My PC cannot connect to the internet.

Gary Hay 0 Reputation points
2026-10-05T23:24:30.4266667+00:00

My computer will not detect my network hardware after your support had me restart my computer after they took control of it and made changes this afternoon.

Windows for home | Other | Internet and connectivity
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  1. Kapil Arya 38,511 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2026-10-06T08:54:53.1733333+00:00

    I recommend to perform Network Reset once:

    1. Open Settings app, click Network & Internet > Advanced network settings > Network reset.
    2. Now click on Reset now button on next screen.
    3. In confirmation prompt appearing next, click Yes.

    Let us know if this helps!

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  2. Ferdinand Nanalig 33,405 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-10-06T00:00:33.77+00:00

    Hi, let me help you.

    May I please know the brand and model of your computer?

    Please take a screenshot of Device Manager with Network Adapters expanded to see if you still have the Network driver installed.

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  3. AI answer

    2026-10-05T23:24:46.13+00:00

    If Windows is no longer detecting the network hardware, focus on the network adapter in Device Manager first.

    1. Open Search, type Device Manager, and open it.
    2. Expand Network adapters.
    3. If the adapter is listed but disabled, right-click it and select Enable device.
    4. If the adapter is listed, right-click it and select Uninstall device.
    5. Select Attempt to remove the driver for this device if that option appears, then select Uninstall.
    6. Restart the PC.

    After restart, Windows should automatically look for and install the network adapter driver again.

    If the adapter still is not detected:

    1. In Device Manager, check whether no network adapter appears at all.
    2. If it does not appear, Windows is not detecting it. In that case, manually install the latest network driver from the PC manufacturer’s website. If the PC cannot get online, download the driver on another PC and copy it by USB. The PC manufacturer and model number are needed.
    3. Also verify the latest driver by running Windows Update and compare the Driver Version and Driver Date in Device Manager > adapter Properties > Driver tab with the version on the manufacturer’s site.

    If the adapter is detected again but internet still does not work, reset the network stack:

    1. Open Search, type Command Prompt, then select Run as administrator.
    2. Run these commands in order:
      • netsh winsock reset
      • netsh int ip reset
      • ipconfig /release
      • ipconfig /renew
      • ipconfig /flushdns
    3. Check whether the connection returns.

    If that still fails, use Network reset as a last step. This removes and reinstalls network adapters and resets their settings to default. It can also require reinstalling VPN software or virtual switches afterward.

    1. Select Start and open Settings.
    2. Go to Network & internet.
    3. Select Status > Network reset.
    4. Select Reset now > Yes.
    5. Wait for the PC to restart, then test the connection again.

    A quick isolation step is to try the same Ethernet connection or network on another Windows PC if available. If another PC also cannot connect, the issue is more likely with the router, ISP, or adapter rather than the original PC.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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