I'm suddenly unable to access the Internet on my PC?
I'm suddenly unable to access the Internet on my PC?
An unexpected issue occurred yesterday. My internet connection on my desktop PC stopped functioning. I typically use a direct Ethernet link, but also have a WiFi card as a backup. I reset the modem and restarted the computer, yet there was still no internet access. Windows diagnostics indicated that both Ethernet and WiFi connections failed to establish an IP address. I spoke with the ISP, who confirmed they had no issues on their side and reported the modem was operating correctly.
At this stage, I noticed I still had Wi-Fi connectivity on my phone and access to my Ethernet-based security cameras (which connect directly to the router). I attempted a different Ethernet cable without any improvement. I changed ports with the camera system; the cameras continued to work, but the Ethernet connection remained unreliable. This suggests the problem isn’t with the modem or router.
I have repeatedly reset my IP settings without success. I began suspecting an issue with my network adapter, but the Device Manager showed it was functioning properly. The Event Viewer recorded several entries like “Your computer was not assigned an address from the network…” followed by “Error: 0x79.”
Q1) Does this situation suggest a failure of the network adapter?
Q2) When a WiFi card is inserted into a PCI slot, does it still operate alongside the motherboard’s network adapter, or does it function as its own separate network adapter?
While I investigate further, I’ve ordered a new PCI network card to bypass the built-in adapter.
Any other suggestions? Thanks.
It is extremely unlikely that a hardware problem exists when both Wi-Fi and Ethernet connections fail simultaneously. As intricate as a motherboard may be, it seems there could be a shared cause earlier in the system.
The issue you encounter appears more related to software settings. Running IPCONFIG /all suggests the interface might be active but lacking a valid IP address.
It’s difficult to pinpoint the exact problem. The device reports that the router never assigns an IP, which is typically handled through DHCP messages from the router. Your camera probably uses a static IP, whereas your phone should receive an IP from the router.
If possible, attempt to access the router settings using your phone. Generally, this involves entering the router’s IP into a browser. The default address is often 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1. There’s a slight possibility that the router blocks admin access via Wi-Fi for security, which is a valid option but many users now lack Ethernet devices.
Verify that the DHCP service is enabled. If you manage to locate it, try accessing the range of IPs DHCP assigns and see what you can manually configure.
Assuming everything checks out, proceed with your PC’s Ethernet configuration and manually assign IPv4 addresses. Disable IPv6 temporarily to eliminate additional confusion.
Your goal is to select an IP outside the DHCP range. If you haven’t found it, try 192.168.0.200… assuming your router’s IP is 192.168.0.1. Set the gateway to the router’s address (192.168.0.1 in this case) and use a mask of 255.255.255.0. Consider setting DNS to 8.8.8.8 and 1.1.1.1; these are common defaults, though they often perform better even with DHCP active.
You may attempt this configuration on Wi-Fi as well, but Ethernet is generally simpler.
If this doesn’t resolve the issue, it likely points to a hardware problem. Before purchasing new components, download a Linux boot image to a USB drive. These pre-built images are safe for testing and won’t interfere with your Windows installation. The aim is not to use any repair utilities—just boot into a browser via the default desktop environment.
If this works under Linux, you might consider a partial Windows reinstall as a next step. Since many Windows settings and drivers are complex, it’s wise to start there.
If the problem persists on Linux too, replacing the network card is the next logical step. I recommend Ethernet first if you usually connect via cables.
I will include the idea of sharing the complete "ipconfig /all" output in your upcoming post. You can copy and paste the findings without having to recreate them.
Thank you for your response.
Second, the router's IP address is 192.168.0.1 as stated on the bottom.
Yet ipconfig /all displays an IPv4 address of 169.254.243.175 with a mask of 255.255.0.0. No gateway is listed.
I can connect to my router from my phone, and DHCP is active. On the computer, Network Connections shows DHCP enabled, but ipconfig /all says the Ethernet adapter isn't using DHCP.
The router lists a valid address range of 0-255, but attempting an IP outside that range triggers an error.
Before starting the Linux setup, can I resolve the issue where the Ethernet adapter isn't enabled for DHCP?
I need to rekey, as I can't copy from my computer onto my phone.
Windows IP Configuration
Host Name………: LarkinDesktop
Primary DNS Suffix……:
Node Type…….: Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled……: No
WINS Proxy Enabled……: No
Ethernet adapter Ethernet:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix..:
Description…….: Intel ® Ethernet Connection (2) I218-V
Physical Address………: 78-24-AF-43-CC-6A
DHCP Enabled……: Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled……: Yes
Autoconfiguration IPv4 Address……:
169.254.172.86 (Preferred)
Subnet Mask……..: 255.255.0.0
Default Gateway……..: NetBIOS over Tcpip
On your computer:
Connect the Ethernet cable to link PC with the router.
Turn off the wireless network adapter.
(Only one connection, either wired or wireless, should be active at once.)
Restart the PC and check if Internet is working again.
If not, reinstall the network adapter's drivers.
Download the drivers directly from the card's manufacturer website. Reinstall and adjust settings. Avoid third-party tools.
Yes, my computer is connected to the router directly. No, I do not have both enabled at the same time. I have restarted the computer at least 20 times since this started. I have done much more than that, and there still is no internet. Downloading a driver with no internet is somewhat difficult.
I just configured a static IP and checked it out. Of course, you have to place it inside your router's range.
When you check the ipconfig /all output, you notice the preferred IP is 169.254.172.86. This isn't in the standard range of 192.168.0.1 to 255.255.255.255 that most devices use. I've attempted to manually assign an address within that range, but I keep receiving warnings that the address can't be saved.
169.254.x.x is provided by Windows, not your router. Adjust your IP range to 192.168.0.1 through 255, ensuring no overlap with other devices.