Fix The default gateway is not available on Windows 10/11
- If you are experiencing the default gateway is not available error, it's most likely due to your network adapter.
- The router settings or the incompatibility with your computer adapter might also be causing this problem.
- Changing the frequency and channel of your router may be very good solutions to fix the issue.
Internet problems can cause a lot of trouble, and one problem that Windows users reported is The default gateway is not available error.
The gateway is the element that connects your computer to the Internet so you won’t be able to access any external links.
What are the causes why the gateway is not avaiable?
Your default gateway may be unavailable due to incorrect IP settings. In rare cases, this may even be due to ISP configuration settings.
Router settings and outdated drivers could also cause this problem. Some users reported that antiviruses may sometimes block your connection.
With this in mind, go through our solutions one by one because one of them will help you fix this issue.
How do I fix the default gateway error in Windows 10 & 11?
1. Change the channel of your wireless router
- Log into your router with the username and password.
- Change the wireless channel of the router. The option should be available in Advanced settings or in Wireless settings, depending on the brand and model of the device.
- Save the new settings and wait for the router to restart.
Sometimes issues with the gateway can occur due to your wireless channel and dual-band wireless adapters.
To fix this issue, you need to access your wireless router and change the channel from automatic to a certain value.
Users reported that setting the channel to six fixed the problem for them but be sure to try different channels as well.
For detailed instructions on how to change the wireless channel, we advise you to check your wireless router manual.
In addition to changing the channel, some users are also advising to change the encryption method. Users reported that using WPA-WPA2 encryption fixed the issue for them.
If that doesn’t work, try switching to different encryption methods. Bear in mind that some encryption methods are outdated and that they don’t provide the necessary protection.
2. Install a new Ethernet driver
- Press the Start button, type device manager and select the app from the results.
- Expand the Network adapters section.
- Right-click each one of them and select Update Driver.
- Let Windows update the drivers.
3. Change the Power Management settings for your network adapter
- Click the Windows Start button, type device manager and select the app from the results.
- Locate your network adapter and double-click it.
- Once the Properties window opens, go to the Power Management tab and uncheck Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power.
- Click OK to save the changes.
Some of our readers claim that you can fix this problem by changing the Power Management settings of the network adapter.
This solution can be effective if you have this problem on your laptop and because
If you’re getting this error on Windows 10, be sure that you have the latest Ethernet driver installed.
To install it, just visit your motherboard manufacturer’s website and go locate the latest Ethernet driver for your device.
It’s important to mention that downloading drivers manually is a risky decision. You can damage permanently your system by manually downloading the wrong driver versions.
Thus, we recommend using a third-party driver updater tool that is 100% safe to automatically download all the outdated drivers on your PC.
Various errors are the result of a malfunctioning driver. When this is the case, you may need to update or reinstall completely this specific component. As the process is not straight-forward to complete, we recommend using an automated tool for the job. Here's how to do it:
- Download and install DriverFix.
- Launch the app.
- Wait for the software to detect all your faulty drivers.
- You will now be presented with a list of all the drivers that have issues, and you just need to select the ones you’d liked fixed.
- Wait for DriverFix to download and install the newest drivers.
- Restart your PC for the changes to take effect.
DriverFix
Keep your Windows safe from any type of errors caused by corrupted drivers, by installing and using DriverFix today!
Disclaimer: this program needs to be upgraded from the free version in order to perform some specific actions.
4. Change the power saving mode of your wireless adapter
- Press Windows key + S and enter power sleep, then select Power & sleep settings.
- Now, click on Additional power settings from the right pane.
- When the Power Options window opens locate your current plan and click Change plan settings.
- Now click on Change advanced power settings.
- Locate Wireless Adapter Settings and set it to Maximum Performance.
- Click Apply and OK to save the changes.
Some users claim that you can fix The default gateway is not available error on Windows 10 by changing your power options.
This solution is effective for laptop owners and it would not be effective for desktop PC for the simple fact that they don’t work with a battery.
5. Change the frequency of your wireless router
- Log into your router interface with the username and password provided. Consult the router manual or look on the back of your router to find them.
- Go through the menus of your router and find the Wireless settings and change the channel from Auto to 2.4GHz.
- Save the new settings. The router will take about 30 seconds to reboot.
Newer routers support 5GHz frequency, but your current adapter might not work with this frequency, so you’ll have to change it to 2.4GHz.
Our readers reported that after changing the wireless frequency from 5GHz to 2.4GHz the gateway problems have been resolved.
For detailed instructions on how to change the wireless frequency of your specific router be sure to check its manual.
We offered just an example but the menus and settings might be different for your device.
6. Change the wireless mode to 802.11g
- Press Windows key + X and choose Network Connections from the menu.
- Click on Wi-Fi from the left pane, then scroll down on the right pane and select Change adapter options.
- Locate your wireless network adapter, right-click on it and choose Properties from the menu.
- Click the Configure button.
- Go to the Advanced tab, select 802.11a/b/g Wireless Mode, then select the 2.4GHz 802.11g option.
- Save changes and check if the problem is resolved.
According to users, you can fix problems with the default gateway by setting the wireless mode from 802.11a/b/g to 802.11g.
If you don’t see any changes, track back the steps to change back the settings and restore them.
7. Use the netshell reset command
- Click on the Windows Start button, type cmd and choose Run as administrator from the results.
- When Command Prompt starts, enter the following command:
netsh int ip reset
- After the process is completed close Command Prompt and restart your PC.
Users reported that you can fix The default gateway not available error by resetting TCP/IP so you should try that.
8. Disable or uninstall your antivirus
- Click on the Start icon and select Settings.
- Choose Update & Security.
- Click on Windows Security from the left and select Virus & threat protection from the right.
- If you don’t have a third-party antivirus installed, here you can disable Windows Defender temporarily. If you do, click on Open app. That will take you to the menu of your antivirus and you will be able to disable that one from its settings.
Antivirus programs can sometimes interfere with your network configuration, and to fix this issue, we recommend disabling or uninstalling your antivirus temporarily.
After you remove your antivirus, the computer will be protected by Windows Defender, but you can also use another third-party antivirus software that will protect you.
Sometimes the removal tool of the antivirus might not remove registry entries or leftover files, and this is why it’s usually better to use a third-party uninstaller.
When you delete a folder from a program file, it does not remove it from the registry or the system.
The OS will assume that the software is still installed, but when you access a file or program via a shortcut, it will display an error message such as files missing.
As a solution, whenever possible, use a professional uninstaller to delete a software; otherwise, problems may occur in the future.
How do I fix the default gateway error in Windows 11?
If you have upgraded to Windows 11, you know by now that it’s not much different from Windows 10, simply because it has the same core.
Apart from some very useful extra features and a more attractive design, the new OS is very similar to the old one.
That is why all the solutions we outlined for Windows 10 will work seamlessly to solve the gateway error on Windows 11 as well.
As you can see from our screenshot above, the menus look a little bit different but all the functions and options are still there.
This concludes our guide, and we hope that The default gateway is not available error is now a thing of the past and our solutions helped you.
To fix any network adapter problems, follow the instructions above and also check out our guide on how to fix network adapter issues that will surely help out.
If you have any more questions, or you wish to add anything about the subject, don’t hesitate to do so in the comments section below.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Follow the solutions in this thorough article dedicated to fixing the default gateway error and learn how to easily fix the problem.
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A default gateway makes it possible for devices in one network to communicate with those in another network. To solve the issue, take a closer look at our quick guide dedicated to fixing default gateway unavailable.
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In this case, there’s no intermediate path between the local network and the Internet. So, devices in one network can’t communicate with devices in another network.
