Internet & Network / Ethernet

How to Fix Ethernet Not Working on Windows

Quick answer

Reseat the cable at both ends and try another router LAN port. Confirm Ethernet is enabled in Windows Settings. If the status still looks dead, check Device Manager for the adapter and try a known-good cable. Network reset is a later step because it also forgets Wi-Fi. Do not format anything and do not download an Ethernet "repair" utility.

Practical PC editorial teamUpdated November 2, 202615 min readBeginner-friendlyAbout 15 to 40 minutes

Quick diagnosis

If several of these match what you see, you are in the right guide.

Windows says "Network cable unplugged" while the cable is inserted
Ethernet shows unidentified network, or no internet
The link lights on the PC or router stay off
Wi-Fi works, but the cable never does
A USB-to-Ethernet adapter is ignored or erroring

Possible causes

A loose, damaged, or too-cheap cable
The cable is in the wrong port on the router or modem
The Ethernet adapter is disabled in Windows
The PC is not getting an address from the router (often a 169.254 address)
A USB Ethernet dongle or docking station that is not enumerating
A workplace policy or VPN client blocking the adapter

What you need

The Ethernet cable you already use
A second cable or a different router port, if you have one

What this problem usually means

Ethernet is the plastic network plug (often RJ-45) that carries internet over a cable instead of Wi-Fi. When it fails, Windows may still show a globe, "unplugged," or a connection that never gets a useful address. The fault is frequently physical: the clip on the plug is broken, the cable is in the modem's WAN port by mistake, or a laptop dock is only half-seated.

If Wi-Fi works and Ethernet does not, the internet service is probably fine. If neither works, start with Wi-Fi connected but no internet and a router restart before you replace cables. If the cable works but everything is merely slow, use slow internet on a Windows PC instead of this article.

Before you start

Look at the router: you want a LAN port (often numbered 1 to 4), not the port labeled WAN, Internet, or the coaxial cable.
If this PC uses a USB Ethernet adapter or a docking station, treat that as extra hardware, it can fail independently of the laptop.
Work laptops may disable Ethernet by policy. If you cannot turn the adapter on, ask IT rather than running network reset.

Skip Ethernet "fixer" downloads

Windows already has the adapter software it needs in almost every case. Unofficial repair tools from ads are a malware risk and will not reseat a cable.

Quick fixes

1. Reseat the cable and watch for lights

Push the plug in until the plastic clip clicks at the PC and at the router.
Try a different numbered LAN port on the router.
Look for a small link light next to the port. No light on either end often means no electrical link yet, cable, port, or adapter.

2. Turn Ethernet off and on in Windows 11

Open Settings → Network & internet → Ethernet.
If you see a switch or a disabled adapter, enable it.
Open Advanced network settings and confirm Ethernet is listed. You can disable it, wait ten seconds, and enable it again.

3. Disable Wi-Fi while you test the cable

Windows may stay on Wi-Fi and never really use the cable. Turn Wi-Fi off from the taskbar, wait a few seconds, and see whether Ethernet gets an address. Turn Wi-Fi back on when you are done testing.

Step-by-step troubleshooting

See whether Windows got a real address

An address that starts with 169.254 means Windows made up a local address because the router did not hand one out. That is a clue: cable, port, or the router's DHCP (the function that assigns addresses), not a missing "Ethernet app."

ipconfig

What this does: Lists the PC's current network addresses for each adapter.
Why run it: You can see whether Ethernet has a 192.168 or 10 address (typical at home) or 169.254 (no router lease).
What you should see: Under an Ethernet adapter, IPv4 Address should look like 192.168.x.x or 10.x.x.x on most home routers. 169.254.x.x means the lease failed.
If it fails: Open Terminal or Command Prompt and type ipconfig, then Enter. If no Ethernet adapter appears at all, Windows does not see the hardware, continue with Device Manager.

If you have 169.254, reseat the cable, try another port, restart the router, then use the unidentified network guide for the DHCP/release-renew path. If renew still fails, the PC is not talking to the router on that cable.

Check Device Manager without removing every adapter

Right-click Start and choose Device Manager.
Expand Network adapters.
Look for Ethernet, Realtek, Intel, or a similar wired adapter with a warning icon.

If there is a warning, right-click that one adapter, choose Uninstall device, restart Windows, and let Windows reinstall it. Do not uninstall Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and every WAN Miniport at once. On a desktop that uses a USB keyboard, be careful uninstalling USB controllers, that is a different problem.

If you use a USB Ethernet dongle and Device Manager never shows it, follow USB device not recognized with another port and another cable for the dongle itself.

Try another cable before you blame Windows

Ethernet cables fail in ways that look like software: one bent pin, a cable that only carries USB charging in a mislabeled bag, or a 3-foot patch that was crushed in a door. Borrow a cable that already works between a TV and a router if you can. If another PC works on this same cable and port, the first PC's adapter or settings are the suspect.

Network reset only if this PC is the outlier

If the cable and port work on another computer, and Device Manager looks clean, a Windows network reset can rebuild the stack. Read that guide first: you will rejoin Wi-Fi. It will not repair a dead port on the motherboard.

Cable, this PC, or the network?

Choose an answer. The next question appears below, no account or download required.

Does Wi-Fi on this same PC still reach the internet?Yes, only the cable failsNo, wireless is down too

Does this cable and router port work on another device?Yes, another PC or TV gets a linkNo, or I cannot test another device

The network is fine. Enable Ethernet in Settings, check Device Manager, and look at ipconfig for 169.254. A USB adapter or dock is a common hidden failure on laptops.

Swap the cable and the router port next. No link lights usually mean hardware in the path, not a missing Windows feature.

Restart the router and follow the Wi-Fi connected-but-no-internet checks. Ethernet troubleshooting will not restore a dead internet line.

How to know the problem is fixed

With Wi-Fi off, Ethernet should show connected in Settings and load two websites.
ipconfig should show an IPv4 address that is not 169.254.
Link lights, if the hardware has them, should be on or blinking while you browse.

If the problem continues

Try a USB Ethernet adapter as a test on a laptop (a known brand from a store, not a random listing). If the USB adapter works, the built-in port may be damaged. If nothing wired works and Wi-Fi does, use Wi-Fi and have a shop inspect the port, especially after a liquid spill or a yanked cable.

For driver updates, use the PC or motherboard maker's support page and the Ethernet or chipset package they list. Skip driver packs from search ads.

When this may be hardware failure

A port that never lights with several cables, a connector that wobbles, or Ethernet that dies when the laptop moves is hardware. Docking stations fail more often than built-in ports. Replacing the cable is cheap; replacing a laptop Ethernet jack is a repair job.

Common mistakes to avoid

Plugging the PC into the router's WAN/Internet port.
Assuming "unplugged" always means software, it often means the clip or the cable.
Uninstalling every network adapter in Device Manager at once.
Buying a USB Ethernet adapter from an ad that bundles extra software.
Running network reset before trying a second cable.

Frequently asked questions

Why does Windows say the cable is unplugged when it is not?

The PC is not seeing an electrical link. That is usually the cable, the port, a disabled adapter, or a dock. Reseat both ends and look for lights before changing DNS or resetting Windows.

Can I use a USB-C hub for Ethernet?

Yes, if the hub includes a real Ethernet port and Windows shows a new network adapter. If the hub is unstable, try a different USB port (directly on the PC, not through another hub). See the USB not-recognized guide if the hub never appears.

Is Ethernet always faster than Wi-Fi?

A good cable to the router is more consistent than weak Wi-Fi. A damaged cable can be slower than solid 5 GHz Wi-Fi. Test rather than assume.

Written by Practical PC editorial team. We write practical Windows and PC troubleshooting guides for home users, students, and office workers. Guides are researched from official documentation and widely observed support patterns, then reviewed for safety and plain language. We do not invent lab tests, certifications, or first-hand repair experience we do not have.