Quick fix: Run netsh winsock reset and netsh int ip reset from an elevated terminal, then reboot. If “Limited” remains, manually set IPv4 to obtain automatically while disabling IPv6 to bypass an IPv6-only DHCP path that Windows 11 has trouble with on some routers.

Your laptop says “Connected, no internet” or “Limited connectivity” on the home Wi-Fi. Your phone and another laptop are on the same network with no problem. The router is fine. Something about the Windows 11 PC alone refuses to complete the connection. The issue is usually a corrupted Winsock catalog, an IPv6/IPv4 routing conflict, or a stale DHCP lease.

Symptom: Windows 11 reports “Connected, no internet” or “Limited” on a network where other devices work normally.
Affects: Windows 11 on Wi-Fi or Ethernet.
Fix time: 10 minutes.

What causes this

Windows 11 decides you have “internet” by sending an HTTP probe to www.msftconnecttest.com. If that probe returns successfully, you see the globe icon. If the probe fails — for any reason: blocked at the firewall, IPv6 hijacked, captive portal — the icon shows the warning and Windows reports limited connectivity. Other devices may use a different probe (Google’s 204 endpoint for Chromebooks, Apple’s captive portal endpoint for iPhones) that does succeed, which is why only Windows shows the problem.

The fix is to make the probe succeed, either by clearing the network stack so Windows reconnects fresh, or by adjusting IPv6/DNS settings that are intercepting the probe.

Method 1: Reset the network stack

Open an elevated Command Prompt (right-click Start → Terminal (Admin)).
Run the following commands in order:

netsh winsock reset

netsh int ip reset

ipconfig /release

ipconfig /flushdns

ipconfig /renew
Reboot the PC.
After login, check the network icon. The globe should appear without a warning.

This is the standard reset and resolves most cases. If “Limited” persists after reboot, continue to Method 2.

Method 2: Set static DNS and verify IPv4 path

If DNS is broken or the router is offering an unreachable IPv6 gateway, manually pin to known-good DNS and force IPv4 priority.

Open Settings → Network & internet → Wi-Fi (or Ethernet).
Click your network name to open its properties.
Scroll to DNS server assignment, click Edit, change to Manual, toggle IPv4 on.
Set Preferred DNS to 1.1.1.1 and Alternate DNS to 8.8.8.8.
Save.
If “Limited” persists, scroll up to IP assignment. Confirm IPv4 is set to Automatic (DHCP). If your network doesn’t support IPv6, scroll to the bottom of the page and toggle IPv6 off for this connection.

This forces Windows to use IPv4 and a public DNS resolver, which bypasses many router-side bugs that show up only on Windows.

Method 3: Disable Wi-Fi adapter power save

Some Intel and Realtek Wi-Fi adapters drop to a power state that keeps the link active but breaks DHCP renewal. Turning off the aggressive power save fixes intermittent “Limited.”

Press Win + X and open Device Manager.
Expand Network adapters, right-click your Wi-Fi adapter, choose Properties.
On the Power Management tab, uncheck Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power.
On the Advanced tab, find Power Save Mode (some drivers) and set it to Disabled or Maximum Performance.
Click OK. Disable and re-enable the adapter to force a fresh association.

This is the most common fix on laptops with Intel Wi-Fi 6 and 6E cards. The setting persists across reboots and driver updates if it’s set in the adapter advanced tab.

How to verify the fix worked

Network icon shows the globe with no warning badge.
Open a browser and navigate to http://www.msftconnecttest.com/connecttest.txt. The page returns the word Microsoft Connect Test.
Run ping 1.1.1.1 from Command Prompt. Replies arrive with normal RTT.
Run nslookup wisechecker.com. It resolves without timeout.

If none of these work

If all three methods fail, the problem is likely either a captive portal (coffee shop, hotel) that Windows isn’t triggering, or a firewall/antivirus blocking the probe. For captive portals, open a browser manually and navigate to http://example.com — the captive page should pop up. For firewall issues, temporarily disable third-party antivirus and retest; if that fixes it, the AV is blocking the probe and you need to whitelist msftconnecttest.com. If you’re on a managed device, the corporate proxy may be intercepting the probe — coordinate with IT to allow the connectivity check URL through the proxy.

Bottom line: Limited connectivity on a working network is almost always a Windows-side problem: a broken Winsock state, a stale DHCP lease, or an aggressive Wi-Fi power save. Cycle through the three methods and you’ll catch the cause in the first two for most users.