About two days ago, my PC was blocked from accessing my home network, and it was later unblocked. Since then, Windows 11 has behaved strangely: Google and YouTube work normally, but Steam, Discord, and many other services act as if there is no internet connection. I can sometimes access those sites only by using a browser VPN. I have already restarted the PC, flushed DNS, and tried changing DNS servers, but nothing has fixed the problem. I am not very familiar with networking, so I am unsure what settings I should check next.
4 Answers
This sounds like a DNS or router configuration problem. Check which DNS servers your router and Windows connection are using, and make sure they are valid and reachable. You could temporarily try a trusted public DNS service, then restart the router and PC. Also check whether the router has device restrictions, parental controls, or filtering enabled for your computer.
Check your VPN settings even if you only use a browser VPN. Some VPN extensions affect only the browser, but installed VPN software can also add a system-wide kill switch or network adapter. In Windows, review Network and Internet settings for VPNs, proxies, and extra adapters, and disable anything you do not recognize.
I do not think I have a full VPN installed; I only use the VPN feature inside Firefox, so I will check Windows proxy and VPN settings.
The fact that Google and YouTube work does not necessarily mean the whole connection is fine. Different services use different DNS records, ports, and network routes. Check whether Windows is set to use a proxy, and make sure no firewall rule is blocking Steam or Discord. You can also temporarily disable third-party security software to test whether it is interfering.
Think back to what changed while the computer was blocked. A manually configured DNS server, proxy, firewall rule, VPN setting, or network profile could have been left behind. Return those settings to automatic defaults where possible, then reboot both the router and computer. If the router blocked the device, ask whoever manages it to check its access-control and filtering settings.
I am checking the DNS settings now, but I am not sure what values or problems I should be looking for.