How to fix internet access after updating Windows 11 (2024)

On Windows 11, Microsoft proactively releases updates to patch bugs, improve security and performance, and occasionally add new features. However, sometimes, system updates can also cause unwanted problems, and many times are connectivity issues.

For example, a lot of times, updates can make speeds and connections unreliable, especially with wireless adapters. Also, they can break connectivity entirely to the network and internet, cause network driver problems, and more.

If you cannot connect to the internet after installing a system update, Windows 11 offers several methods to resolve the issue and get back online quickly.

This guide will walk you through the steps to fix network issues after installing a Windows 11 update.

How to fix network problems after installing update

If the device was recently updated and the network connection breaks, you can try these basic troubleshooting steps to resolve the issue. If the problem persists, continue with the more advanced instructions outlined below.

Reboot device

Sometimes, you can fix most problems by restarting the computer since this process clears the data in memory and restarts all the applications and system services.

To reboot a Windows 11 computer, use these steps:

1. OpenStart.
2. Click thePoweroption.
3. Select theRestartoption.

Once you complete the steps, open the web browser and load at least two or three websites to confirm the internet is working.

If only one of the sites isn't opening, it could be a problem with the website or the page and not the internet connection.

Network connection test

If the restart didn't solve the issue, you want to check whether the problem lies with the connection between the computer and the home router.

To check the network connectivity on Windows 11, use these steps:

1. OpenStart.
2. Search forCommand Promptand click the top result to open the console.
3. Type the following command to find out the IP address of the router and pressEnter:ipconfig

4. Confirm the "Default Gateway" address that should be the address of the local router.

• Quick tip:Usually, home routers use the192.169.1.1or192.168.2.1address.

5. Type the following command to determine whether the router is reachable and pressEnter: ping ROUTER-IP

This example tests the connection between the computer to the router with the192.168.1.1address:ping 192.168.1.1In the command, remember to change the192.168.1.1for the router's IP address.

• Quick tip:You can also use the ping 127.0.0.1 command to test whether the networking stack is installed correctly.

6. Confirm successful replies without packet loss in the output.

After you complete the steps, if you see "4" successful replies in "Packets," the connection between the computer and router is working.

If this is the case, the problem could be something happening with your internet provider. However, if you can still access the internet from another device in the same network, it could be another problem with the computer.

Turn on wireless connection

If you have a laptop and there isn't a connection to the internet, the wireless adapter may be disabled.

To enable the Wi-Fi adapter on Windows 11, use these steps:

1. OpenSettings.
2. Click onNetwork & internet.
3. Turn on theWi-Fitoggle switch.

Alternatively, you can turn on the wireless adapter by opening the Quick Settings flyout (Windows key + A keyboard shortcut) and clicking theWi-Fibutton.

Also, ensure the physical wireless switch is turned on if you have a laptop. Otherwise, you won't be able to see or connect to any network.

Connect to wireless network

If there's a connection problem, you may be able to get around this problem by disconnecting and connecting the device to the access point.

To reconnect to the wireless network on Windows 11, use these steps:

1. OpenSettings.
2. Click onNetwork & internet.
3. Turn off theWi-Fitoggle switch.
4. Turn on theWi-Fitoggle switch.

5. (Optional) Click theWi-Fisetting if the computer doesn't connect automatically.
6. Select the wireless network under the "Show available networks" setting.
7. Click theConnectbutton.

7. Continue with the on-screen directions to connect.

Once you complete the steps, you should be able to connect to the internet.

If you're on a network with a router that offers different frequency bands (2.4GHz and 5GHz), you can try to switch bands to make a reliable connection.

Re-enable network adapter

On Windows 11, an update can inadvertently change settings without your consent, including disabling the network adapter or turning on Airplane mode.

If the network adapter is suddenly missing, it could be an issue with the drive, or the adapter might be disabled.

To enable a Wi-Fi or Ethernet adapter on Windows 11, use these steps:

• OpenSettings.
• Click onNetwork & internet.
• Click theAdvanced networks settingspage on the right side.

4. Under the "Network adapters" section, click theDisablebutton for the adapter connected to the network.

5. Click theEnablebutton.

After you complete the steps, the network adapter will enable and reconfigure automatically to connect to the internet.

Disable Airplane mode

When Airplane mode is turned on, Windows 11 won't be able to connect to the internet. If this is the case, make sure to disable the feature.

To turn off Airplane mode on Windows 11, use these steps:

1. OpenSettings.
2. Click onNetwork & internet.
3. Turn off theAirplane modetoggle switch on the right side.

You can also turn off the feature from the Quick Settings flyout available through the Taskbar.

Reset wireless profile

The system creates a profile with connection details and credentials as you connect to a wireless network. If the profile gets corrupted during an update or due to another action, the computer won't connect to the network. In this case, you can delete and recreate the profile to fix the problem.

To recreate a wireless profile on Windows 11, use these steps:

1. OpenSettings.
2. Click onNetwork & internet.
3. Click theWi-Fipage on the right side.

4. Click the"Manage known networks"setting.

5. Click theForgetbutton for the profile that isn't working.

6. Click the Back button to return to the Wi-Fi page.
7. Select the wireless network under the "Show available networks" setting.
8. Click theConnectbutton.

8. Continue with the on-screen directions to connect.

Once you complete the steps, the computer should once again connect to the network and the internet.

You can refer to this guide for more details onhow to manage wireless settings on Windows 11.

Restart home router

It can also be a coincidence that your home router stops working soon after updating to the most recent maintenance patch of Windows 11. If this is the case, restarting the network device may fix the connection and other networking issues.

To reboot the router (also referred to as modern or firewall), use these general steps:

1. Locate the router.
2. Unplug the power cord.
3. Wait at least 60 seconds.
4. Reconnect the power cord.

After you complete the steps, allow three to five minutes for the device to boot and check the connection.

How to fix internet access with Troubleshooter

On Windows 11, you can also use a specific troubleshooter to resolve networking issues on your computer.

To fix an internet connection with the network troubleshooter on Windows 11, use these steps:

1. OpenSettings.
2. Click onSystem.
3. Click theTroubleshootpage on the right side.

4. Click theOther troubleshooterssetting.

5. Under the "Most frequent" section, click theRunbutton for the "Internet Connections" troubleshooter.

6. Select the"Troubleshoot my connection to the internet"option.

7. Select the"Try these repairs as an administrator"option (if applicable).
8. Continue with the on-screen directions (if applicable).

Once you complete the steps, the troubleshooter will scan and resolve any connectivity problem.

How to reset networking stack with Command Prompt

If the recently installed update messed up the Windows 11 networking stack, you can reset it to fix the problem on your laptop or desktop computer.

To reset the TCP/IP networking stack on Windows 11, use these steps:

1. OpenStart.
2. Search forCommand Prompt, right-click the top result, and select theRun as administratoroption.
3. Type the following command to reset the components that handle network requests and pressEnter:netsh winsock reset
4. Type the following command to reset the internet protocol (IP) stack and pressEnter:netsh int ip reset

5. Type the following command to clear the current networking configuration and pressEnter:ipconfig /release
6. Type the following command to reconfigure the network settings automatically and pressEnter:ipconfig /renew
7. Type the following command to clear the Domain Name System (DNS) information cached and pressEnter:ipconfig /flushdns
8. Restart your computer.

Once you complete the steps, open multiple websites with your preferred web browser to confirm whether the internet connection is working.

How to reset network adapters with Settings

At this point, if nothing seems to resolve the issue, you can reset all the network adapters' drivers and settings to the factory defaults to fix the connection problem.

To reset the Wi-Fi and Ethernet network adapters on Windows 11, use these steps:

1. OpenSettings.
2. Click onNetwork & internet.
3. Click theAdvanced network settingspage on the right side.

4. Under the "More settings" section, click theNetwork resetsetting.

5. Click theReset nowbutton.
6. Click theReset nowbutton again.

After you complete the steps, you should be able to connect to the network and the internet.

Resetting the networking adapters means you must re-enter the security key when connecting to the wireless network. Also, you will have to reconfigure other networking software, such as VPN clients (if applicable).

How to fix network driver problems on Windows 11

On Windows 11, it's common that a network adapter driver may cause compatibility problems after installing a feature or quality update. If this is the case, you have three options. You can update the network adapter driver, if applicable. You could uninstall the drive if a recent update damaged it. And you can try rolling back to a previous version of the driver since the device may still work with an older driver.

Update adapter driver online

If the computer doesn't have a reliable connection, but it's still possible to connect it to the internet, you can use Windows Update to check for driver updates.

To update the network driver on Windows 11, use these steps:

1. OpenSettings.
2. Click onWindows Update.
3. Click theAdvanced optionspage on the right side.

4. Under the "Advanced options" section, click theOptional updatessetting.

5. Click theDriver updatessetting.
6. Check the device driver update to install.
7. Click theDownload & installbutton.

Once you complete the steps, the update will download and install, hopefully fixing the problem in question.

Update adapter driver offline

In the case that the network connection doesn't work, you will have to download the latest network driver available from the manufacturer support website using another computer. If you have a branded device (such as from Dell, Lenovo, or HP), the best option is to download the driver from their websites. If the computer manufacturer driver doesn't work or you cannot find an updated version, you can try downloading the driver from the network adapter manufacturer's website.

To update a wireless or wired adapter manually, use these steps:

1. OpenStart.
2. Search forDevice Managerand click the top result to open the app.
3. Expand theNetwork adaptersbranch.
4. Right-click the adapter with the problem and select theUpdate driveroption.

5. Click the"Browse my computer for drivers"option.
6. Click theBrowserbutton.

7. Select the folder location with the driver package.
8. Click theOKbutton.
9. Click theNextbutton.
10. Continue with the on-screen directions (if applicable).

After you complete the steps, the update will install, fixing the compatibility problem on Windows 11.

Rollback previous driver

If the issue appeared after applying a driver update, rolling back to the previous version may fix the problem.

To roll back a driver update to a previous version o Windows 11, use these steps:

1. OpenStart.
2. Search forDevice Managerand click the top result to open the app.
3. Expand theNetwork adaptersbranch.
4. Right-click the adapter with the problem and select thePropertiesoption.

5. Click theDrivertab.
6. Click theRoll Back Driverbutton.

• Quick tip:If the button is grayed out, the system does not have a backup of the driver.

7. Click theOKbutton.
8. Select a reason why you are rolling back (select any option).
9. Click theYesbutton.
10. Restart your computer.

Once you complete the steps, confirm whether the internet is working again on Windows 11.

Uninstall network adapter

If you started noticing issues after installing a system update, the update or installation process might have corrupted the driver or made changes to the settings without your consent. This action may fix your problem if you uninstall and reinstall the driver.

To remove the network adapter driver on Windows 11, use these steps:

1. OpenStart.
2. Search forDevice Managerand click the top result to open the app.
3. Expand theNetwork adaptersbranch.
4. Right-click the Wi-Fi or Ethernet network adapter and select theUninstall deviceoption.

5. Click theUninstallbutton.
6. Restart your computer.

After you complete the steps, the driver will be removed from the computer, and after the restart, the system will detect and reinstall the hardware again.

How to disable security apps to fix internet access

If you use third-party security software for malware and firewall protection, sometimes, these solutions can prevent you from accessing the internet in some way or another. By disabling them and testing connectivity, you can confirm whether the security software is causing problems.

This guide outlines the steps to disable the Microsoft Defender Antivirus and Firewall. If you have another application, check the software support website for more details.

Disable antivirus

To disable the Microsoft Defender Antivirus on Windows 11, use these steps:

1. OpenStart.
2. Search forWindows Securityand click the top result to open the app.
3. Click onVirus & threat protection.
4. Under the "Virus & threat protection settings" section, click theManage settingsoption.

5. Turn off theReal-time protectiontoggle switch.

Once you complete the steps, open the web browser and try to load several pages to see whether the internet is working.

It's never recommended to use a computer without an active antivirus. If you want to activate the anti-malware feature, restart the computer or turn on theReal-time protectionoption again.

Disable firewall

To disable the Microsoft Defender Firewall, use these steps:

1. OpenStart.
2. Search forWindows Securityand click the top result to open the app.
3. Click onFirewall & network protection.
4. Click the (active) network.

5. Turn off theMicrosoft Defender Firewalltoggle switch.

After you complete the steps, try to connect to the internet or the network resource you want to access to confirm the connection is working.

You can enable the firewall again using the same instructions outlined above, but onstep 5, make sure to turn on theMicrosoft Defender Firewalltoggle switch.

How to uninstall update to fix network issues

Microsoft proactively pushes system updates to fix bugs, patch vulnerabilities, and improve the experience with changes and new features. However, nowadays, updates are known to cause a lot of problems. If you know or suspect that a recent update is causing network connection problems, you can uninstall the update to mitigate the issue until there's an update for the system or drive that fixes the problem.

To uninstall a quality update on Windows 10, use these steps:

1. OpenSettings.
2. Click onWindows Update.
3. Click theUpdate historybutton.

4. Click theUninstall updatesoption.

5. Select the most recent update causing the network problem on Windows 11.
6. Click theUninstallbutton.

7. Click theYesbutton.
8. Click theRestart nowbutton.

Once you complete the steps, Windows 11 will remove the update, fixing the network adapter.

More resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10 and Windows 11, visit the following resources:

• Windows 11 on Windows Central — All you need to know
• Windows 10 on Windows Central — All you need to know