A huge number of people can no longer imagine everyday life without the Internet. But in order to use it, you first need to connect to the World Wide Web. It is at this stage that some users periodically experience difficulties. In this article, we'll tell you what to do if your Windows 10 device won't connect to your Wi-Fi network.

Today we will talk about two main methods that will help you solve the problem of connecting to a wireless network. In fact, there are many more similar methods, but most often they are individual in nature and are not suitable for all users. Now let's look at both mentioned methods in detail.

Method 1: Checking and enabling the Wi-Fi adapter

In any unclear situation with a wireless network, you first need to make sure that the adapter is correctly recognized by the system and access to the hardware itself is enabled. It sounds trivial, but many users forget about this and look too deeply for the problem.

  1. Open "Options" Windows 10 using keyboard shortcut "Win+I" or any other known method.
  2. Next, go to the section "Network and Internet".
  3. Now you need to find a line with the name on the left side of the window that opens "Wi-Fi". By default it is second from the top. If it is present in the list, then go to this section and make sure that the wireless network switch is set to "On".
  4. In case the section "Wi-Fi" not in the list, should be opened "Control Panel". To do this, you can use the keyboard shortcut "Win+R", enter the command control in the window that opens, and then click "Enter".

    About how you can still open "Control Panel", you can find out from a special article.

  5. A new window will appear. For convenience, you can switch the element display mode to "Large Icons". This is done in the upper right corner.
  6. Now you need to find an icon with the name in the list "Network and Sharing Center". Go to this section.
  7. In the left part of the next window, click LMB on the line "Change adapter settings".
  8. At the next step, you will see a list of all adapters that are connected to the computer. Please note that additional devices that were installed on the system along with the virtual machine or VPN are also displayed here. Among all the adapters you need to find the one called "Wireless network" or contains the words in the description "Wireless" or "WLAN". Theoretically, the icon of the required equipment will be gray. This means it is turned off. In order to use the hardware, you need to right-click on its name and select the line from the context menu "Turn on".

After completing the described steps, try again to search for available networks and connect to the one you need. If you do not find the adapter you are looking for in the list, then you should try the second method, which we will discuss later.

Method 2: Install drivers and reset connection

If the system cannot correctly detect the wireless adapter or its operation is malfunctioning, then it is worth updating the drivers for the device. Of course, Windows 10 is a very independent operating system, and often installs the necessary software itself. But there are situations when equipment needs software released by the developers themselves for stable operation. To do this, we recommend doing the following:

After restarting your computer, try connecting to Wi-Fi again. In most cases, the described actions solve previously encountered problems. If you are trying to connect to a network whose data is saved, then we recommend activating the function "Forget". It will allow you to update the connection configuration, which could simply have changed. It's very easy to do this:


We hope that by following the steps described, you will get rid of various errors and problems with Wi-Fi. If after all the manipulations you were unable to achieve a positive result, then you should try more radical methods. We talked about them in a separate article.

A very common problem when you connect to a WiFi network in Windows 10/8.1 and you get an error can't connect to this network. With this problem, the Windows system does not show us the reasons or the error code itself, which complicates the task and we can only guess from the tea leaves. Let's look at what can be done and how to fix the error with connecting to a WiFi or local network in Windows 10/8.1.

Possible solutions to the problem when connecting to the network in Windows 10

If you are having problems connecting to your network, the first thing you should do is try to fix any problems that may be occurring with your network devices. To do this, first of all, you need to disable and enable all network devices, such as a router, access point, modems, everything that is connected to the computer and connected to the Internet or network.

  • Click Win+R and enter devmgmt.msc to launch Device Manager.
  • Expand Network Adapters and right click on network devices and update them. If you don’t know where the local or WiFi card is, then use the word Wireless, this is WiFi. Controller- This is a local network card for connecting via wire.
  • You may also consider installing them again and rebooting your system. If the above methods do not work, try downloading and installing drivers from the manufacturer's website.


2. Run Troubleshooting Network, Hardware, and Device Problems

  • Go to All Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot. In the list on the left, select the diagnostics in order Equipment and devices, Network adapters, Incoming connections.
  • I have collected special utilities from Microsoft on the site for; download the utility that suits you.


3. Network reset

If all else fails, maybe this will help.

  • Open " Options" > "Network and Internet" > "State" and on the right find Network reset. This will reset all network adapters to default.


If there is a problem with the WiFi connection, then I advise you to also delete the existing wireless connection.

  • Open " Options" > "Network and Internet" > "WiFi" > on the right click on the word " Managing known networks". Next, select from the list the network to which you cannot connect and click Forget. If your list is huge and you don’t need them, then I advise you to delete unnecessary connections.


How to properly connect and configure the Internet on personal computers with the Windows 10 operating system is the topic of the article. It will be especially useful for unprepared users who have updated their PC to the latest version, but still have not understood all the intricacies of the settings. Some users do not know where and what is configured to connect to the Internet, while for others it does not work at all, even with the parameters set correctly.

You will learn four different connection methods - standard Ethernet network, high-speed PPPoE connection, wireless connection, Wi-Fi technology, and modems.

So, how to set the correct parameters, or configure the connection again if the Internet is not connected.

There are several ways to connect your computer to the global network. You will learn about four basic connections:

  • About a standard Ethernet connection that is connected using a cable. This uses a direct connection, modem technology or a router.
  • About a high-speed connection that supports the PPPoE tunneling protocol.
  • About wireless, Wi-Fi, technology.
  • About connecting to the Internet using 3G/4G USB modems.
So, what is each connection and are there any subtleties in its settings. The first method, an Ethernet connection, is the most common.

Ethernet: connecting to the Internet in Windows 10 via a network cable (router, modem)

Ethernet, a packet data technology, is called the simplest connection. Internet service providers install network cables into homes and connect individual apartments. With this connection, the Internet can be connected directly or through a router or ADSL modem. This is the same Internet connection, but connected using different devices. To be more precise, a network cable is used everywhere, only the connection method is different - direct or through special devices for packet data transmission.

To set up an Ethernet connection, connect the cable from your router, modem, or service provider to your personal computer into the special connector for network cards:


With the correct settings, the connection will occur automatically, and you do not need to enter any passwords or logins: they are absent in this connection. If the connection status changes in the notification panel, it means the Internet is working. What to do if the network cable is connected normally, but the computer does not see it? You need to look for the reason in the drivers for the network card.

This is a common problem after a system update. The driver for the card is installed automatically during the update by the OS itself, but for some reason it does not work. And you can solve the problem by installing the correct driver. To do this, you need to download it from the official page, selecting your PC model, and install it on your device.

Now, what should you do if, after connecting the cable, the connection is activated, but its status is “ Limited"? The reasons may be hidden in incorrect parameters of the Ethernet adapter.


To check that the settings are correct and set the desired parameters, do the following:


If all parameters are correct, the Internet connection status will be active. If the status does not change, try rebooting. If even after a reboot the network is not found, not recognized, or is limited, make sure that the network cable, router, or modem is connected correctly. Also contact your service provider's technical support - the problem may be on their side.

If you connect without routers and modems, that is, directly, check with your provider for the terms of provision of Internet services. You may need to bind your Internet connection to the MAC address of your network card. If this is so, then after binding, your Internet will work immediately.

Setting up a high-speed connection (PPPoE) in Windows 10

PPPoE or high-speed connection differs from Ethernet in just a few nuances. Internet service providers also install cables into homes and connect individual apartments. But to connect to the Internet in this case, you will need a password, login and possibly some additional settings on your PC or router if wireless technology is used. But this is not the most important thing. For the Internet to work, you need to connect it, that is, first create a connection, and only then enter logins and passwords.

If you use a router with configured connections (including PPPoE) to connect to the Internet, you do not need to change any settings on your PC. Simply connect the cable to the device and configure it as you would with an Ethernet connection.

If you connect to the network directly via cable, without devices, and with a password and login, you must first create this connection.

To create a connection, do the following:


Click on the icon and delete, change connection parameters, etc.

Internet connection via Wi-Fi

If you have a Wi-Fi router, you can connect to the Internet using wireless technology. You can also connect your PC to the network of friends and other places where there is free access. The first thing to do when using this internet connection is to check the driver. If it is installed, the system usually does this automatically, open available networks, select your Wi-Fi and enjoy the connection. Well, perhaps you will first have to enter a password if there is protection.


Connecting via wireless, Wi-Fi, technology on Windows 10 is easy.

Setting up the Internet via a 3G/4G modem in Windows 10

And finally, the fourth method of Internet connection, which uses 3G/4G modems (3rd and 4th generation of mobile communications). The first step is to connect the modem to the computer. But for the device to work, a working and suitable driver must be installed for it.

It is better to download drivers from official resources - it is more reliable. This is the case if you did not find a disk with them in the box with the modem. When searching for a driver, focus on the modem model. If it has not yet been released by the manufacturer for Windows 10, download it for other versions of the OS. Should come up.

The modem is connected, the driver is installed and the setup begins. Looking ahead: the connection is configured in almost the same way as high-speed PPPoE Internet.

So do this:


If the parameters are set correctly, you will see the connection created and activated. If not, the settings may be incorrect or the modem is not properly connected to the PC. If this does not help, contact technical support for clarification. If coverage is poor and the signal level is weak, the Internet will be slow or not work at all. Sometimes increasing the signal level helps, but it is best to worry about buying an antenna for the modem.

The connection you created can be edited, deleted, etc. To change settings and other actions, click on its icon.


There is an icon for your connection in the notification panel. Monitor its status, stop, reconnect, set new parameters if necessary, etc.

This is how you can easily and quickly connect and configure the Internet on Windows 10.

And a few more words

Now, by connecting your computer/laptop to the Internet, you can turn it into a Wi-Fi router and distribute the Internet to peripheral devices - other PCs, smartphones, tablets. In this case, you do not need to buy special equipment for this. All you need is to create an access point on your computer using one of the free specialized utilities. . Even an untrained user can understand it.

You connected via cable or wireless network, setting the correct settings, but the Internet did not work, and you see a notification and a yellow exclamation mark? This error is common on personal computers with Windows OS, both in the new version and on old ones.

The check starts with the BIOS. This applies to systems with built-in communication modules. First of all, laptops. If you disable wireless communication on a Windows 10 laptop, the OS does not see the network. Wi-Fi does not work, and sometimes BlueTooth does not work if the module is combined. It would be useful to look at the presence of an antenna installed according to the rules. The setup is preceded by inspecting the hardware and checking the results using other devices. It is very convenient to set up Wi-Fi with a smartphone at hand. When the connection is established, the information is verified.

Not everyone knows about this, but now, even without a router, you can transfer files over a Wi-Fi network by setting up special applications. In this aspect, both standards are approximately equal at short distances. Today everyone uses the capabilities of a wireless network in the subway, transport, hotel and even train. This is why a poorly functioning protocol is a cause of dissatisfaction, and why some people start to panic when the Wi-Fi icon disappears. Let's see why we can't connect to this network.

On a laptop, the F2 key is often used to enter the BIOS, which must be pressed during startup. Scroll through the (usually sparse) menu until you see the wireless network setting. To be honest, it’s hard to get lost on a single page of settings, but we’ll still attach a photo.

Two protocols are circled:

  1. Wi-Fi.
  2. BlueTooth.

The laptop has a dedicated slot for the wireless module, and the system knows where to look for it. This means it can be turned off if necessary. Use this option for your health. Finally, it would be nice to make sure that we should have a network at all. Let's take the time to remove the back cover and take a look.

It is almost impossible to confuse. The two coaxial wires have a very distinctive appearance. If the hardware is in order, we move on.

Enabling the network on laptops

Wi-Fi on a laptop is turned on with the quick key combination Fn + F5. A graphic menu appears where you just need to check a box. Inspect the keyboard for function keys.

These keys are the most frequently used. We do not show the icons because some of them do not remind you of wireless communication at all. After that, go to settings and enable the network:


Reconciliation

We mentioned that you need to check the result. Sometimes it happens that there has been no connection for a long time, but the subscriber is still on the list. Here is a screenshot of the network list from Android.

In general, the picture is similar. This means that we were able to set up the network and connect. If you plan to distribute, configure network discovery in the special menu.

Network discovery

In some cases, it is necessary to set several more parameters. This includes network discovery. To enable it:


I can't turn it on

Start by checking Device Manager:


In case of any deviations, try the following steps:

  1. Update the driver (directly from Device Manager).
  2. Disable the hardware (from Device Manager) and restart the PC.

Windows has a real problem with networks. Sometimes changes take effect only after several reboots.

External modem

An external modem is an option for many PCs. The interface (unlike USB) has hardly been updated, so old devices are quite suitable.

In a matter of seconds, the OS recognized the installed modem, and now we can find our neighbors’ access points.

All that remains is to check if everything works!

This is what we were talking about: a modern OS can update to a new configuration almost instantly.

And now we again see the same list of networks on the third device. If it were not possible to immediately start showing the networks, then we would have to download the driver.

How to download the driver

We just type our model (WL-U356L) into the search, and now on the company’s page we are offered to download the driver.

Actually, the modem is old, so the driver for it is antediluvian.