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Computer Won’t Connect To Internet But Others Will [FIXED]

The guide explains ways to connect to the internet by disabling VPN, clearing DNS cache and resetting your network.

Expert Verified By

The answer to “Why my computer won’t connect to the internet, but others will” is simple: your computer might be misconfigured, or there are problems with the internet, like weak signals. Varying error messages indicate a failure to connect to the internet, such as “Can’t connect to this network,” “There is no internet connection,” or “No internet, secured.”

Key Takeaways
  • The computer not connecting to the internet may occur after a Windows update or a network change.
  • It can hint at weak internet, server faults, misconfigured DNS, and more.
  • Power cycle the router, use a wired connection or restore advanced settings on your PC to resume the internet connection.
  • Refer to your ISP or take the computer to a technician if nothing solves the problem.

Method Difficulty Rating

Restore Settings
Rated: 3/10

Re-Add Network
Rated: 3/10

Reset Network
Rated: 2/10

Restart Network
Rated: 3/10


Tip: Start by power cycling the PC/internet router, modifying the DNS, updating Windows, clearing the DNS cache, disabling VPN, reinstalling/updating the Network adapter, disabling Airplane mode, and running troubleshooters for Internet and Network Adapter.

Restore Advanced Internet Settings

This set of internet settings lets you control HTTP configurations, multimedia interactions, and security features, for example, verifying server certifications and signatures. Consequently, it maintains the computer’s security and notifies users about important alerts.

When nothing else was working, restoring advanced internet settings was a technique that got me out of this mess. Doing so restored the settings to default and undid any faulty changes that disrupted the computer’s connection.

  1. Search Internet Options: Type Internet Options in the Windows Search Bar > Click on the result.
  2. Restore Settings: Select the Advanced tab > Press Restore Advanced Settings > Apply > OK.
    Restore Advanced Settings
    Press Restore Advanced Settings (Image By Tech4Gamers)

Re-Add Your Network

The network connection can often become corrupt, or you might incorrectly configure them, creating connectivity problems. Re-adding the network can eliminate conflicting data and IP addresses to troubleshoot network errors.

Therefore, ensure this is not the case by forgetting the connected WiFi network and manually re-adding it to your computer. This simple fix is also upvoted as helpful by more than 100 users on Tom’s Guide forum, plus my testing provided similar results as well.

  1. Go To WiFi Settings: Launch Windows Settings > Network And Internet > Highlight WiFi on the left pane > Click on Manage Known Networks.
    Go To Manage Known Networks (Image By Tech4Gamers)
  2. Forget Network: Expand your WiFi network > Forget > Restart the computer.
    Forget Network
    Forget Network (Image By Tech4Gamers)
  3. Add New Network: Use the same steps to access the WiFi settings section > Manage Known Networks > Add A New Network.
    Add A New Network
    Add A New Network (Image By Tech4Gamers)
  4. Enter Details: Type your network details, such as Name and Network Security Type. Mark the boxes beside Connect Automatically and Connect Even If This Network Is Not Broadcasting > Save.
    Enter Network Details
    Enter Network Details (Image By Tech4Gamers)
Tip: If the computer fails to connect to the internet via WiFi, opt for an Ethernet connection using a compatible cable. 

Reset Internet Settings

Correct internet settings are essential for proper connectivity between the device and the network. Some third-party apps and programs can mess up your internet settings, leading to troubles such as slower browsing performance and difficulty connecting to the internet.

To counter this, Microsoft Support suggested resetting network settings to clear out old or malicious cache. Hence, I performed a network reset to check its validity, and once done, the computer connected to the internet without prior errors. I also noticed slightly faster internet performance and reduced loading times when accessing websites.

  1. Open Advanced Menu: Access Windows Settings > Network And Internet > Click Advanced Network Settings.
  2. Reset Network: Go to Network Reset > Reset Now > Yes > Restart the PC.
    network reset in windows
    Perform Network Reset (Image By Tech4Gamers)
WARNING: This will reset all internet settings to default, and you will lose custom changes.

Restart Network Setup Service

The Network Setup service is critical to the network performance of your PC. It functions in the background and scans for available networks before letting a computer confirm the connection. Whenever you link to a network, this service saves the profile and configurations to automatically connect the next time this network is in range.

However, the data this service operates on can sometimes become outdated or corrupt, especially if you have changed the network’s configurations or password.

To rule out this cause, restart the Network Setup service to eliminate temporary clashes or bugs within the service that may impact its operation. Additionally, set the Startup Type as Automatic so it can start working as soon as the computer boots up. 

  1. Search Services: Type Services in the Search Bar > Open the relevant result.
    Services
    Search Services In Windows (Image By Tech4Gamers)
  2. Select Network Setup: Find Network Setup Service and double-click on it.
  3. Set Automatic Startup: In the General tab, select Automatic in the Startup Type dropdown.
  4. Start Service: Press Start > Apply > OK.
    Automatic Startup
    Set Automatic Startup Type (Image By Tech4Gamers)
  5. Change Service Configuration: Next, go to Recovery > Choose Restart The Service in the First Failure dropdown > Apply > OK.
First Failure Setting
Change First Failure Setting (Image By Tech4Gamers)

Last Words

When researching, it was evident that I wasn’t alone in facing this problem, but users across this Reddit thread were stuck in a similar situation. 

Computer won’t connect to the internet, but my phone is working fine.
byu/t-lymphocyte in24hoursupport

Microsoft has recommended no verified fix for this issue, and no acknowledgement has been seen either.

Consequently, people, including me, resorted to workarounds like the ones discussed above to restore internet connection on Windows PC. One last tip I want to add is to confirm that you are entering the right password, as users often overlook this little aspect.


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