Ethernet Connected but No Internet [2023 Guide]

Does it ever happen to you that you connect your PC with a LAN cable to use ethernet to get high speeds but there is no internet at all? Well, that happens to a lot of people and there are some easy ways to fix it.

In this guide, we are going to show you how to fix an ethernet connected but no internet issue. So make sure to follow all the steps carefully.

Why does it happen?

Faulty Ethernet Cable: If your ethernet cable is faulty or old, chances are that it has some wear and tear damage. This could hinder the network and you will not get internet access.

Bad Port: If you do not use the internet port frequently, chances are that it has dust accumulated there or the port is simply faulty. In that case, the ethernet cable won’t connect properly and you will not be getting internet access.

Corrupt Files: Sometimes, corrupt files and malware can cause your device to malfunction and you will not get internet even when you connect it.

Old Network Drivers: Outdated network drivers are some of the main causes of such problems.

Service Issue: Chances are that your internet provider is having downtime and they are unable to provide internet to you. In that case, none of the other stuff matters because you don’t have internet access from your ISP.

Ethernet Connected but No Internet Access [Fixed]

Change DNS Settings

Step 1: Press “Win+R” on your keyboard to open the Run Dialog box.

Step 2: Type “ncpa.cpl” and hit enter.

Step 3: Right-click on Ethernet and then click on Properties.

Step 4: Double-click Internet Protocol Version 4(TCP/IPv4).

Step 5: Check the option for Obtain an IP address automatically and Obtain DNS server address automatically are selected, then click OK.

If this fixes your ethernet connection error, enter the manual Google Public DNS server address.

Step 1: Select Use the following DNS server addresses

Step 2: Set the server addresses to the Google public DNS server addresses (8.8.8.8 / 8.8.4.4).

Step 3: Click OK and check to see if this fixed your Internet connection problem.

Reset Network Settings (For Windows)

Resetting your network settings can do wonders if you face any network-related issues. Here is how to do it:

Step 1: Press the “Win+R” keys on your keyboard.

Step 2: Type “cmd” and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter on your keyboard.

Step 3: Once the command prompt opens, type the following commands and hit enter one by one:

ipconfig /flushdns

ipconfig /registerdns

That is it! This will reset all the network settings and the issue should be resolved.

Change the Port

A damaged or faulty port on your computer might be causing this problem. In that case, the fix is simple. All you have to do is change the port and use a different one. If the different port works fine then you have nothing to worry about.

Scan for Malware

Oftentimes, the malware on the PC is what causes this issue. All you have to do is download an anti-malware app and run a full PC scan. The software will detect and delete all the malware on your PC and the issue should be resolved.

Flush DNS

Chances are that your DNS might be acting up and causing this issue. All you have to do is flush your DNS. Here is how to do it:

Step 1: Press the “Win+R” keys on your keyboard.

Step 2: Type “cmd” and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter on your keyboard.

Step 3: Once the command prompt opens, type the following command and hit enter:

ipconfig /flushdns

Wait for it to complete and restart your PC.

Restart the Devices

If you have ethernet connected but no internet then a great idea would be to restart all of your devices first. That includes restarting your router/modem, the device which is connected via the ethernet cable, and everything involved. This will definitely help you resolve if it is not a hardware or software issue on the PC.

Disable WiFi

For some users, simply disabling WiFi on their PC while connecting to the internet via an ethernet cable seems to have fixed the problem. This is a common issue and can happen a lot. So you can try disabling the WiFi to see if the ethernet connection starts to provide you with the internet.

Check the Cable

As mentioned earlier, if the LAN cable is faulty then the internet won’t work properly. Instead, it will not work at all. So carefully examine the entire length of the LAN cable. See if there is some damage. Especially focus on the connecting ends of the cable because they are the most susceptible to damage. If the cable is damaged, you can use a new cable and see if this resolves the issue.

Run The Network Troubleshooter

Step 1: Go to the Windows search bar, type “Settings” and hit enter.

Step 2: Open ‘Network & internet.

Step 3: Click on the ‘Troubleshoot’ button.

If it is not present there, navigate down and you will find the option to troubleshoot network-related issues.

Step 4: Run the troubleshooter.

Now the troubleshooter will look for any potential problems. If it finds anything, you will get the option to fix it. You can apply the fix and the issue will be solved for you.

Updating the Network Driver

Updating the Network Driver to a newer version can fix the problem. Here is how you can update the network driver:

Step 1: Open the Windows Search bar, type “Device Manager” and hit enter.

Step 2: Double-click on ‘Network adapters’ to expand.

Step 3: Select your network adapter, it could be Realtek, Broadcom, etc.

Step 4: Right-click on it and select ‘Update driver'.

Step 5: Select ‘Search automatically for drivers’.

Step 6: Now the computer will search and update the drivers for you.

Complete the process and restart your computer.

Reinstalling the Network Driver

If the above method didn’t work for you. You can try reinstalling the network driver. Here is how:

Step 1: Open the Windows Search bar, type “Device Manager” and hit enter.

Step 2: Double-click on ‘Network adapters’ to expand.

Step 3: Select your network adapter, it could be Realtek, Broadcom, etc.

Step 4: Right-click on it and select ‘Uninstall device’.

Step 5: Finally, click on ‘Uninstall’ and check the box reading “Delete the driver software for this device”.

Let the process complete and after that restart your computer and check if the problem is solved or not.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does connected but no Internet connection mean?

When you have a device that is connected to your home network but has no Internet connection, it means that the connectivity between your router and the device needs to be fixed. This can be caused by many issues which we have already covered in the above article.

How do i know if my Ethernet port is active?

Your Ethernet port is active when it has a green blink light. Sometimes, this light will be yellow/orange or off, so you may need to troubleshoot your Ethernet connection.

How do i test my Ethernet connection?

You can use some tools to test your Ethernet connection. The first option is to use an internet speed test website such as fast.com, which will provide basic information about connection performance. Another option is to use the network diagnostics tool we discussed in the above article.

Closing Phrase

So those are some of the ways to fix an ethernet connected but no internet. Make sure you follow all the steps carefully and these methods will definitely help you fix the issue. In case of any difficulty, feel free to reach out to us.