Warning
You’re not connected to the Internet. To get online Help, which shows you the latest help content, you need to be connected to the Internet. Check your Internet connection.
If you still see this message, the online Help service might be temporarily unavailable. Try to connect again later.
Search
Search
Help home | Browse help | Contact support
Why can't I connect to the Internet?
[This info is preliminary and subject to change.]
Internet connection problems are most commonly caused by disconnected cables or by routers and modems that aren't working correctly. First, try running the Network troubleshooter to see if it can diagnose and fix the problem.
•Tap or click to open the Network troubleshooter.
Tip
Tip
Here's another way to get to the Network troubleshooter. Swipe in from the right edge of the screen (if you're using a mouse, point to the upper-right corner of the screen and move the mouse pointer down), and then tap or click Search. Enter Identify and repair in the search box, and then tap or click Identify and repair network problems.
If running the Network troubleshooter didn't solve the problem, then follow these steps:
1.Make sure all cables are connected (for example, make sure your modem is connected to a working phone jack or cable connection, either directly or through a router).
2.Remove the power cord from the modem and router.
The back of a router, showing the location of the power cordThe back of a router, showing the location of the power cord
3.After all lights on the devices have gone out, wait at least 10 seconds, and then plug the modem and router back in.
Some modems have a battery backup that prevents the lights from going out. For this kind of modem, press and quickly release the reset button. If you don't see a reset button, remove the battery instead.
4.If you're setting up a new PC for the first time, check if your router is fully compatible with Windows. Because of the new networking features in Windows, some older network routers aren't fully compatible and can cause problems. For a list of routers that are compatible with Windows 8.1 Preview and Windows RT 8.1 Preview, go to the Compatibility Center on the Windows website.
5.Make sure your router and the network adapter in your PC will work together. To work, the network adapter in your PC must use a wireless standard that is equal to or older than the router’s wireless standard. For example, if the network adapter in your PC uses the 802.11n wireless standard (also called Wireless-N) but your router uses 802.11g, (also called Wireless-G), you won't be able to connect because the Wireless-G standard is an earlier version and doesn’t recognize Wireless-N. However, if the router uses Wireless-N but the adapter in your PC uses Wireless-G, you should be able to connect if the router is set to mixed mode, since Wireless-N works with some or all of the earlier standards (802.11a, 802.11b, and 802.11g).
If these steps didn't solve the problem, try the steps in the following sections that apply, or see Why can't I connect to a network?
Show all
I can't connect to the Internet through a broadband connection (DSL, cable, or fiber optic)
A network (Ethernet) cable
My connection is listed as "Limited"
Note
I can't connect to the Internet through a dial-up connection, or I'm being disconnected