Internet not working is a common issue with Windows computers but imagine a situation in which the Ethernet is not working on your system even though the WiFi is working well. If you face this issue, here are some suggestions to help you troubleshoot and fix the issue.
WiFi working but Ethernet not working on Windows 11/10
The causes could be with the internet cable itself or the settings of the system. In either case, you would have to troubleshoot the problem. Try the following solutions:
- Use a different ethernet cable
- Run the Network Adapter troubleshooter
- Temporarily turn OFF anti-virus and Firewall
- Make sure that the ethernet adapter is enabled
- Release IP address
- Update the network drivers
1] Use a different ethernet cable
To isolate the cause with the ethernet cable, you can try using a different ethernet cable. If it works, the earlier cable could be faulty. In case you don’t have an extra ethernet cable, use the current one with a different computer.
Another fact to note is that the router’s ethernet slot could also be faulty. However, routers usually come with multiple ethernet slots, so you can try changing the slot as well.
2] Run the Network Adapter troubleshooter
The Network Adapter troubleshooter checks for problems with the Network Adapter and resolves them if possible. The procedure to run the Network Adapter troubleshooter is as follows:
- Right-click on the Start button and select Settings from the menu.
- Go to the System tab on the list on the left-hand side.
- In the right pane, scroll down and click on Troubleshoot >> Other troubleshooters.
- Scroll down to the Network Troubleshooter and click on Run corresponding to it.
3] Temporarily turn OFF anti-virus and Firewall
Since the anti-virus and Firewall could be creating an issue while connecting to the internet through the ethernet cable, disabling them temporarily could be great advice. In the case of third-party anti-virus products, please contact the manufacturer for the procedure to deactivate them. In the case of Windows Defender, the procedure to disable it is as follows:
- Search for Windows Security in the Windows Search bar.
- Open the application.
- Click on Virus and threat protection on the list on the left-hand side.
- In the right pane, click on Manage settings.
- Turn the switch OFF for Real-time protection.
- Check if this resolves the issue.
- Turn the switch ON later when the problem is resolved.
You can temporarily turn OFF the Windows Defender Firewall too.
4] Make sure that the Ethernet adapter is enabled
If the ethernet adapter is disabled, the ethernet connection will cease working even if the Wi-Fi works well. The procedure to affirm this is as follows:
- Press Win+R to open the Run window.
- In the Run window, type the command NCPA.CPL and hit Enter to open the Network Connections window.
- In the Network Connections window, check if you notice Disabled on the ethernet adapter.
- If yes, right-click on the adapter and select Enable.
5] Release IP address
Since the issue could also be with the IP address of the system, you can fix it as follows:
Search for Command Prompt in the Windows Search bar.
In the Command Prompt window, type or copy-paste the following commands and hit Enter after each of them to change the IP address.
ipconfig /release ipconfig /renew
Then reboot your system and check if this fixes the problem.
6] Update the Network drivers
Windows Update is probably the most efficient way to update network drivers in Windows 11. Whether it is a Wi-Fi driver or Ethernet driver, you can use the Windows Update to download and install the pending updates. The best thing is that you can download such updates manually. To update Network drivers in Windows 11 using Windows Updates, follow these steps:
- Press Win+I to open Windows Settings.
- Go to the Windows Update tab on the left side.
- Click on the Advanced options.
- Click the Options updates menu under Additional options.
- Expand the Drivers updates section.
- Tick the checkbox and click the Download & install button.
It will start downloading and installing the update automatically.
You can also use the Device Manager to update Network drivers:
- Press Win+R to open the Run window.
- In the Run window, type the command DEVMGMT.MSC and hit Enter. This will open the Device Manager window.
- Expand the list for Network Adapters.
- Right-click on the Network Adapter and select Update drivers.
Read: Where to download Ethernet Drivers for Windows?
Why is WIFI working but not Ethernet?
If WiFi is working but not the Ethernet, you must check the network adapter first. If you use an external Ethernet adapter, it is required to verify if it is working or not. Also, you must download and install the Ethernet adapter’s driver. In case you have already installed, you can reinstall the driver.
Fix: Network & Internet connection problems in Windows
How do I enable Ethernet on Windows 11?
There is nothing to do in order to enable Ethernet on Windows 11. However, if you disabled it earlier, you need to open the Network Connections panel by enter ncpa.cpl in the Run prompt. Then, you can right-click on the Ethernet adapter and select the Enable option.
