the guide to reset the modem, there is always a small button on the back of the device, which is usually pressed for 10 or more seconds with the tip of a pen.
Note that resetting the router may then require a new configuration.
We can refer to another article to find how to configure the modem for TIM, Fastweb, Infostrada, Tiscali connections.
4) Disable the proxy server
Using a proxy to connect to the Internet can sometimes block internet browsing.
In Windows 7, 8.1 and Windows 10 do this:
Press the Windows + R keys together, type inetcpl.cpl and press OK.
Go to the Connections tab, click on LAN settings and select Automatically detect settings .
Uncheck the box next to Use a proxy server if enabled.
5) Deactivate the software or hardware firewall you have.
In this case we are talking about external firewall programs installed on the PC, which if poorly configured can lead to the failure of the internet connection of some programs or all, including the web browser.
As for the Windows firewall, while deactivating it is not necessary, it may instead be useful to reset it.
In another article, the guide for managing and restoring the Windows Firewall.
6) Deactivate the antivirus
Also rarely the antivirus can give problems to the internet connection of some program or application.
Deactivating the antivirus means disabling the real time control in the settings.
If you use Windows Defender in Windows 10, to disable it just go to Settings> Update and security and then, open Windows Security .
On the right side, press on Virus and Threat Protection, scroll down the right side and under Virus and Threat Settings press the Manage Settings link to turn off real-time protection.
7) Antimalware scan
Eliminate any doubts about having viruses or malware by scanning with a powerful program like MalwareBytes Antimalware to remove malware viruses and spyware from the infected computer as described in another article.
Furthermore, with HiJackThis you can see if there are programs (rootkits) that disturb the network and with Process Explorer you can check if there are malicious processes.
8) Leave the command prompt and go to the window with the list of connections and networks (from the control panel).
Here we should find the list of network cards (on Windows 7, from the connection center, you have to press on Change adapter settings ).
On the active and used one (generally called " Connection to the local network (LAN) ", you need to press the right mouse button, go to properties, select the internet protocol version 4 ( TCP / IPv4 ) and check that everything is automatic (in DHCP) and that there are no written numbers.
Same thing must be done with TCP / IPv6 which, in some cases, it might be useful to disable by removing the cross.
Just to try them all, always from the properties of the internet protocol, by going to " Advanced " and then on the " Wins " tab you can disable the NetBios (this is difficult but you never know).
9) If, on Windows XP, in the lower right corner near the clock there are illuminated computers (and there is no yellow escalamative point), the network works and the PC is connected so, by pressing the right button, you can check the properties and details of the connectivity parameters .
On Windows 7, 8 and 10 there are no computers, there is a global network icon but the check can be done equally from the network and sharing connection center -> Edit network cards, press the right button on the icon and view the State.
The fact that the network is there and works does not mean that the computer is also connected to the internet.
10) Reset Internet Explorer
In Windows 10 and especially in Windows 7, Internet Explorer is still an important system component and a bad configuration could cause problems to surf the internet even with other browsers.
To reset Internet Explorer, open the Tools menu by pressing the gear icon, go to Internet Options and then Advanced to find the Reset button, to be pressed.
In another article, the guide to reset Firefox and Chrome and other browsers to default settings.
11) Check the hosts file .
To view this file in Windows, just open Notepad (click on it with the right mouse button on the icon and choose " Run as administrator " to edit the file) and go to File -> Open, navigate on the disk C - > Windows -> System32 -> driver -> etc -> hosts .
In this text file there is an introduction and then two lines that read like this:
# 127.0.0.1 localhost
# :: 1 localhost
Everything underneath must be canceled.
12) Run SFC (System File Checker)
The SFC utility might be useful if the problem is caused by the corruption of some system files.
Run the command prompt as seen in step 2, with administrator rights and then run the sfc / scannow command.
13) Activate Microsoft services
If you disable an essential Microsoft service for Windows, your internet connection may no longer work.
To ensure that all Microsoft services are running, go to Start, search for msconfig and start it.
Go to the services tab, press on disable all to deselect the various services and then on Enable all to reactivate all Microsoft services.
14) Log in using a different user account
Damaged network settings may only affect the user account used.
You can then try using another Microsoft user account or even create a new one
To create user accounts you can go to the Control Panel or, in Windows 10, to Settings> Accounts
15) For VPN, PPP or PPTP connections, there may be an avalanche of possible errors each with a numeric code.
My advice, in those cases, is to try to disable the LAN card, reactivate it and try again, sometimes it works!
To disable the network card, go to Control Panel> Device Management, locate the network card used to connect to the internet, right-click on it and disable the device.
16) If the connection is there but the websites do not load and the downloads are stopped, try the solution explained in the related article.
17) Other ways to solve internet connection problems are explained in detail in another article
In other articles:
- Network problems related to connection between computers and sharing
- Solutions if Wi-Fi on Android does not connect to the network or the internet
- Programs for network analysis between PCs and diagnostics of connectivity problems
- Repair the internet connection in case of errors
- Meaning of errors if a site does not open or load on the browser
For all the rest, leave your free comment that we try to solve, even if, as you may have understood, diagnosing these errors is not a simple thing.
