How to restore your internet connection if you get the error of unidentified network or local access only
The internet connection is usually automatic on each PC and just connect the network cable or click the detected Wi-Fi network to connect online. In some cases, we may come across an error or a network connection problem. The message that appears in the event of an error may be that of the unidentified network or that it is impossible to connect to that network. We also notice the problem because the icon of the network connection near the clock, both that of the Wi-Fi and that of the ethernet cable, shows an exclamation point (on old versions of Windows) or a globe (on Windows 10), a clear sign that there is no longer an Internet connection.
In the following guide we will show you how to resolve errors for the unidentified or impossible to connect network, a problem that can really have many origins and different solutions; trying them all we will always be able to reconfigure the network on Windows 10, 7 and 8 PCs and go back to surfing normally.
Windows 10 Network Reset
In Windows 10 we can solve this type of problem by resetting the network connection from the PC Settings. To proceed then open the Start menu, search for and select the Settings app, open the Network and internet menu, go to the Status menu, scroll the right side of the window and finally click on the Network Reset item.
In the new window, click on Restore and wait for the computer to restart, so as to restore all the network cards on the PC and eliminate any customization concerning the cards or connections.
From the same window we can also open the connection problem diagnosis tool: To use this tool, all we have to do is click on Network troubleshooting, wait for the scan and apply the suggestions or corrections indicated, so as to be back online immediately.
Network recovery from the command prompt
If the previous method did not work, we can always open the command prompt and apply some simple commands, so as to restore the Windows connection manually. To open the command prompt, press on the Start menu, look for the Command Prompt app, right-click on it, open the Other menu, and select Run as administrator.
Once we enter the prompt, we execute the following commands one at a time, so that we can restore every aspect of the network connection:
netsh winsock reset
netsh int ip reset
ipconfig / flushdns
After launching all the commands, restart the computer to complete the operation.
Disable the antivirus
If the network connection does not restore, we can try to disable the antivirus or security suite on Windows, so as to find out if they are interfering with the connection.
If we have a third-party antivirus, just search for the specific app from the Start menu and, once open, turn off all types of protection (only momentarily); if instead, we use Windows Defender we can try to disable them.
Manage the network card drivers
If all the methods seen so far have not led to any solution, all that remains is to try to update or uninstall the drivers of the network card in use, in order to solve any software problems deriving from faulty drivers or “crazy” drivers. To proceed, right-click on the Start menu, open the Device Manager menu, expand the Network Cards section, right-click on the network card currently in use, select the Properties menu, go to the Driver tab and click Update driver or Uninstall Driver.
After updating or uninstalling the driver, we restart the computer to make the changes effective; at the next restart, the network card will be installed again with the Microsoft driver or with the last driver loaded on the system.
Conclusion
Once you have tried all the reset attempts seen in the previous chapters, the PC should be able to connect to the Internet again, although it will be necessary to re-enter the password to connect to the Wi-Fi network as this information has been cleared and reset with the above procedure. If the problems persist, we must assume the breaking of the network card: to get back to connect to the Internet again.
