Wi-Fi says connected, but websites do not open in Windows

Connected only means the laptop joined the Wi-Fi network. It does not prove Windows received a usable IP address, can reach the router, can reach the internet, or can resolve website names.

Do not start with a driver reinstall, router factory reset, or full Windows network reset. First split the failure: whole network, this one laptop, local router path, DNS, VPN/proxy, or browser.

Start with the simplest check:

1. Try one website on another phone or laptop using the same Wi-Fi.
2. If every device is offline, stop troubleshooting Windows and check the modem/router, ISP outage, or captive portal.
3. If only this Windows device is broken, continue.
4. Turn off VPN only for a short test if one is running.
5. Open a plain site in the browser and check whether a hotel, airport, dorm, or public Wi-Fi login page appears.

Then press Win + X, open Terminal or PowerShell, and run:

ipconfig
ping YOUR_GATEWAY
ping 1.1.1.1
nslookup example.com

Replace YOUR_GATEWAY with the Default Gateway shown by ipconfig, often 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1.

Read the branch before changing settings. If there is no normal IPv4 address, or it starts with 169.254, Windows did not get a proper address from the router. Forget and reconnect to Wi-Fi, reboot the router once, and check DHCP. If the gateway ping fails, the local Wi-Fi/router path is bad. Move closer, forget and rejoin, and check the adapter. If the gateway works but ping 1.1.1.1 fails, the laptop reaches the router but the router/ISP/security route is failing. If ping 1.1.1.1 works but nslookup example.com fails, this is likely DNS. If both tests work but browsers do not load pages, check proxy, VPN, browser extensions, security software, or a broken browser profile.

For DNS or browser/proxy branches, go to Settings -> Network & internet -> Proxy and turn off manual proxy unless you intentionally use one. Disconnect VPN for one controlled test; if the VPN is the trigger, use the VPN no-internet checklist instead of resetting Windows. Set DNS back to automatic, reconnect Wi-Fi, and retest nslookup example.com. If DNS is still broken, run ipconfig /flushdns, then retest.

For Wi-Fi/router branches, forget the Wi-Fi network and reconnect with the correct password. Restart the router once, wait a full minute, and test again. Try the laptop on a phone hotspot. Check Device Manager only after the split test; if the adapter shows Code 10/43, disappears, or fails on multiple networks, driver or hardware work becomes reasonable.

If you ask for help, share the Terminal output showing IPv4 Address, Default Gateway, gateway ping, ping 1.1.1.1, and nslookup example.com. Hide public IPs, router passwords, account numbers, recovery keys, payment screens, and private details.

Stop here if no device has internet on that network, the Windows adapter disappears or fails on a phone hotspot too, the network belongs to work/school/hotel/dorm/managed housing, or security software/parental controls make the tests work only when paused.

Related Price2Click guides: use Home Wi-Fi troubleshooting if several devices are affected, and use VPN no-internet troubleshooting if the problem starts only after a VPN connects.