Wi-Fi connected but no internet: find which link is broken in five checks
“Connected” only means your device is talking to the router over radio. The internet is three more hops away: the router has to hand you an address, the router's own line has to work, and names like example.com have to turn into numbers. Test each hop in order and the culprit usually shows itself in a couple of minutes.
The five checks
| # | Check | How | If it fails |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Other devices | Try a phone or laptop on the same network | All fail: the router or the line is the problem (skip to the router section). Only one fails: it is that device. |
| 2 | Got an address? | Windows ipconfig; macOS ipconfig getifaddr en0; Linux ip -4 addr; phones: tap the network's (i) or gear | 169.254.x.x or no address: the router did not give you one (DHCP). Forget the network and rejoin, or restart the router. |
| 3 | Reach the router | ping 192.168.1.1 (use the “Default Gateway” / “Router” address from step 2) | No replies: weak signal, wrong network, or a router that has hung. Move closer, then restart it. |
| 4 | Internet by number | ping 1.1.1.1 or ping 8.8.8.8 | Router answers but this does not: the router's internet line is down. Check its WAN/internet light and your provider's status page. |
| 5 | Names (DNS) | nslookup example.com | Numbers work, names do not: DNS is broken. Set DNS to automatic, or try 1.1.1.1 / 8.8.8.8, and flush the cache (ipconfig /flushdns on Windows). |
On a phone without a terminal, step 4 and 5 are the difference between “nothing loads at all” and the browser saying DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN or ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED.
What the warning means on each system
- Windows: “No internet, secured”. Windows tried to fetch a small test page from Microsoft and could not. Secured just means the Wi-Fi uses a password.
- Android: “Connected without internet” or “Connected, no internet”. Same idea: a test request to a known server failed.
- iPhone / iPad: “No Internet Connection” under the network name. Some networks also show “Private Wi-Fi Address” warnings here.
All of them run the same kind of tiny test request. A failed test can also mean a captive portal: the hotel or café network wants you to accept terms first and is quietly redirecting every request.
Common causes and fixes
| Cause | Clue | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Sign-in page (captive portal) not showing | Public Wi-Fi; browser shows certificate errors on every HTTPS site | Open http://neverssl.com (plain HTTP on purpose) so the network can redirect you to its sign-in page |
| No address from the router | 169.254.x.x | Forget and rejoin; restart the router; too many devices can exhaust its address pool |
| Router or modem hung | Every device affected | Unplug for 30 seconds, plug in, wait for the internet light (a couple of minutes) |
| Provider outage | Router reachable, 1.1.1.1 not | Check the provider's status page from mobile data; nothing to fix at home |
| DNS failure | Numbers work, names fail | Automatic DNS, or a public resolver; flush the DNS cache |
| Private / random MAC address | Works at home, fails on a network that allow-lists devices | Turn off “Private Wi-Fi address” (iPhone) or “Use randomised MAC” (Android) for that network only |
| VPN or proxy | Works when the VPN is off | Reconnect or remove the VPN; check no old proxy is set in network settings |
| Weak signal | One room only; ping to the router drops packets | Move the router up and to the middle of the home, or switch bands: see 2.4 GHz vs 5 GHz |
Why “connected” is not “online”
Wi-Fi is only the first hop, from your device to the router by radio. Want to see what walls, fridges and microwaves do to that hop? The interactive Wi-Fi house lesson lets you drag the router around and watch the signal spread.
Related
Wi-Fi keeps disconnecting instead? · Blank default gateway? What gateway and subnet mask mean · Fix an IP address conflict · What your IP address means (169.254, 192.168, public vs private) · Log in to your router · 2.4 GHz vs 5 GHz · Find a saved Wi-Fi password · DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN · ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT · getaddrinfo ENOTFOUND · Wi-Fi QR code generator
Questions
Why does my Wi-Fi say connected but no internet?
Your device reached the router, but a later hop failed: no address from the router, the router's internet line, DNS, or a captive portal sign-in page.
What does a 169.254 address mean?
The router did not hand your device an address (DHCP failed), so it picked a self-assigned one that cannot reach the internet. Rejoin the network or restart the router.
How do I tell if it is DNS?
If ping 1.1.1.1 works but nslookup example.com fails, numbers work and names do not, so DNS is the problem.
How do I get the hotel Wi-Fi login page to show?
Open http://neverssl.com. It uses plain HTTP so the network can redirect you to its sign-in page.
Why does only my phone say no internet?
Often a private (random) MAC address on a network that allow-lists devices, a VPN, or an old proxy setting on that one device.
Published · updated .