Why won’t my laptop connect to the internet?
Quick answer: Testing another device first separates a laptop problem from a router or internet-service problem.
Testing another device first separates a laptop problem from a router or internet-service problem.
Test another device, restart the laptop and router, then forget and rejoin the Wi-Fi network.
Why your laptop can’t get online
When a laptop refuses to connect, the fault sits in one of three places: your internet service is down, the router is having a bad moment, or the laptop itself has tangled up the network settings it saved. Working out which one it is takes a minute — and it saves you from fixing the wrong thing.
What to do, step by step
- Check another device, like your phone, on the same Wi-Fi. If it is offline too, the problem is the router or your provider — not the laptop.
- Restart both the laptop and the router. Unplug the router for 30 seconds, plug it back in, and give it two minutes to wake up fully.
- Move the laptop into the same room as the router and try again. If it connects there, you have a weak-signal problem, not a broken laptop.
- Forget the network and rejoin it. In your Wi-Fi settings, choose your network, select “Forget,” then reconnect and type the password fresh.
- Install any waiting system updates, and run the built-in network troubleshooter (Windows) or Wireless Diagnostics (Mac) if it still refuses.
- If every device is down and a restart changed nothing, call your internet provider — line faults are common and only they can fix those.
Pro tip: If the connection dies at the same time every day, tell your provider the times. A daily pattern points to a line or neighborhood problem they can check from their end.
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