How to Fix Your Ethernet Connection Not Working on Windows 11

Ethernet connections are meant to be more stable and reliable than Wi-Fi, but that doesn't mean they're without their own problems.

An Ethernet connection offers many advantages over its wireless counterpart. However, when it stops working, diagnosing and fixing the Ethernet not working issue can get a little tricky in Windows 11.

While you can use the built-in troubleshooter to find and fix network problems, there can be other underlying issues causing your Ethernet connection to act up. Here we show you the common contributing factors that can break your Ethernet connection in Windows 11 and how you can fix them to get connected.

Windows 11 features a built-in troubleshooter to fix the most common issues with your PC. You can use the Internet Connection and Network Adapter troubleshooter to detect and fix any issues with the network devices.

To fix the Ethernet not working issue:

If the issue persists, follow these steps to run the Network Adapter troubleshooter:

If Windows detects no issue, you can try the steps below to troubleshoot and fix the problem yourself.

If you see the No Internet access message, it can be due to a loose Ethernet connection to your PC or the router. Disconnect the cable from your PC and router's port. Then, reconnect the cable and watch for the click sound to ensure it's firmly connected.

Your router has multiple ports. The Internet port is used to connect your router to the modem. Make sure the cable is connected to the Ethernet port and not the Internet port.

Try to connect using a different Ethernet cable. This will help you determine if the issue is with your cable or something else. If you are shopping for a new cable, explore our guide on choosing an Ethernet cable for your wired connection to make the best decision.

Additionally, try to use a different Ethernet port on your router. If it works, you may have a faulty port requiring attention.

You can create a new connection with a quick power reset. Useful to fix issues triggered by a temporary glitch.

Note that your Internet will be temporarily unavailable during the power reset. Make sure to pause any activity that relies on an active Internet connection.

To power reset the modem and router:

Windows 11 features a bunch of useful commands to reset network devices and network stack to troubleshoot networking issues. Run the following command in the given order to reset your network settings successfully.

You can also perform a network reset using Windows 11's Settings panel.

To perform a network reset from Settings:

Your PC can turn off connected but idle devices to save power. While a handy feature, this can also disrupt essential services.

To fix the problem, configure your Ethernet adapter's power management settings in Device Manager. Here's how to do it.

Outdated or corrupt Ethernet adapter drivers can cause the adapter to malfunction. To fix the issue, uninstall the adapter driver from Device Manager. Your PC will reinstall the driver upon restart.

To uninstall the Ethernet adapter driver:

Once done, restart your PC. Windows will automatically detect connected devices and install the missing driver for the Ethernet adapter.

Windows 11 lets you turn off individual network adapters for Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and Bluetooth from Settings. Reportedly, disabling and re-enabling the Ethernet adapter has fixed issues with the Ethernet connection.

To disable and re-enable the Ethernet adapter:

Router firmware updates often tend to bring performance improvements and security patches. However, they may also include bug fixes related to your Ethernet connectivity issues.

Some routers are configured to install new updates automatically. But all of them allow you to check for new firmware updates and install them manually.

Explore our easy guide on how to update your router's firmware to see if that helps resolve the Ethernet not working problem.

The plug-n-play nature of the Ethernet connection can make it difficult to troubleshoot issues when it stops working. However, in most cases, a quick disconnect and reconnect of cables, power reset, and Windows network reset can fix the problem for most users.

Tashreef is a developer and works as a technical writer at MUO. With a bachelor's degree in Computer Applications, he has over 7 years of experience and covers Microsoft Windows and everything around it. When not looking for a missing semicolon or churning out text, you can find him trying FPS titles or looking for new animated shows and movies.