Ethernet connected but no Internet

• Estimated time: 3 min
• Easy
• Low risk

Separate link state and browsing without another connection distorting the result.

1. Record the state. For the comparison temporarily disable Wi-Fi only if you do not depend on it for a remote session; restore it afterward. Open two known sites.

   1. Settings
   2. ›Network & internet
   3. ›Ethernet

2. If only one site fails, follow its diagnosis. If disconnected or alternating states, follow the link branch. If Ethernet stays connected but nothing loads, compare Wi-Fi on the same router and another device to choose local or shared failure.

• Estimated time: 5 min
• Easy
• Low risk

1. Finish transfers and warn others before disconnecting. At home, connect to a router LAN port, not WAN/Internet. Try another known cable and then another LAN port, changing one thing at a time; do not move office cables without IT.

2. If link and browsing return after changing one element, keep that combination and stop. If a dock, USB adapter or wall socket is involved, record those components; an authorized direct test helps localize them without assuming the network card is damaged.

3. If the link is now stable but Internet is absent, move to configuration. Do not keep swapping cables if the symptom changed from physical disconnection to missing access.

• Estimated time: 5 min
• Easy
• Low risk

1. Use another authorized device on the same cable and port, with Wi-Fi inactive during the test. If it also fails, the router may have a wired-side problem even when Wi-Fi works; give that evidence to its owner rather than reinstalling Windows.

2. If the other device browses, focus on this adapter and its configuration. If no other device is available, leave that comparison pending and read the configuration; do not mark the cable or router as ruled out.

• Estimated time: 5 min
• Easy
• Low risk

1. If several devices fail on wired and Wi-Fi connections, check modem/router indicators and provider notices using another available connection. This places the investigation upstream of each PC; it does not alone prove a provider outage.

2. On your home network, warn that sessions will disconnect and power-restart the modem/router according to its manual. Do not press factory reset. Wait for service recovery and test two devices: if both still lack access, escalate to the provider with those results.

3. If only one recovers, switch to the local branch for the failing device. On a managed network, IT coordinates the equivalent test; do not change VLANs, authentication or port policy.

• Estimated time: 5 min
• Easy
• Low risk

1. Command PromptCopy

   ipconfig /all

   In Command Prompt, displays configuration without changing it and requires no administrator rights. Read the physical Ethernet adapter block, not Wi-Fi, VPN or a virtual one. Keep its exact name for any later test.

2. With DHCP enabled, automatic 169.254.x.x IPv4 and an empty IPv4 gateway point to missing IPv4 assignment. If other devices on that path also fail, contact the DHCP/port administrator. If only this device fails, the bounded renewal below can test a new request. IPv6 may still work: do not conclude the entire network is down.

3. If DHCP is disabled and settings are manual, confirm them with whoever configured the network; do not invent an IP or gateway. With apparently valid configuration, move to name resolution. Having a private IP does not prove the Internet route works.

• Estimated time: 5 min
• Easy
• Low risk

1. Command PromptCopy

   nslookup www.microsoft.com

   Queries the configured DNS server without changing it. Check whether it returns addresses for the queried name, as well as identifying the responding server.

2. A response containing addresses confirms that lookup, not that the browser or all Internet access works. A timeout means no answer arrived in time; the cause can be server, route or filtering, not proven cache corruption. Compare with the other device and take the results to IT/provider.

3. If browsing shows a specific DNS error, follow the related guide for that error. If DNS responds but several pages still fail only on this PC, run Get Help > Network and Internet and keep the result; review proposed changes before accepting them. Do not disable managed firewall/VPN protection to force a result.