Internet Keeps Dropping in Windows? How to Reset the Network and Change DNS

If Wi-Fi says you're connected but pages won't load, videos keep buffering, or the internet drops every few minutes, work through the steps below. They start with the easiest fixes and are based on Windows 11 (menu names are slightly different in Windows 10).

1. Try these first

• Restart your router. Unplug the power, wait about 30 seconds and plug it back in. If other devices such as your phone also lose the connection, the problem is the router or your internet provider.
• Click the Wi-Fi icon on the taskbar and turn Airplane mode on and off.
• Go to Settings → Network & internet → Wi-Fi → Manage known networks, Forget your home network, then reconnect with the password.
• On a laptop, open Device Manager → Network adapters → your wireless adapter's properties → Power Management and turn off "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power." This helps when the connection drops after the PC has been idle.

2. Refresh network settings with commands

• Right-click the Start button and open Terminal (Admin).
• Type each command below and press Enter after each one.
  ipconfig /flushdns
ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew
netsh winsock reset
netsh int ip reset
• Restart the PC when they finish. These clear the DNS cache, get a new IP address and reset tangled internet connection settings to their defaults.

3. Change your DNS server

• If the internet works but some sites won't open, or sites are unusually slow to start loading, DNS may be the problem.
• Go to Settings → Network & internet → Wi-Fi (or Ethernet for a wired connection) → Hardware properties, then click Edit next to DNS server assignment.
• Choose Manual, turn on IPv4, enter a preferred and alternate DNS and save.
  Cloudflare: 1.1.1.1 / 1.0.0.1
  Google: 8.8.8.8 / 8.8.4.4
• On a work or school network, changing DNS can block internal sites. To undo it, choose Automatic (DHCP) in the same place.

4. Last resort: network reset

• Go to Settings → Network & internet → Advanced network settings → Network reset → Reset now (in Windows 10: Settings → Network & Internet → Status → Network reset).
• It removes and reinstalls all network adapters and returns their settings to the defaults. The PC restarts automatically after 5 minutes, so save your work first.
• Afterward you'll need to enter your Wi-Fi password again, and you may need to reinstall VPN software or virtual network adapters. Any custom DNS settings are also removed.
• If it still doesn't work, install the latest network adapter (Wi-Fi or Ethernet) driver from your laptop or motherboard manufacturer's website.

Source: Microsoft Support – Use network reset