Restart Your Device and Router — The Old Reliable Method
It might sound a bit basic, but honestly, many Wi-Fi issues after a Windows update can be sorted out just by doing a proper restart. Here’s what finally worked for me — turn your PC off completely. Not Sleep or Hibernate, actually shut it down. Same goes for your router — unplug it completely. Sometimes, you just need a full reset. Unplug the power cord from the wall, make sure it’s really out, and wait about 30 seconds. I’ve found that this pause helps clear out any cached data or temporary glitches. If your router has a Reset button, you can press that as well, but be cautious — some reset buttons do a full factory reset, wiping custom settings like passwords or Wi-Fi names. Only use this option if you’re confident about what you’re doing or as a last resort. After waiting, plug everything back in, switch your devices back on, and give them a few minutes to settle — basically, wait until the lights turn green. This simple power cycle has solved my connection issues more times than I can count. It’s a quick way to clear temporary bugs and refresh your network lease, especially after a Windows update messes with your network adapters. Honestly, most of the time, this simple routine is enough to get Wi-Fi working again without messing around with driver updates or changing settings.
Check that Wi-Fi Settings Are Enabled and Correct
Windows updates often sneakily toggle features in the background, and before you know it, Wi-Fi is turned off or disabled without any obvious reason. So, start by heading to Settings > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi. Make sure the toggle switch is set to On. If it’s already on, try disconnecting from your network and reconnecting — it can help refresh the connection, like clicking “Retry” on a stubborn website. After updates, Windows sometimes disables your network adapter or switches your network profile without telling you. To check, open the Control Panel. You might need to search for it in the Start menu since it’s a bit tucked away these days. Once open, switch the view to Large icons or Small icons. Click on Network and Sharing Center and then select Change adapter settings from the sidebar. Right-click your Wi-Fi adapter — such as Realtek Wireless LAN or Intel Wi-Fi — and see if the option to Enable is available or if it’s greyed out. Sometimes, Windows disables your adapter silently, especially if a driver is acting up or after a major update. Click “Enable” and wait a few seconds for it to come back to life. If it’s disabled, that’s likely the issue, and re-enabling it should get your Wi-Fi working again in no time.
Ping the Router from Command Prompt — Is It Reachable?
This was a bit of a “wait, really?” moment for me. If your PC shows as connected but you can’t browse the web, it’s worth checking if the router is actually reachable. Open Command Prompt — press Windows Key + R, type cmd, then hit Enter. For more reliable results, run it as an administrator — right-click the icon and pick Run as administrator. First, find your router’s IP address (your default gateway). Type ipconfig and press Enter. Look for the section labelled Wireless LAN adapter Wi-Fi or similar — this contains your network info — and find the Default Gateway. It will be a number like 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1. Copy that IP. Then, run a ping test: type ping 192.168.1.1 (or your actual router’s IP) and press Enter. If you see all four replies without packet loss, great — your PC and router are communicating fine. If you see timeouts or “Request timed out,” the problem might be upstream — your ISP’s modem could be acting up, or the router might be having a bad day after that Windows update. In that case, try rebooting the router again or check your cables. If you can connect via Ethernet, even better. Also, look for firmware updates for your router or blinking error lights — sometimes, a firmware hiccup or a simple restart is all it takes to fix the problem.
Remove and Reconnect to the Network — A Fresh Start
This is a tried-and-true method — especially if your network profiles got corrupted or are acting odd after the update. Head to Settings > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi, then click on Manage known networks. Find your Wi-Fi network in the list — it might be named after your router brand or simply your usual Wi-Fi name. Click on it and select Forget. I know it sounds drastic, but it clears out the faulty profile and forces Windows to treat this as a brand-new connection. After that, click the Wi-Fi icon in your taskbar, select your network again, and enter your password. Sometimes, Windows just gets confused and tries to use old profiles that no longer work properly. Re-establishing a fresh connection often sorts that out. Rebooting your PC and router afterwards isn’t a bad idea either — a quick restart can make a big difference. This method has saved me many times when the connection just refuses to behave after a big Windows update.
Anyway, those are the main tips that finally got my Wi-Fi sorted after it was totally dead post-update. If none of these work, you might need to update your Wi-Fi driver, reset your network settings using netsh commands, or even roll back the Windows update if it’s causing big problems. But for most folks, these steps should cover the basics without much fuss.
Hope this helps — it took me ages to sort this out, so I really hope it saves someone else a whole weekend of frustration. Good luck, and here’s to a solid Wi-Fi connection!