Ethernet Not Working But Wi-Fi Is: The Complete Fix

Published 2026 - 4 min read

If Wi-Fi works but the wired connection does not, the fault is almost always local - cable, port, driver or a Windows setting - not your internet service.

1. Check the physical layer

Reseat the cable at both ends and try a different port on the router. Test with another cable (Cat5e or better). The port link light should be solid; if it never lights, the cable or port is the problem.

2. Restart in the right order

Power off the modem and router, wait 30 seconds, and turn them back on. Reboot the PC after the network is back. Then in Settings > Network & Internet > Ethernet, toggle the adapter off and on.

3. Force the wired path

Windows can keep preferring Wi-Fi and "park" the Ethernet adapter. Temporarily disable Wi-Fi (Settings > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi) so the wired connection is the only option, then test.

4. Driver and power settings

Open Device Manager > Network adapters, right-click your Ethernet adapter > Update driver. In Properties > Power Management, uncheck "Allow the computer to turn off this device". If it still fails, right-click > Uninstall device, then Action > Scan for hardware changes.

5. Speed stuck at 100 Mbps

If the link is slow, check the adapter link speed (Device Manager > adapter > Properties > Link speed). Gigabit needs a Cat5e or better cable and gigabit ports on both ends.

6. IP address conflicts

Open Command Prompt and run ipconfig. If the address looks wrong, run ipconfig /release then ipconfig /renew. If you set a static IP before, try DHCP and reboot.

Hardware note: If no link light appears on any cable or port, the adapter or motherboard NIC may be dead; a USB-to-Ethernet adapter is a cheap test.