Connectivity · Oct 2026 · 2 min read

Wi-Fi connected but no internet: what to check first

Your device says it is connected, yet nothing loads. These checks find the cause in most cases.

Start by finding out how far the problem reaches. If every device in the house has no internet, the problem is the router, the modem or the provider. If only one device is affected, the problem is almost always on that device.

If every device is affected, restart the equipment in the right order. Unplug the modem and the router, wait thirty seconds, plug the modem back in first and wait until its lights settle, then plug in the router. Many temporary faults clear at this point.

Look at the lights on the modem. Most modems have a light for the connection to your provider. If that light is off, red or blinking in an unusual way after a restart, the fault is likely outside your home, and it is time to check your provider's status page or call them.

If only one device is affected, tell it to forget the network and join it again. On a computer, also check the IP address it received. An address that starts with 169.254 means the device did not get an address from the router, which points to a connection or settings problem on that device.

If websites do not load but apps such as messaging still work, the problem may be name resolution (DNS) rather than the connection itself. Restarting the device clears its cache, and the router's DNS settings are worth checking next.

Hotels, cafes and offices often use a sign-in page. If you are connected but nothing loads, open a browser and visit any plain website; the sign-in page usually appears. Until you accept it, nothing else will work.