Why does my PC say “Connected, no internet” while other devices work?
Asked by
VelvetMango42
I live in a boarding house where roughly 15 adults share free Wi‑Fi. My iPhone and smart TV connect normally, but my PC usually shows "Connected, no internet"—about 85% of the time. Could the network be running out of available connections or blocking my computer? Should I buy a router, a range extender, a USB Wi‑Fi adapter, or use a separate mobile hotspot and pay for extra data?
Answers
First, forget the Wi‑Fi network in Windows, reconnect to it, and restart the PC. You can also use Windows’ Network Reset option to completely rebuild the network settings. If a proxy is enabled, disable it as well.
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The landlord’s router could have a DHCP address limit, device-management rule, or a block affecting your PC. Ask them to check whether your computer is receiving a normal private IP address and whether there are device limits. A range extender probably will not fix an address-allocation or account restriction problem.
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Using your phone as a hotspot is a workable backup, but throttling can make it painfully slow. Before paying for another connection, test with a USB Wi‑Fi adapter and ask the landlord to investigate the shared router. Those steps will help identify whether the fault is on your PC or the building’s network.
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Try ruling out the computer’s Wi‑Fi hardware. A cheap USB Wi‑Fi adapter or a temporary Ethernet connection can show whether the built-in adapter is the problem. If the PC still fails while other devices work, the issue may be the shared network rather than your computer.
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When the connection works and again when it fails, open Command Prompt and run `ipconfig /all`. Compare the IP address, gateway, and DNS entries. You can also try `ping 8.8.8.8`; if that fails, the problem is likely the connection itself rather than DNS. If the ping works but websites do not, set DNS to automatic or try 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4.
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