Wi-Fi and network settings in Windows 11/10: setup, fixes and tools

Wi-Fi and network settings in Windows 11 and Windows 10 are in Start > Settings > Network & internet, or right-click the network icon on the taskbar and select Network and internet settings.

This hub gives the short answer for each network job, from connecting to Wi-Fi and changing DNS to fixing no internet, then points to the full walkthrough.

Where are Wi-Fi settings on Windows 11 and Windows 10?

Every route starts in Settings > Network & internet, and the Network & Internet settings tour explains what each page there controls.

You want to	Do this
Connect to Wi-Fi	Select the network icon on the taskbar, then Manage Wi-Fi connections, pick the network, select Connect and type the password. You can also connect a computer to Wi-Fi on Windows 10 or a Mac.
Find your IP address	Select Properties next to your network and read IPv4 address, or find your IP address with ipconfig.
Change DNS	Open Wi-Fi > Manage known networks > your network > IP assignment > Edit, choose Manual and fill in Preferred DNS and Alternate DNS. You can also change DNS settings on Windows with PowerShell or netsh.
Fix Wi-Fi not working or no internet	Check Wi-Fi is on and Airplane mode is off, forget and rejoin the network, restart the router, then run the network commands below.
Reset network settings	Windows 11: Advanced network settings > Network reset > Reset now. Windows 10: Status > Network reset. When you reset network settings, VPN software may need reinstalling.

Where each network setting lives in Windows 11 vs Windows 10

Paths start from Start > Settings > Network & internet (Windows 10: Network & Internet).

Setting	Windows 11	Windows 10
Wi-Fi on/off and saved networks	Wi-Fi > Manage known networks	Wi-Fi > Manage known networks
IP address	Properties next to the connected network	Run ipconfig in Command Prompt
IP assignment and DNS	Wi-Fi > Manage known networks > network > IP assignment > Edit	ncpa.cpl > adapter Properties > Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) > Properties
DNS over HTTPS	Edit IP settings > DNS over HTTPS	Not available
Public or private profile	Wi-Fi > network > Network profile type	Chosen on first connect, when Windows asks whether the PC should be discoverable
Metered connection	Wi-Fi > network > Metered connection	Wi-Fi > network > Properties > Set as metered connection
Mobile hotspot and proxy	Mobile hotspot; Proxy	Mobile hotspot; Proxy
Network troubleshooter	Get Help app > search connect to network and internet > Run network diagnostics	Status > Network troubleshooter
Network reset	Advanced network settings > Network reset	Status > Network reset
Saved Wi-Fi password	Properties > Wi-Fi network password > Show	Status > Network and Sharing Center > Wi-Fi name > Wireless Properties > Security > Show characters

Both password routes need a PC that already joined; you can find your Wi-Fi password on phones or with CMD too.

On Windows 11 you can still turn on Network and Sharing Center, or show the Network icon on the desktop. Xbox apps have their own Xbox Networking settings page.

How to set up Wi-Fi on Windows 11 and Windows 10

On Windows 10, select the network icon, choose the network, select Connect, enter the password and select Next.

1. Select the network icon on the taskbar to open quick settings.
2. Select Manage Wi-Fi connections on the Wi-Fi quick setting; use Refresh network list if yours is missing.
3. Choose the network and select Connect.
4. Type the network password and select Next.

A PC with a camera can join Wi-Fi with a QR code in the Camera app's barcode mode. To link devices without a router, turn on Wi-Fi Direct.

Find IP address on Windows 11 in Settings or CMD

Settings shows the active connection; Command Prompt shows every adapter.

1. Open Settings > Network & internet and select Properties next to your network.
2. Read the value next to IPv4 address.
3. Or open Command Prompt, type ipconfig and press Enter.
4. Note Default gateway too; that is your router's address.

You can also view Wi-Fi or Ethernet status in the older Status window, and find a printer's IP address from its network report. A 169.254.x.x address means the router gave Windows none.

Ways to change DNS on Windows 11

Your situation	Use this	Why
One Wi-Fi network, no typing commands	Method 1: the Settings app	Applies to the network you pick, and offers DNS over HTTPS
Scripting or several PCs	Method 2: PowerShell	One cmdlet sets or resets the adapter's DNS servers
Command Prompt only	Method 3: netsh	Works in any administrator Command Prompt
Windows 10, or every network on one adapter	Method 4: Control Panel	Sets DNS on the adapter itself, not one saved network

Before you begin, note that the current setting is probably Automatic (DHCP) so you can revert, and get the adapter name from ipconfig for PowerShell and netsh.

Method 1: Change DNS settings in the Settings app

This is the route Microsoft documents for Windows 11. It changes DNS for one saved Wi-Fi network, or for the Ethernet connection you select.

1. Open Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi > Manage known networks, and choose the network.
2. Select Edit next to IP assignment.
3. Under Edit IP settings, choose Manual and turn on IPv4.
4. Type the primary server in Preferred DNS and the secondary in Alternate DNS.
5. Select Save.

Enable DNS over HTTPS (DoH) in Windows 11

DoH encrypts lookups between the PC and the DNS server. It appears in the same Edit IP settings dialog once you enter manual DNS servers.

1. Open Edit IP settings for the network and enter your Preferred DNS and Alternate DNS.
2. Under DNS over HTTPS, choose On (automatic template), or On (manual template) and type the provider's template.
3. Turn Fallback to plaintext on to allow unencrypted lookups when HTTPS fails, or off to block them.
4. Select Save.

Method 2: Change DNS settings with PowerShell

Run PowerShell as administrator. Set-DnsClientServerAddress sets static DNS servers on an interface, and they override what DHCP supplied.

Set-DnsClientServerAddress -InterfaceAlias "Wi-Fi" -ServerAddresses ("1.1.1.1","1.0.0.1")

Replace Wi-Fi with your adapter name from ipconfig, and the two addresses with your chosen servers.

You should see: ipconfig /all now lists the new DNS servers under the adapter.

Method 3: Change DNS settings with Command Prompt

Open Command Prompt as administrator. netsh interface ipv4 set dnsservers sets the primary server, and add dnsservers appends the secondary.

netsh interface ipv4 set dnsservers name="Wi-Fi" source=static address=8.8.8.8
netsh interface ipv4 add dnsservers name="Wi-Fi" address=8.8.4.4 index=2

source=static switches the interface from DHCP to the address you give; index=2 places the second server after the first.

You should see: ipconfig /all shows both servers under the adapter.

Method 4: Change DNS settings in Control Panel

This is the way to change DNS on Windows 10, and it still works on Windows 11. The ncpa.cpl command opens the Network Connections folder directly.

1. Press Win + R, type ncpa.cpl and select OK.
2. Right-click your Wi-Fi or Ethernet adapter and select Properties.
3. Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4), then Properties.
4. Choose to enter DNS server addresses manually, and type the preferred and alternate servers.
5. Select OK in each dialog to save.

Best public DNS servers for Windows 11 and why to change DNS

What is DNS? It turns names into IP addresses; with DHCP, the router supplies the DNS servers. Why change your DNS server: the current one does not answer, or you want DNS over HTTPS or filtering. The benefits of using a public DNS server differ by provider.

Provider	IPv4	IPv6	Notes
Cloudflare 1.1.1.1	1.1.1.1, 1.0.0.1	2606:4700:4700::1111, 2606:4700:4700::1001	No content filtering; you can use Cloudflare 1.1.1.1 with DoH on Windows and phones
Cloudflare for Families (malware)	1.1.1.2, 1.0.0.2	2606:4700:4700::1112, 2606:4700:4700::1002	Blocks known malware and phishing
Cloudflare for Families (malware and adult)	1.1.1.3, 1.0.0.3	2606:4700:4700::1113, 2606:4700:4700::1003	Adds adult-content blocking
Google Public DNS	8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4	2001:4860:4860::8888, 2001:4860:4860::8844	Google's published resolver addresses
OpenDNS (Cisco)	208.67.222.222, 208.67.220.220	Not listed on the setup page	You can set up OpenDNS on the router to cover every device

How to verify the DNS change worked

1. Open Command Prompt as administrator.
2. Type ipconfig /all | findstr /c:"DNS Servers" and press Enter; the new addresses should appear.
3. Type nslookup techdows.com and press Enter; with no server given, nslookup queries your default DNS server, which should now be the new one.
4. Type ping followed by the DNS server address to confirm it replies.

Common problems and how to fix them: if sites stop loading, an address is mistyped, so correct it or revert. A missing DoH option means Windows 10 or automatic DNS.

How to revert to automatic DNS

1. In Settings, open the network, select Edit next to IP assignment, choose Automatic (DHCP) and select Save.
2. In PowerShell, run Set-DnsClientServerAddress -InterfaceAlias "Wi-Fi" -ResetServerAddresses to return to the DHCP servers.
3. In Command Prompt, run netsh interface ipv4 set dnsservers name="Wi-Fi" source=dhcp.
4. Run ipconfig /flushdns so cached answers from the old servers are discarded.

What happens on other Wi-Fi networks: the Settings change is saved per network. Other Wi-Fi networks keep their own setting, usually Automatic (DHCP), so a manual DNS set on your home network does not follow you to a café. To change DNS settings for all Wi-Fi networks on one PC, set them on the adapter with Method 2, 3 or 4.

Network profiles, network discovery and file sharing settings

New networks join as Public network (Recommended), which hides the PC. Choose Private network only on a network you trust, because that makes the PC discoverable for file and printer sharing.

1. Open Settings > Network & internet, select Wi-Fi and your network (or Ethernet).
2. Under Network profile type, select Private network.
3. Search Settings for manage advanced sharing settings and open Manage advanced sharing settings.
4. Under Private networks, turn on Network discovery and File and printer sharing.
5. In File Explorer, right-click a folder, select Show more options > Give access to > Specific people.

You can set public or private network profiles on Windows 10 too. From there you can share files and folders over a network and map a network drive with Reconnect at sign-in so the share comes back after a restart.

Wi-Fi adapter settings in Windows 11: enable, band and power saving

Most adapter options live in Device Manager under Network adapters. You can also open network adapter settings from Advanced network settings or ncpa.cpl.

1. Select Search on the taskbar, type device manager and open Device Manager.
2. Expand Network adapters and right-click your Wi-Fi adapter.
3. Select Enable device if it is disabled.
4. Select Properties > Advanced, and check that Wireless Mode or Band allows your router's band.
5. On the Power Management tab, clear Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power.
6. Check Driver Version and Driver Date on the Driver tab against the PC maker's site.

You can also manage Wi-Fi adapter settings such as band and DNS from Settings.

If Task Manager lists a Killer service, the Killer Network Service explained shows whether to keep it. For wired adapters, 26H2 Ethernet driver fixes handle Code 10, 43 and 52.

Mobile hotspot, metered connection and VPN settings in Windows 11

A Windows PC can share its Wi-Fi, Ethernet or cellular connection over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.

1. Open Settings > Network & internet > Mobile hotspot.
2. Under Share my internet connection from, choose the connection to share.
3. Under Share over, choose Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.
4. Expand Properties, select Edit, set the name, password and band, then select Save.
5. Turn on the Mobile hotspot toggle.

If phones cannot join, fix Mobile Hotspot not working by checking the shared connection and band.

Turn on Metered connection under Wi-Fi > your network for capped plans; Windows Update then downloads only priority updates. For privacy, you can use a VPN in Microsoft Edge.

Network command cheat sheet: ipconfig, ping, tracert and netsh

Run these in Command Prompt, as administrator for the release, renew, flush and reset commands.

Command	What it does	Go deeper
ipconfig / ipconfig /all	Shows IP address, subnet mask and default gateway; /all adds DNS servers and full TCP/IP details	The ipconfig command reference explains every switch
ipconfig /release, ipconfig /renew	Drops the DHCP address, then requests a fresh one	No-internet table, step 2
ipconfig /flushdns	Flushes and resets the DNS client resolver cache	No-internet table, step 3
ping 192.168.1.1	Sends four echo requests; /t repeats until Ctrl + C	You can ping an IP address from PowerShell or Linux too
tracert 8.8.8.8	Lists each router hop, up to 30; -d skips name lookups	Shows where packets stop
netsh winsock reset, netsh int ip reset	Reset the Winsock catalog and TCP/IP stack	Restart afterwards
ncpa.cpl	Opens Network Connections from Win + R	Method 4 above
netsh wlan show wlanreport	Saves an HTML report of three days of Wi-Fi events	Debug section below
getmac	Lists each network card's MAC address	MAC address row below

Router admin pages: 192.168.1.1, Xfinity, Verizon and Orbi login

Your router's address is the Default gateway that ipconfig shows. Type it into a browser on a device connected to that router.

Router	Admin address	Username and password	Full guide
Most home routers	The default gateway, often 192.168.1.1	Printed on the router label or in its manual	The 192.168.1.1 admin page covers WAN and DNS
Xfinity Gateway	http://10.0.0.1, after allowing Admin Tool online access in the Xfinity app	admin and the password you set when enabling access	You can log in to the Xfinity router and switch access off after
Verizon Router	http://mynetworksettings.com or 192.168.1.1	Network Settings password on the router's rear label	You can log in to a Verizon router on Fios or 5G Home
NETGEAR Orbi	http://orbilogin.com	admin, with the password you set at setup	You can log in to the Orbi router from its app too

Once inside, the wireless page is where you change your Wi-Fi password; every device then has to rejoin with the new one.

WPS, UPnP, Gigabit Ethernet and MAC address explained

Term	What it is	What to do with it
WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup)	A Wi-Fi Alliance protocol that lets a device join a router without typing the password; Windows Connect Now is Microsoft's implementation	Find where the WPS button is on your router
UPnP (Universal Plug and Play)	A framework for devices and PCs to discover and control each other on a network; Windows file sharing relies on the UPnP Device Host service	Decide whether to disable UPnP on the router
Gigabit Ethernet	Wired networking at up to 1 gigabit per second (1000 Mbps); Microsoft recommends 10/100/1000 Cat 6 cable	Check your link runs at Gigabit Ethernet speed; Mac users can turn off Wi-Fi when Ethernet connects
Router vs switch	A switch sends data only to the intended device on the network; a router shares one internet connection among several devices	The router vs switch comparison shows which you need
MAC address	The unique hardware address of a network card; getmac lists it, and Windows can use random hardware addresses while scanning Wi-Fi	You can find the MAC address on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android

Windows 11 WiFi not working: fixes in order

First, work out which problem you have: no Wi-Fi option points to the adapter, networks listed but no connection points to the password or band, and connected with no internet points to IP, DNS or the router. Stop when the connection returns.

Fix 1: Check that Wi-Fi is on and Airplane mode is off

Turn Wi-Fi back on first: a toggle, Airplane mode or a hardware switch cuts the radio.

1. Turn on the Wi-Fi tile in quick settings.
2. Disable Airplane mode in Settings > Network & internet > Airplane mode.
3. Check the Windows Wi-Fi switch and adapter state: flip any laptop Wi-Fi switch on and confirm the adapter is enabled in Device Manager.

Fix 2: Restart the PC and run the Windows troubleshooter

The troubleshooter repairs common faults automatically.

1. Select Start > Power > Restart.
2. On Windows 11, open Get Help, search connect to network and internet, and select Run network diagnostics.
3. On Windows 10, select Status > Network troubleshooter.

Fix 3: Forget the network and reconnect

A stale saved profile or changed password.

1. Open Wi-Fi > Manage known networks, select the network and select Forget.
2. Select it again and enter the password.

Fix 4: Test another device, then restart the modem and router

Rule out the router or Wi-Fi band before blaming Windows.

1. Join the same network on a phone; if it works, the PC is the problem.
2. Unplug the router and modem, wait 30 seconds, plug in the modem, then the router.
3. Try the other band, 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz.

Fix 5: Disable metered connection

A metered connection limits what apps and Windows Update download.

1. Open Wi-Fi > your network and turn off Metered connection if your plan is not capped.

Fix 6: Configure Windows services

WLAN AutoConfig manages Wi-Fi connections.

1. Press Win + R, type services.msc and press Enter.
2. Right-click WLAN AutoConfig and select Restart.

Fix 7: Reset network devices and network stack

A damaged TCP/IP stack, old address or stale DNS cache.

1. In an administrator Command Prompt, run netsh winsock reset, netsh int ip reset, ipconfig /release, ipconfig /renew and ipconfig /flushdns in that order.
2. Restart the PC.

Fix 8: Update or reinstall network adapter drivers

Repair or reinstall the Wi-Fi driver when an update broke it.

1. Before you reset, handle drivers carefully: save the PC maker's latest driver to USB first.
2. In Device Manager, right-click the adapter, select Uninstall device, tick Attempt to remove the driver for this device and select Uninstall.
3. Restart; if no driver returns, install the correct manufacturer driver you saved.

Fix 9: Reset network settings, the last resort

Use network reset only at the end: it reinstalls every adapter with default settings.

1. Open Advanced network settings > Network reset (Windows 10: Status > Network reset).
2. Select Reset now > Yes, then reinstall VPN clients and set trusted networks back to Private network.

Common Windows 11 Wi-Fi issues and solutions

Why Wi-Fi is not showing in Windows 11

When the Wi-Fi option is missing, check the adapter: it is disabled, switched off or has no driver.

1. Turn on any hardware Wi-Fi switch.
2. In Device Manager, right-click the Wi-Fi adapter under Network adapters and select Enable device.
3. Restart WLAN AutoConfig. Older PCs can fix Wi-Fi not showing on Windows 10 the same way.

Can't connect to Wi-Fi on Windows 11 (no networks found)

The adapter does not support, or filters out, the router's band.

1. Open the adapter's Properties > Advanced tab.
2. Set Wireless Mode or Band to allow the router's band.

WiFi adapter not working on Windows 11 after an update

The update replaced or broke the adapter driver.

1. Compare Driver Version on the adapter's Driver tab with the maker's site.
2. Run Windows Update > Check for updates, or update the network adapter driver offline from USB.

Wi-Fi keeps dropping

Power saving or a busy channel.

1. In Power Options > Change advanced power settings, set Wireless Adapter Settings > Power Saving Mode to Maximum Performance.
2. Change the wireless channel in the router's admin page.

Connected but no internet: adapter, IP, DNS and router checks

No Internet under the network name means Windows reached the router but not the internet. Check each layer in order.

Step	Check	Fix
1. Adapter	Wi-Fi is on, the adapter is enabled, and the icon shows connected	Turn Wi-Fi off and on and reconnect. On Windows 11 26H2, the 26H2 no-internet fixes add a driver rollback
2. IP address	ipconfig shows an IPv4 address that is not 169.254.x.x	Run ipconfig /release then ipconfig /renew; you can also release and renew the IP for one adapter. A 169.254 address after that means DHCP is off on the router
3. DNS	ipconfig /all | findstr /c:"DNS Servers" lists a server, and ping to it replies	Flush the DNS cache and turn off any manual proxy in Settings > Network & internet > Proxy; if the server still does not reply, switch to a public DNS server
4. Router and ISP	ping to the Default gateway gets four replies	Replies: restart the modem or ask your ISP about an outage. No replies: connect the PC to the modem by Ethernet and update router firmware

Error messages quick reference for Windows network problems

Error or symptom	What it means	Where to fix it
No Internet under the Wi-Fi name	Windows got no reply to a small HTTP request to an internet server	Run the no-internet checks above
169.254.x.x address	Windows got no IP address from the router	Renew the IP; confirm DHCP is on in the router
0.0.0.0 address	Any address, no address yet, or every destination, by context	Decode it with the 0.0.0.0 IP address explainer
ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT	The site never answered the browser	Fix ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT with a TCP/IP reset
ERR_CONNECTION_CLOSED	The connection dropped before the page loaded	Fix ERR_CONNECTION_CLOSED in Chrome, starting with extensions and proxy
ERR_NETWORK_CHANGED	The connection changed while the page loaded	Fix ERR_NETWORK_CHANGED by renewing the IP
Network discovery is turned off	File Explorer cannot see other PCs	Select the banner, or turn on network discovery when it keeps switching off
nslookup: No response from server	No DNS server runs at that address	Switch to a public DNS server

Getting help and collecting debug information with the wireless network report

Collect evidence before you contact the PC maker, your ISP or IT support. The report lists Wi-Fi sessions, errors and every adapter, including hidden ones.

netsh wlan show wlanreport

Run it in an administrator Command Prompt. It saves an HTML report of the last three days of Wi-Fi events, grouped by session.

You should see: Open the saved HTML file in a browser and select any red circle in the Wi-Fi summary chart to read that error.

When to escalate: a Problem number on the adapter in the report matches a Device Manager error code for the PC maker. Router replies with no internet point to the ISP.

Best practices, prevention tips and configuration issues to check

Do this	Mistake to avoid
Keep new networks on Public network (Recommended); choose Private only at home or work	Making café Wi-Fi private, which exposes file and printer sharing
Leave IP assignment on Automatic (DHCP) unless you need a fixed address	Typing a static IP that clashes with another device
Enter both a preferred and an alternate DNS server	Relying on one DNS server
Install Windows updates and router firmware updates	Running router firmware the maker has already fixed
Turn on Random hardware addresses on public Wi-Fi	Assuming your MAC address cannot be used to track you

Windows Wi-Fi and network settings FAQ

Where are Wi-Fi settings on Windows 11?

Wi-Fi settings on Windows 11 are in Start > Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi. You can also right-click the network icon on the taskbar and select Network and internet settings.

How do I enable Wi-Fi in Windows 11?

Turn on the Wi-Fi tile in quick settings or the Wi-Fi toggle in Settings > Network & internet. If no toggle appears, turn on any hardware switch and enable the adapter in Device Manager.

How do I reset all Wi-Fi settings in Windows 11?

Open Settings > Network & internet > Advanced network settings > Network reset and select Reset now. Windows reinstalls every network adapter with default settings and restarts; VPN software may need reinstalling.

How do I change Wi-Fi settings in Windows 11?

Select Wi-Fi > Manage known networks and choose the network. That page holds the IP and DNS settings, the network profile, the metered connection switch and random hardware addresses.

Why is Wi-Fi not working on Windows 11?

Common causes are Wi-Fi or Airplane mode set the wrong way, a disabled adapter, a driver broken by an update, a router needing a restart, or a damaged TCP/IP stack. Work through the fixes in order.

Why is Wi-Fi not showing in Windows 11?

A missing Wi-Fi option means Windows cannot use the adapter. Check the hardware switch, enable the adapter in Device Manager and restart WLAN AutoConfig; if the adapter is not listed, install the maker's driver.

Why can't I connect to Wi-Fi on Windows 11?

A wrong saved password, an unsupported band or a router fault are the usual causes. Forget the network and rejoin, try the other band, and test the network on another device.

How do I find my IP address in Windows 11 with CMD?

Open Command Prompt, type ipconfig and press Enter. The IPv4 Address line under your adapter is your local address, and Default Gateway is your router.