Can't connect to Internet despite having a connection (Win 10)

[stucashmore]

Hi! Thanks in advance for any help you may be able to offer.

I'm running Windows 10, fully up-to-date (to the best of my knowledge), on a desktop PC I built myself about 4 years ago. I returned from a few days' break to find it won't allow me to connect to the Internet despite saying it has a connection. The tray shows a connection (sshot 01); when you click on the network icon in the tray it shows a connection (sshot 02); but when i try to open Chrome it says there is no connection (sshot 03). Other applications which need Internet access also fail. Also, and this may or may not be relevant, for about four months now this PC has very occasionally failed to connect to the Internet when powered on in the morning. This happens at most once every 10 days. If I restart the machine everything is fine.

The PC is connected to a small hub which in turn is connected to my router. A wi-fi hotspot is also connected to the hub. Other wired PCs in the house can connect to the Internet ok, and my phone can connect to the Internet via the wi-fi hotspot. I also have a NAS attached to the hub which the problem PC cannot access, so I assume that there is something - a WIndows setting? - which is suddenly wrong.

I have tried:

1. using a different cable. I tried three which work fine with other PCs
2. using an RJ45 to USB converter and connecting a known good cable
3. trying different ports on the hub which work ok with other devices
4. I installed a new PCI-E network card and used cables which are known to be good. I did this because the intermittent failure to connect made me wonder if the motherboard network adapter was faulty.

None of these worked. I can't run Windows Network Diagnostics because it fails to load.

Any help you can give would be very gratefully received. If you're kind enough to respond please can I ask you to use non-technical language and explain in baby steps? Unfortunately I don't have great technical knowledge.

Thanks.

 

[KenB]

Hi and welcome to FpcH

Try these one at a time - then test.

1. Have you tried taking the power cable from the router - leave for 30 seconds and re-connect ?

2. In the Search box [ bottom left of screen ] type in ....settings ... hit Enter
Click on Network & Internet and scroll down until you see ...


Click on "Network Reset
This will reset adapter and internet settings to defaults

3. Click on the Internet icon [bottom right of screen] - - mine is wireless
Locate your network [if you can see it] - click on it and select "Disconnect"
Click on your network again to connect.

Let me know how you get on.

 

[stucashmore]

Hi Ken, thank you so much for responding.

Unfortunately neither of those things worked. The tray icon still shows that I have an Internet connection but when i try to connect with Chrome and Firefox it fails.

 

[stucashmore]

Technology is weird... I switched my PC off yesterday with the problem unresolved. This morning I turn on the PC and everything works fine! Perhaps it was the heat? Anyway, thanks for your help Ken, it's very greatly appreciated.

 

[KenB]

Nothing as strange as computers
Glad to hear that your system is up and running again.

 

[stucashmore]

hmmm... I may have spoken too soon. Like a fool I powered the system down. When I turned it back on I'm back to the previous situation.

 

[KenB]

Try this ....
In the Search Box [ bottom left of screen] type in ..... settings .... hit Enter

Click on Network & Internet

Click on Change Adapter Options

Mine is wireless yours will look a little different
Right click on your connection
I see this ....


Highlight IPVersion 4 then click on Properties.

If your "Obtain DNS server is set to Auto click the box ...."Use the following...."
Then type in 8-8-8-8- ......and 8-8-4-4 as shown.
Click OK.
This is using the Google servers.




Try these settings.
If this doesn't work for you go back and change it to Auto.