What To Do If Ethernet Is Not Working?

Many of us prefer to use a wired network connection as it is the fastest way to use the internet.

But sometimes, we encounter common internet issues.

So, if your Ethernet is not working, you need to check certain things that we will guide you in this article.

So, go through it and fix the issue.

How To Fix When Ethernet is Not Working?

Table of Contents

Follow this step-by-step guide to know what to do when you find the ethernet connection is not working.

1) Restart Your Modem Or Router, and Your PC

If your ethernet connection is not working, restart your PC and the router or modem.

Sometimes, these simple steps can easily solve the problem. So, first of all, turn off your PC and your router or modem.

Disconnect all the attached peripherals and cables. Wait for some time and then reconnect everything.

Now turn on your device, the router, or modem and check for an internet connection. If not, check the cable.

2) Make Sure That Ethernet is Enabled

If Ethernet is disabled on your system, then it will not work. So, check if the Ethernet is enabled by following the steps given below:

Right-click on the Windows Search menu and select Device Manager from the options.
Expand the Network Adapters section. Right-click on your Ethernet card device name.

If the device is disabled, you will see a computer icon with a downward arrow beside it. Here is the picture for your reference.

To enable the device, right-click on it and select Enable device option.

If the Ethernet is enabled on your PC, you can disable it and then enable it. Check if this can fix the issue.

Check the cable and ports if your Ethernet still doesn’t work.

3) Check The Ethernet Cable

When you find there is a connection issue, check if your ethernet cable is not working.

First, ensure the ethernet cable is properly connected, and there is no loose connection.

You can disconnect your ethernet cable from all the sources and connect it to some other PC on another internet connection to check it.

If you find that the Ethernet connection is not working there, then replace the Ethernet cable. Make sure to choose the proper ethernet cables, as different ethernet cables provide different internet speeds.

4) Check The Port

Sometimes, the port where you are connecting the ethernet cable may be faulty.

Try to use another port and see if the Ethernet works there.

If you find that the connection is working after changing the port, you must repair your faulty port.

5) Run The Network Troubleshooter

Windows has an in-built network troubleshooter to fix network-related issues.

So, run the network troubleshooter when you have an interrupted network connection or find that Wi-Fi is working but not the Ethernet.

Here is how to run the troubleshooter:

Go to the Windows search menu & enter Troubleshoot. Select Troubleshoot Settings from the given options.

From the right side of the opened window, choose Other Troubleshooters.

Click on Run next to Internet Connections.

Follow any on-screen prompt to finish the process.
If there is no issue, then run the Network Adapter troubleshooter.

After running the troubleshooters, if the problem persists, then update the network drivers.

6) Update The Network Drivers

Outdated network drivers can be the reason why you are having ethernet-related issues.

So, update the network drivers and see if this can fix the problem.

Here is how to update your network drivers:

Open Device Manager. Expand the Network Adapters section.

Right-click on your Network Driver and select the Update Driver option.

Check if this could fix the issue. If not, reinstall the network drivers.

Here are the steps to reinstall the network driver:

Expand the Network Adapters section in Device Manager and right-click on your Network driver.
Select the Uninstall Device option.

Next, check the box for ‘Attempt to remove the driver for this device‘ & click the Uninstall button.

Once done, restart your device, and it should automatically download the necessary drivers.

Now, see if this could fix the issue; otherwise, reset the network settings.

7) Flush DNS And Reset The Network Settings

Flushing the DNS will clear all the DNS cache, and resetting the network settings helps fix various network-related issues.

So, flush DNS and reset the network settings when your ethernet connection is not properly working.

Here is how to do so:

Type CMD in the Search Menu & right-click on Command Prompt. Select to Run as administrator.

Copy and paste the following commands in the elevated Command Prompt window. Press the Enter button after each command.

ipconfig /flushdns

ipconfig /release

ipconfig /renew

netsh int ip reset

netsh winsock reset

8) Change The DNS Settings

Sometimes, the DNS settings may not be configured correctly. Due to this, your Ethernet may not be working.

So, check the DNS settings and change it if necessary following these steps:

Open Windows Settings. Select the Network & Internet option.

Check under Advanced network settings and locate More Network Adapter Options. Click on the option.

Right-click on your Network Adapter and expand its Properties.

Double-click on Internet Protocol Version 4(TCP/Ipv4 and select the Obtain an IP address automatically & Obtain DNS server address automatically options.

If not, then select them and click on the OK button.
Now see if this has fixed the ethernet connection error, or else go to the next step.
Next, select Internet Protocol Version 4 [TCP/IPv4] & open its Properties.

Set the value of the Preferred DNS Server Address to 8.8.8.8. Then, set the Alternate DNS Server address to 8.8.4.4. Click on OK to save the changes.

9) Reset The Network

Resetting the network removes the network adpapers and all related settings.

It will reset the network afresh and fix connectivity-related issues.

To reset the network, follow these steps:

Open Windows Settings and select Network and Internet.
Next, select Advanced Network Settings > Network Reset Option.

From the next window, click the Reset Now button beside the Network reset option.

Next, click on Yes and let your PC restart. Now, this should fix the problem.

After resetting the network, you may need to reinstall other networking software you were using, like VPNs.

The reset may set your known network connection to a public network profile.

So, your system may not be discoverable to other devices on the network.

If you want to make it discoverable again, open Windows Settings.
Select Network and Internet > Ethernet. Then, set the Network profile type to Public.

Frequently Asked Questions [FAQs]

Why is my Ethernet not working when the Wi-Fi is?

If you find your ethernet connection is not working, but you have a Wi-Fi connection, it may be due to outdated drivers.

So, update the drivers to fix the issue.

Is 1 GB ethernet good?

1GBPS ethernet speed is more than enough for most online applications nowadays.

Why is my Ethernet lagging?

If you use the wrong ethernet cable type or a damaged one, then the Ethernet will be slow and laggy. So, replace the cables if necessary to fix the issue.