Whenever we encounter any internet connection issues, the first thing we try is to run the Internet Connection or Network Adapter troubleshooter. Oftentimes, the troubleshooter successfully resolves the issue, but sometimes it can’t.
If you see the message “The default gateway is not available” with the “Not Fixed” status on the troubleshooter, it indicates that the network adapter on your computer could not find the IP address of the router (default gateway). Or it could not utilize the default gateway address saved on your system to connect to the router.
It can happen due to incorrect TCP/IP settings on your system or some issues with the router or your network drivers preventing any connection. Some third-party security software can also block connection to the router depending on their firewall settings.
If the internet doesn’t work on any device while connecting to the same router, or your computer shows the above error only with this router’s network, restarting the router is the first thing you should do. It will take care of any temporary issues with this device and refreshes it so it can initiate a fresh connection with your computer.
Reset Network Settings
Sometimes, the DHCP server may not issue the proper IP settings to your device. Or there may be other issues with your network settings that are preventing your computer from communicating with the router.
In such cases, you need to reset all the network settings to set the default network configuration on your computer. Doing so will also make the DHCP reissue the IP settings.
Check Firewall Settings on Your Antivirus
If you use any third-party antivirus or firewall application, it is possible that some firewall settings on the app are blocking the connection with the router. you may temporarily disable the security software and see if the internet works now.
If yes, you need to go through the application’s settings and look for any inconsistencies. you may also reset the settings and see if it helps.
If you may’t find exactly what setting is causing the issue, it’s better to disable oruninstall the antivirus applicationaltogether. Windows already comes with very nice security software, Windows Security or Windows Defender. So third-party ones are not exactly necessary.
Check Power Management Settings
Windows comes with power management settings that suspend power on your Ethernet or Wi-Fi adapter when it’s idle or your computer is in power-saving mode. Usually, the network connection should become active as soon as you try using it. But the adapter may not come out of the sleep state in some situations.
You may be able to resolve this issue by disconnecting and reconnecting the network connection or the Ethernet cable in some cases. However, if you don’t need to preserve every little bit of power possible on your computer, you may disable the power conservation settings altogether to prevent such issues.
Update or Reinstall Network Driver
