How to prevent and fix loss of Internet connection on Windows 10?

Does your internet connection randomly drop and then reconnect? You’re not alone. Since Microsoft released Windows 10, users have reported losing internet connection continuously, and it’s quite a headache, especially for those who rely on the internet for their day-to-day activities, such as online gamers.

On other occasions, your Windows device might show that you’re connected to the internet but no webpage seems to load. In this post, we share the best tips on how to fix loss of internet connection on Windows 10.

Here’s Why Internet Is Disconnecting on Windows 10:

• One of the common reasons why your internet connection keeps dropping has got to do with corruption of Windows Socket API (Winsock) in Windows Registry. This might be due to a virus or malware attack.
• A TCP/IP configuration error can also cause internet connection issues. This can be fixed by validating your IP address.
• Another reason for the loss of internet connection might be incorrect installation or corrupt network card drivers.

How to Fix Loss of Internet Connection

Fix 1: Run the Network Troubleshooter

The Network troubleshooter is useful when having network issues and can help diagnose and fix internet connection problems. To run the Network troubleshooter, use the steps below:

1. Run the “Settings” app, which is accessible from the “Start” menu.
2. Open Network & Internet > Status.
3. Select “Network troubleshooter”, and follow the prompts to fix your internet issues.

If you still experience random and frequent internet connection drops, try the next step.

Fix 2: Check if Your Network Adapter is Enabled

On rare occasions, the network adapter might fail to turn on after an update. Therefore, it’s worth checking out if the network adapter is enabled via the Device Manager:

1. Run “Device Manager” by right-clicking “Start” and selecting the corresponding option.
2. Locate “Network adapter” and expand it.
3. Find your network adapter and right-click it. If you see an option titled “Disable device”, then your network adapter is enabled. However, if you see “Enable device” from the options, then click on it to enable your network adapter.

This should provide the fix for your internet connection issue.

Fix 3: Reset Winsock API

If the Winsock API is faulty, then the following steps will help you to fix it:

1. Press the “Start” button and type command prompt.
2. Select the first result, which is titled “Command Prompt”, and click “Run as administrator”.
3. Type the following commands one by one followed by “Enter”:

• netsh winsock reset catalog
• netsh int ipv4 reset reset.log

4. Restart your PC to effect the changes.

For some users, this fix worked temporarily and they had to reset Winsock API every time they restarted their PCs. This could mean that their computers might be infested by malware. This takes us to Fix 4 below.

Fix 4: Run a Full Malware Scan

Malware is destructive and known to cause serious damage to computer systems. Not only do these offenders change your system settings, but they also steal personal details that can be used by hackers to demand ransom.

Defending your PC from malware intrusion requires an intelligently designed tool like Auslogics Anti-Malware. The software is created with the end-user in mind. And since different types of malware have unique traits, Auslogics Anti-Malware does a great job of identifying all of them and removing them from your system.

Using this software to scan your machine will fix security issues and prevent data loss. All the programs, files, folders and even the browsers in your computer will be scanned for suspicious behavior. The culprits will be quarantined, and you’ll have the option to completely remove them from your machine or allow them to run.

But that’s not all: Auslogics Anti-Malware is super easy to use and comes with the Scheduler, a feature that enables you to schedule automatic scans to protect your device around the clock. After running the software, remove any apps or files that seem suspicious. This should provide a fix for your device’s loss of internet connection.

Fix 5: Update the Network Adapter Driver

An outdated, broken or incompatible network adapter can also cause connection issues. If you recently installed a new network adapter, it’s possible that you installed the wrong driver version. Likewise, if you can’t remember the last time you updated your device drivers, then your network adapter could be outdated and hence unable to function correctly.

Manually updating your device drivers can be hectic and time-consuming, and you risk installing the incorrect driver versions. To make it easy on you, we recommend using the Auslogics Driver Updater app to automatically scan your system and install the latest official device drivers from the manufacturers’ websites.

You don’t have to go through the hassle of downloading executable files that could harm your PC even further. After you’ve updated all the device drivers, restart your computer and check if it fixed the connection problem.

Fix 6: Uninstall the Network Adapter Driver

If you recently updated your Windows 10, you can try uninstalling the network adapter driver in order for Windows to automatically install the driver for you.

To proceed:

1. Press the Windows Key+S, and type device manager.
2. Select “Device Manager” from the results.
3. Find and expand “Network adapters”, and highlight the network adapter for your PC.
4. Right-click your network adapter and select “Uninstall device”.
5. Click “Uninstall”.
6. After the process is complete, restart your machine, and Windows will automatically search for and install the network adapter driver. Now check to see if this prevents the loss of internet connection on your Windows 10 PC.

Fix 7: Perform a Network Reset

If all the above workarounds fail to fix the random drops in your internet connection, your last resort is to use Network Reset, a Windows feature that automatically resets network adapters and networking settings.

This feature will uninstall all network adapters and reinstall them and then restore networking components back to their factory defaults.

Follow these simple steps to perform a network reset:

1. Press the Windows Key+I simultaneously on your keyboard.
2. Open Network & Internet > Status.
3. Locate and select “Network reset”.
4. You’ll see a screen telling you that a network reset will set your networking components back to their factory defaults.
5. Click the “Reset now” button, and then select “Yes”.
6. This process will restart your PC; therefore, make sure you save your work before you proceed.

Things you need to know:

• After using the Network reset feature, you will have to reinstall other networking tools that you were previously using, such as VPN (Virtual Private Network) software.
• A network reset changes your network connection to public. This means that your PC is not discoverable to other devices on the network, which is a secure option. However, if you use your PC for file sharing or in a homegroup, you need to change the setting to private network mode. Simply go to Settings > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi. Click “Manage known networks” and select the network connection of your choice. Click “Properties” and select “Private” under “Network profile”.

We hope these troubleshooting steps help you to fix the ‘Windows 10 losses internet connection’ issue. For further assistance, please reach out to us via the comments section.