Start with this check.
Try two different websites and another device on the same Wi-Fi. Prevent mobile data from substituting for Wi-Fi during the phone comparison. Note whether Windows says No Internet even though browsing works.
Do not press the router reset button: it can erase configuration. Do not forget a network without knowing its password or change work VPN, proxy or policy settings without authorisation.
Which situation matches yours?
Let’s go step by step.
0 of 5 checks completedMark each check to keep track during this visit.
Check the actual scope
Open two familiar websites in new tabs and compare another browser if already installed. Record the full error. If only one website fails, keep its address and check that other pages work.
A Windows icon warning while browsing works needs a different investigation from complete inability to open pages.
Compare another device on the same network
Use your own phone or computer on the same Wi-Fi and try the same pages. Confirm the phone is not using mobile data. Do not use someone else’s network credentials to broaden the test.
If both fail, focus next on the network. If only Windows fails, continue investigating that PC.
Check whether the network needs sign-in
On an authorised hotel, school or similar network, check for a sign-in or terms acceptance page. Verify the network name with its operator. Do not enter credentials into a suspicious access page.
Joining the wireless access point may be only the first stage of getting online. Keep any portal error.
Compare another authorised connection
If possible, connect the PC to another known network or your own hotspot, accounting for data usage. Do not change DNS, VPN and adapter settings together. Compare the same PC through another connection.
Working on the second network does not suggest a broken adapter by itself. Record which network fails and when.
Act on the comparison
For a home-wide failure, consult the provider and restart the router only using its procedure, warning other users first. If only the PC fails, save work and use the Windows network troubleshooter in Get Help.
Network reset belongs later in a documented procedure: connections and networking software may need setting up again.
When to stop and ask for help
If all devices fail, give the provider router light status, time and test results. If one managed computer fails, contact IT. Avoid running copied command lists without understanding the settings they change.
Does a step differ from what you see? →Common questions
Is changing DNS always the answer?
No. First identify whether the network, one device or one website fails. An unexplained DNS change can obscure the cause.
Is restarting a router the same as resetting it?
No. Factory reset can erase credentials and configuration. Follow your provider’s procedure.
What does a hotspot test establish?
It compares the same PC on another network. Account for your data plan and avoid treating one comparison as a complete diagnosis.
Sources and review
Project owner: Eudald Ferrer Ibáñez. Report a correction.
This guide uses official documentation and our own troubleshooting sequence. Menus may change between versions. Documentation reviewed on September 28, 2026; practical device testing is still pending.
How we review and correct guides →Have you identified the problem?
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