How to Fix No Internet Connection After a Windows Update

Published 2026-10-16 · LuxuriousComputers Repair

You installed a Windows update and now the internet does not work. The Wi-Fi icon shows no connection or shows connected but with no internet access, the Ethernet connection shows a yellow triangle, or the network adapter has disappeared completely from the settings. Everything was working before the update. This is a common problem because Windows updates frequently replace or reset network drivers, change network settings, or introduce bugs that break existing network configurations.

Restart the computer and router

A restart after an update completes pending configuration changes that sometimes fix network issues automatically:

  1. Restart the computer — not just the quick restart from the update, but a full shutdown and power on. Click Start, Power, Shutdown, wait 15 seconds, then press the power button
  2. While the computer is off, restart your router: unplug it for 30 seconds, plug it back in, wait 2 minutes for it to fully boot
  3. Power on the computer and check the internet connection

Run the network troubleshooter

  1. Right-click the network icon in the taskbar (bottom right, near the clock)
  2. Select Troubleshoot Network Problems (Windows 10) or Network and Internet Troubleshooter from Settings, System, Troubleshoot (Windows 11)
  3. Let the troubleshooter run. It checks for disabled adapters, incorrect IP configuration, DNS problems, and driver issues. Follow any prompts to apply fixes
  4. The troubleshooter is surprisingly effective at fixing post-update network problems because it can detect and reset misconfigured settings

Reset the network adapter

If the network adapter shows connected but no internet, or shows an unidentified network:

  1. Open Settings, Network and Internet, Advanced Network Settings (Windows 11) or Settings, Network and Internet, Status (Windows 10)
  2. Click Network Reset at the bottom
  3. Click Reset Now. This removes all network adapters and reinstalls them, resets all networking components to their default settings, and clears saved network configurations
  4. The computer restarts automatically after the reset. You will need to reconnect to Wi-Fi networks (passwords are cleared) and reconfigure any VPN connections

Reinstall the network driver

Windows updates sometimes replace working network drivers with generic or incompatible versions:

If the network adapter still appears in Device Manager

  1. Open Device Manager (right-click Start, Device Manager)
  2. Expand Network Adapters. Find your Wi-Fi or Ethernet adapter
  3. Right-click it and select Uninstall Device. Check the box to Attempt to Remove the Driver if it appears
  4. Restart the computer. Windows reinstalls the driver automatically. If this installs the correct driver, the internet should work

If the network adapter has disappeared

  • In Device Manager, click View, Show Hidden Devices. The adapter may appear grayed out — right-click it and select Enable or Update Driver
  • If it does not appear at all, click Action, Scan for Hardware Changes. If the adapter still does not appear, the update may have disabled it in BIOS or the driver is completely missing

Roll back the driver

  1. In Device Manager, right-click the network adapter, Properties, Driver tab
  2. Click Roll Back Driver. This reverts to the previously installed driver version that was working before the update
  3. If Roll Back Driver is grayed out, the previous driver is not available. You need to download the correct driver from another source

Download the driver from the manufacturer

If the network adapter is not working at all and you cannot get online to download a driver, you have several options:

  • Use another device (phone, tablet, another computer) to download the driver, copy it to a USB drive, and install it on the affected computer
  • For Wi-Fi adapters: temporarily connect the computer with an Ethernet cable (if available) to download the Wi-Fi driver. Ethernet often works even when Wi-Fi does not because they use different drivers
  • For laptops: go to the laptop manufacturer's support page (Dell, HP, Lenovo, ASUS) and search for your model number. Download the network/wireless driver
  • For desktops: go to the motherboard manufacturer's website and download the LAN and Wi-Fi drivers for your motherboard model
  • For USB Wi-Fi adapters: go to the adapter manufacturer's website (TP-Link, Netgear, ASUS) and download the driver for your specific adapter model

Reset TCP/IP and DNS

The update may have corrupted the TCP/IP stack or DNS cache:

  1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator (right-click Start, Terminal (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin))
  2. Run these commands one at a time:
    • netsh winsock reset — resets the Winsock catalog to its default state
    • netsh int ip reset — resets the TCP/IP stack
    • ipconfig /flushdns — clears the DNS resolver cache
    • ipconfig /release — releases the current IP address
    • ipconfig /renew — requests a new IP address from the router
  3. Restart the computer after running all commands

Check for disabled network services

Windows updates can sometimes disable critical network services:

  1. Press Windows+R, type services.msc, press Enter
  2. Look for these services and make sure each is set to Running and Automatic:
    • DHCP Client — gets your IP address from the router
    • DNS Client — resolves website names to IP addresses
    • Network Connections — manages network connections
    • WLAN AutoConfig — manages Wi-Fi connections (critical for wireless)
  3. If any of these are stopped, right-click the service, select Start. If the Startup Type is Disabled, change it to Automatic

Uninstall the problematic update

If nothing else works, removing the update that caused the problem is the most direct fix:

  1. Settings, Windows Update, Update History, Uninstall Updates
  2. Find the most recent update (sorted by date) and click Uninstall
  3. After the update is removed and the computer restarts, check if the internet works. If it does, you can temporarily pause updates (Settings, Windows Update, Pause Updates) to prevent the problematic update from reinstalling while waiting for Microsoft to release a fixed version

If you cannot access Settings (no desktop)

  1. Boot into Windows Recovery Environment: force shutdown three times during boot to trigger Automatic Repair
  2. Click Troubleshoot, Advanced Options, Uninstall Updates
  3. Choose Uninstall Latest Quality Update or Uninstall Latest Feature Update depending on which type was installed

Check proxy and VPN settings

  • Windows updates can reset proxy settings or conflict with VPN software: Settings, Network and Internet, Proxy — make sure Use a Proxy Server is Off (unless you intentionally use a proxy)
  • If you have VPN software installed, disable or uninstall it temporarily and test. Some VPN clients install virtual network adapters that conflict with updated Windows networking components

System Restore

If the update changed too many things and no individual fix works:

  1. Search for Create a Restore Point in the Start menu, click System Restore
  2. Select a restore point from before the update was installed
  3. System Restore reverts system files, drivers, and settings to that point without affecting your personal files

No internet repair in Columbus or Delaware

If your computer lost internet after a Windows update and the troubleshooting above did not fix it, LuxuriousComputers can diagnose the specific driver conflict or configuration change that broke your connection, install the correct drivers, and restore your internet access.

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