I'm having an issue with my Windows laptop not connecting to my home Wi-Fi network unless I manually set the DNS to Google's DNS server at 8.8.8.8. It was all working perfectly until yesterday, but now, if I leave the DNS settings on automatic, I just get a 'No Internet' message. My other devices, like my phone and tablet, have no trouble connecting to the same Wi-Fi, and interestingly, if I use my phone as a mobile hotspot still connected to the same home Wi-Fi, my laptop connects without any problems. This leads me to think the problem is specific to how my laptop interacts with my home network's DNS.
Here's what I've tried so far: I've forgotten and reconnected to the Wi-Fi, reset the router, reset all network settings via commands, made sure my network adapter is set to obtain both IP and DNS automatically, temporarily disabled VPN and security software, updated and reinstalled the Wi-Fi adapter driver, and ran the Windows network troubleshooter. Everything indicates that the Wi-Fi adapter is functioning and the date/time settings are correct. I even noticed that when I used the release and renew commands, it sometimes shows 'media disconnected' even though the Wi-Fi is enabled. Notably, this issue started right after a Windows Security Update, so I'm wondering if that's related. I've scoured forums and YouTube videos for any solutions, but I haven't found anything that works. Any ideas on what I might be overlooking?
1 Answer
You might want to check what DNS your router is currently using. It could still be using itself as a DNS server, which may not be functioning properly. If you can access your router's DHCP settings, try setting the DNS to a public resolver like 8.8.8.8 instead of it defaulting to the router's IP. This could help with your laptop's connectivity issues.
I was told to keep DNS on automatic, but it keeps showing 'No Internet' on my laptop. Since my Wi-Fi is provided by my employer, I might need to escalate this. I've verified IP and DNS are set to auto, but it works fine when I set it to 8.8.8.8 manually. It’s frustrating because some software I need requires the original DNS.