Step 1 — Check whether the computer has a valid IP address

Open Command Prompt (Win + R → cmd) and run:

ipconfig /all

Look for the “IPv4 Address” field. If you see an address like 169.254.x.x, the computer did not receive an IP from the router — the problem is local, not with your internet provider.

Step 2 — Test connectivity to the router using ping

Use the gateway address shown in Step 1 (usually 192.168.1.1):

ping 192.168.1.1 -t

If the result is “Request timed out”, the problem is between your computer and the router (cable, network driver, Wi-Fi signal). Stop the ping with Ctrl + C.

Step 3 — Check DNS resolution

If the router responds but a website won’t load in the browser, DNS may be the culprit:

nslookup google.com 8.8.8.8

If you receive an IP address in the response, DNS is working. If not, change the DNS servers in your network adapter settings to 8.8.8.8 (Google) or 1.1.1.1 (Cloudflare).

Step 4 — Trace the packet route with tracert to locate the bottleneck

tracert 8.8.8.8

Each line represents a network node (hop) that packets pass through. The hop where response times spike or where “* * *” appears indicates where the problem is — everything before that point works correctly.

Step 5 — Reset the TCP/IP stack if the problem persists

If all tests seem fine but the internet still does not work, the network stack may be corrupted. Run both commands and restart your computer:

netsh int ip reset

netsh winsock reset

Tip: Run ipconfig /flushdns before any DNS test — a corrupted DNS cache can cause false errors even when the internet connection itself is working perfectly.