“Connected, no internet” means the device successfully joined the Wi-Fi network at the radio level, but something downstream — DNS, the router’s internet connection, or an IP conflict — is blocking actual internet access.
Common Symptoms
- Wi-Fi icon shows connected with an exclamation mark
- Device gets an IP address on the network but can’t browse
- Other devices on the same Wi-Fi work fine
Possible Causes
- The router’s own WAN/internet connection is down
- DNS server unreachable
- IP address conflict on the local network
- Captive portal (guest Wi-Fi login page) not yet completed
Before You Begin
Check if any other device is also affected — if every device on the Wi-Fi shows the same problem, focus on the router’s WAN connection rather than this one device.
Method 1 — Confirm the router itself has internet
Check the router's WAN status
Log into the router’s admin page and check whether the WAN/internet status shows connected.
Method 2 — Forget and reconnect to the network
Remove the saved network
On the affected device, forget the Wi-Fi network, then reconnect and re-enter the password — this clears a potentially stale IP/DNS lease.
Method 3 — Change the device’s DNS server
Set a public DNS manually
In the device’s Wi-Fi network settings, manually set DNS to 1.1.1.1 or 8.8.8.8 and retest.
Method 4 — Check for a captive portal
Open a browser
On guest/public Wi-Fi, open any website — many networks redirect to a login/terms page before allowing full internet access.
A quick way to isolate router vs. device: try connecting a different known-good device to the same Wi-Fi network — if it also fails, the router/ISP is the problem.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does “connected, no internet” happen right after a router reboot?
The router itself can take a minute or two to re-establish its own connection with the ISP after rebooting — give it a couple of minutes before troubleshooting client devices.
Conclusion
Confirming the router’s own internet connection first, before touching individual device settings, avoids chasing a client-side fix for what is actually a router or ISP issue.
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