A lot of variables are involved when you connect to a network: cables, network adapters, drivers and routers. So troubleshooting network connection problems can be challenging. This article can help you find and fix problems with wired (Ethernet) and wireless (WiFi) network connections. Some common problems are:
- A wireless network adapter switch is turned off
- Flight mode is turned on
- Disconnected or improperly connected cables
- Incorrect WEP, WPA or WPA2 security keys or passphrases
- Mismatched wireless standards
- Missing updates
- Incorrect network connection settings
- Damaged or incompatible drivers
- Hardware or software problems
Follow the steps in these sections to try to solve the problem, then try connecting after each one. If the problem still occurs, move on to the next section.
Use an automated troubleshooter
An automated troubleshooter can find and automatically fix some common networking problems. Run the Network troubleshooter first, then test your network or Internet connection to see if the problem has been fixed. If it doesn’t fix the problem, try the rest of the automated troubleshooters.
To open the Internet Connections troubleshooter
If you can’t connect to the Internet or get to a particular website, there might be a problem with your Internet connection. Try using the Internet Connections troubleshooter to fix the problem.