First test another website and another browser; if both fail, run Windows 11’s Network and Internet troubleshooter before resetting the connection or Wi‑Fi adapter.
1. Identify the scope
- Open two unrelated websites in your current browser.
- Try the same sites in another installed browser.
- Connect a phone or another device to the same Wi‑Fi and open a website.
A Connected Wi‑Fi indicator does not rule out a browser, firewall, or website-specific issue. If only one site or browser fails, the network itself may still be working.^1^
- Only one website fails: the website may be unavailable or blocked. Try it later.
- Only one browser fails: disable that browser’s extensions temporarily and clear its cache.
- Every device fails: restart the modem/router. This temporarily disconnects everyone.
- Only the Surface fails: continue below.
2. Run the Windows troubleshooter
On the Surface Pro 8:
- Select Start, search for Get Help, and open it.
- Search for network troubleshooter.
- Run the Network and Internet troubleshooter and apply any proposed repair.
Microsoft recommends this as the first Windows 11 diagnostic. The Surface-specific path is also available under Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters > Network Adapter > Run.^1^ ^2^
3. Recreate the Wi‑Fi connection
If the troubleshooter does not fix it:
- Open Settings > Network & internet > Wi‑Fi > Manage known networks.
- Select your Wi‑Fi network, then select Forget.
- Select the network icon on the taskbar.
- Reconnect to the Wi‑Fi network and enter its password.
You can also open Settings > Network & internet, turn Airplane mode on, wait briefly, and turn it off again.^1^
4. Reset Windows networking and DNS
If all browsers still fail, open Command Prompt as administrator and run these commands in order:
netsh winsock reset
netsh int ip reset
ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew
ipconfig /flushdns
Restart the Surface afterward and test again. These commands reset Winsock and TCP/IP, obtain a new IP address, and clear the DNS resolver cache.^1^
5. Apply the Surface-specific fallbacks
If connectivity remains unavailable:
- Force-restart the Surface: shut it down, then hold the power button for a full 20 seconds, continuing to hold it if the logo appears early.
- Open Device Manager > Network adapters.
- Double-click the Intel Wi‑Fi adapter, select Driver > Disable Device, confirm, and then select Enable Device.
- Restart the Surface.
Surface Pro 8 uses an Intel Wi‑Fi adapter covered by Microsoft’s Surface troubleshooting procedure.^2^
If that fails, download the appropriate Surface driver package on another computer and copy it by USB before uninstalling the adapter driver. Then, in Device Manager > Network adapters, uninstall the Wi‑Fi adapter and restart Windows; Windows should reinstall it. Keeping the downloaded driver available prevents being left without a usable network driver.^1^
References