Fix: Windows 10 Recognizes WiFi But I Can’t Access the Internet

Author

July 13, 2018

no internet connection in browser screenshot

Do you have issues with your internet connections in Windows 10 or Windows 8.1, 8 while connected to the wifi? You will be glad to know that just by reading the lines below you will find out why your internet access isn’t working and what you can do to fix it.

Even though your wifi icon shows up in your taskbar of the Windows 10 or Windows 8.1, 8 system you can still have some issues with the internet access. First of all, you need to know that you can have a stable wifi connection to the router but this will not assure you an internet access on the system. You will find out more about the internet access by reading the tutorials below.

How to fix “connected to wifi but can’t access the internet” issue on Windows 10:

Restart your Wi-Fi device
Restart the Internet router
Unplug/plug the cable
Try different browsers
Disconnect/Reconnect to the Wi-Fi router
Other Wi-Fi/Internet connection issues in Windows 10, 8.1

First tutorial: Restart your Wi-Fi device

So first you will need to look for your wifi icon in Windows 10 or Windows 8.1, 8 usually situated in the lower right side of the desktop feature.
If the wifi icon shows that you are connected but you have a yellow exclamation mark next to it then it means that you have no internet access from the router.
So the first thing you will need to do is disable the wifi adapter from your Windows 8 device.
Note: Usually there is a combination of an “Fn” key and a Function key on the keyboard that you can try to disable the wifi adapter. Also if you are using a laptop you should have the wifi light turned off.
Reboot the Windows 10 or Windows 8.1, 8 device.
After the device starts up again you will need to enable the wifi adaptor and check your internet connectivity.

Second tutorial: Restart the Internet router

Shutdown the internet router.
Wait approximately one minute.
Power up the internet router.
Wait for the router to properly start.
Try connecting your device to the wifi connections and check your internet access.

Third tutorial: Unplug/plug the cable

Unplug the Ethernet cable (the internet cable) from the router and plug it directly into your device.
If the Internet is not working with a direct cable connection then you will need to contact your internet service provider and tell them you have no internet connectivity.
If your internet access is working after you plugged in the cable directly then it is most likely an issue with your router.
Note: If it is an issue with your router I would suggest you install it again by following the instructions on the CD that came with it when you bought it.

Fourth tutorial: Try different browsers

If you have a wifi connection and you have no yellow mark next to the wifi icon then you will need to try to connect using multiple internet browsers.
Connect to the Internet Explorer and see if your internet access is good.
Connect for example to Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome and see if you have internet access.
If this issue is only happening on a specific internet browser and not on all of them I would suggest you uninstall the browser and install the latest version available for Windows 8 or Windows 10 devices.

Fifth tutorial: Disconnect/Reconnect to the Wi-Fi router

Try canceling your wifi internet connection to the router.
Connect again to the wifi router by entering your password and account.
Check to see if your internet access is working properly

Other Wi-Fi/Internet connection issues in Windows 10, 8.1

This is not the only problem that may occur while trying to connect to the Internet via Wi-Fi. Well, this isn’t such a problem as we have the solutions in order to fix these issues on Windows 10, 8.1 and 8 PCs, but you have to follow our steps carefully. If you have other connection problems, we recommend you to check the list we have prepared for you. Here are the most common issues:

Have you fixed your internet access using a wifi connection by following the tutorials above? If so please write us below your feedback on this issue and what was the tutorial that worked for you.

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in October 2014 and has been since revamped and updated for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.