Wi-Fi Connected but No Internet — What's Actually Wrong
Nine times out of ten this is DNS, not signal. Here's how to prove it in 30 seconds and fix it in one.
Part of our IT advice UK hub — plain-English answers from Microsoft-certified engineers.
Symptoms
- Wi-Fi icon shows connected but websites don't load
- Some apps work (WhatsApp), others don't (browsers)
- Other devices on the same network are fine
Likely causes
- DNS server your device is using has stopped responding
- Router picked up a bad DNS entry from the ISP
- VPN or antivirus has hijacked DNS and crashed
- Corrupted TCP/IP stack (rare, but happens after a bad update)
Step-by-step fix
- 1
Prove it's DNS
Open Command Prompt. Type `ping 1.1.1.1` and press enter. If replies come back, your internet is fine — DNS is broken. If nothing replies, it's a routing or link problem, not DNS.
- 2
Change DNS to Cloudflare or Google
Settings → Network & Internet → your connection → Edit DNS server assignment. Set Preferred to 1.1.1.1 and Alternate to 8.8.8.8. Save. Retry your browser.
- 3
Flush the local resolver cache
Command Prompt (Admin): `ipconfig /flushdns`. Try the browser again.
- 4
Reset the network stack (only if the above didn't work)
Admin Command Prompt: `netsh winsock reset` then `netsh int ip reset` then reboot. This clears stuck TCP/IP state and fixes stubborn cases.
Frequently asked
Should I use 1.1.1.1 or 8.8.8.8?▾
For UK homes, 1.1.1.1 (Cloudflare) is measurably faster in independent tests. 8.8.8.8 (Google) is fine too. Avoid your ISP's DNS — most of them are the slowest option, and they're what caused the problem in the first place.
Still stuck? A UK engineer can jump on remotely.
Fixed fee, secure one-time session, usually within the hour.