My PC was fine for months, but now it often boots with no usable internet connection. Windows shows that I'm connected through both Ethernet and Wi‑Fi, yet websites won't load until I run Network Diagnostics. The troubleshooter usually reports that no problems were found, but the connection starts working immediately afterward. This happens after most boots. I've already reset the network settings, flushed DNS, restarted the router, and reinstalled Windows. Could having both Ethernet and Wi‑Fi enabled be causing a conflict, or could this be related to a network adapter or driver?
3 Answers
A full router restart is worth trying, but since the connection immediately recovers when Windows runs diagnostics, the more likely cause is on the PC—such as an adapter initialization problem, competing Ethernet and Wi‑Fi connections, or a driver that starts incorrectly during boot. Test with one adapter disabled and compare the results.
Try using only one connection type at a time. Disable Wi‑Fi completely and test Ethernet by itself, or disable Ethernet and test Wi‑Fi. If the issue continues with one adapter disabled, try disabling the unused adapter in Device Manager rather than merely disconnecting from its network. Also consider reinstalling or updating the drivers for the adapter that remains enabled.
Check the exact diagnostic details, especially any action it takes before declaring that everything is fine. If it only works after the troubleshooter runs, Windows may be restarting an adapter or refreshing the network configuration during that process.
The result only says that I’m connected to the internet and that no problems were found. It still happens after almost every boot.