Internet connection unavailable on Windows device.
Internet connection unavailable on Windows device.
Hello, I've been struggling to understand what's happening today. The desktop is running smoothly until this morning when Windows 11 started and lost internet access. Network settings show no internet connection, but my device can only reach other local devices—this isn't right since I can't access my NAS or any other local equipment. The troubleshooter says no DNS server is assigned, though in the properties it appears DNS is set to DHCP and active. My machine is connected to a USW aggregation via an SFP cable and an Intel NIC. I've also tried connecting through WiFi, which still doesn't work. I can ping the UDM gateway from the desktop but can't load the GUI in a browser or reach any other device. I've reset network settings, flushed DNS, renewed it, uninstalled NIC drivers, used onboard LAN and WiFi, reinstalled drivers, and ran a malware scan. Thanks if you managed this far.
Windows tends to cause problems on its own... If you're facing issues with both wired and wireless connections, a faulty network chip is unlikely. Have you tried using another user account on the machine? Sometimes changes can resolve the problem. You might also consider a Linux live installation—no installation needed, just boot into a temporary environment. Download the ISO (Linux Mint works well for this) and use Rufus to make a bootable USB drive. This lets you test if the network functions there, helping identify any hardware concerns.
Thank you for the response. I attempted a fresh user account again, but the problem persists. I tried Linux, which restored internet access, leaving me confused.
Linux can connect to the internet while Windows cannot. This likely points to a driver or Windows-specific issue. In severe scenarios, malware might block network access to evade detection. Have you possibly added firewall or security software? You might attempt booting in Safe Mode with Networking to test functionality. Running "msconfig" and disabling certain startup items could also help. If available, rolling back Windows to a previous version using backups is an option. Are you part of a work domain? Your network administrator may have isolated your desktop for some reason, as it operates via Windows software rather than the network directly.
I haven't set anything up since my last use, I ran a malwarebytes scan, tried safe mode with networking, and attempted uninstalling my antivirus or disabling firewalls. I also used selective startup but can't roll back to anything. It's a personal home device, not a work system. I ordered a new NIC last night, expecting it today, but it's delayed. I'll try that now and if that fails, I'll have to reinstall Windows. Thanks again for your assistance.
I updated Windows, swapped my NIC, and got really frustrated. The UDM SE wasn’t giving my desktop the right IP address—no clear explanation. I fixed it by setting a static IP, and the internet connection came back online.