Get connected when setting up your Windows 10 or 11 PC (2024)

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Connecting to the internet when you’re setting up your Windows 10 or 11PC ensures you get the latest features and security updates. You’ll need an internet connection to finish setting up a device running Windows 10 Home or Windows 11 Home / Pro.

If you have problems getting connected to the internet during setup, we have some things you can try to help you get connected. We’ve separated these tips into a few different parts—steps to try on your home Wi-Fi router, on the PC you’re setting up, or on another device. Sometimes, you might need to try a combination of things to get connected.

On your home Wi-Fi router

  • Restart your modem and Wi-Fi router at home. This helps create a new connection to your internet service provider (ISP). When you do this, everyone that is connected to your Wi-Fi network will be temporarily disconnected. The steps you take to restart your modem and router can vary, but here are the general steps.

    Note:If you have a cable modem/Wi-Fi router combo device, you only need to follow the steps for the single device.)

    1. Unplug the power cable for the Wi-Fi router from the power outlet.

    2. Unplug the power cable for the modem from the power outlet.

      Some modems have a backup battery. If you unplug the modem and lights stay on, remove the battery from the modem.

    3. Wait at least 10 seconds or so.

      If you had to remove the battery from the modem, put it back in.

    4. Plug the modem back into the power outlet. The lights on the modem will blink. Wait for them to stop blinking.

    5. Plug your router back into the power outlet.

      Wait a few minutes for the modem and router to fully power on. You can usually tell when they’re ready by looking at the status lights on the two devices.

    6. On your PC, try to connect again.

On your PC

  • Make sure the physical Wi‑Fi switch on your laptop is turned on. An indicator light usually shows when it's on. Not all devices have a physical Wi-Fi switch.

  • Move closer to your Wi-Fi router or access point. This helps to make sure you’re in range of your network at home or work and can help improve signal strength. Five full signal bars indicates the strongest connection.

  • Make sure you have the correct Wi-Fi network password. Double check your Wi-Fi network password and confirm you’re joining the correct network.

  • Try connecting to a network on a different frequency band. Many Wi-Fi routers broadcast at two different frequency bands: 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. These can appear as separate networks in the list of available Wi-Fi networks on your PC. If the list of available Wi-Fi networks includes both a 2.4 GHz network and a 5 GHz network, try connecting to the other network.

  • Connect to a different Wi-Fi network. If there’s a different Wi-Fi network that you trust, try to connect to it.

  • Use a wired Ethernet connection. If your PC has an Ethernet port, plug in an Ethernet cable, and then plug the other end into an Ethernet port on your router. If your PC doesn’t have an Ethernet port but you want to try this option, you might consider getting a USB to Ethernet adapter.

  • Connect to a cellular network instead. If your PC has a SIM card slot or built-in eSIM, try to connect to cellular a network with your PC and see if you can get an internet connection that way. For more info, see Cellular settings in Windows.

  • Check and reinstall the Wi-Fi network adapter drivers (for advanced users). If you don’t see any Wi-Fi networks listed when you’re setting up your PC and see an error message, you might need to reinstall Wi-Fi network adapter drivers. Here’s how:

    1. On a different PC, download the necessary Wi-Fi network adapter drivers from the manufacturer’s website.

    2. Unzip and copy the drivers to a USB flash drive. The .inf file must be in the root of the flash drive and not in any subfolders.

      Note:This assumes your drivers came in the form of a compressed (zipped) folder, or.ZIP file. If your drivers came in the form of an executable (or .EXE)file (or if that's all you see once you open the .ZIP), you may just need to open that file to install the drivers. Contact your hardware manufacturer if you have further questions.

    3. On the PC you’re setting up, plug the USB flash drive into a USB port on your PC.

    4. Press Shift + F10 to open a Command Prompt window from setup.

    5. Type diskpartand press Enter. If prompted, select Yes to allow it.

    6. In the new DiskPart window, type list volume and press Enter.

      Note:The letter of the USB drive, is listed in the column under Ltr.

    7. Press Shift + F10 to open a Command Prompt window from setup.

    8. In the command prompt, type pnputil /add-driver <USBDriveLetter>:\*.inf, and then press Enter. The full command should look like this: pnputil /add-driver D:\*.inf

      Note:Replace <USBDriveLetter>:\ with the drive letter for your USB flash drive, such as D:\.

    9. You might need to scan for devices afterwards. To do this, at the command prompt, type pnputil /scan-devices, and then press Enter.

On another device

  • Try to connect to the same Wi-Fi network on a different device. If you can connect, the source of the problem is likely due to your device. If you can't connect to the network on any device, it might be a problem with your Wi-Fi router or internet service provider.

  • Turn on mobile hotspot on your phone. If you have mobile hotspot on your mobile phone as part of your data plan, you can use it to get your Windows device connected to the internet. On your phone, turn on your hotspot, and then you should see the hotspot in the list of available Wi-Fi networks on your PC. Connect to it and enter the password if necessary. After you’re connected, you can go to the network properties and set the network as metered to help reduce data usage when setting up your PC.

Related topic

  • Fix Wi-Fi connection issues

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Get connected when setting up your Windows 10 or 11 PC (2024)

FAQs

Get connected when setting up your Windows 10 or 11 PC? ›

In Windows 11

Select the Network icon in the notification area, then select the > icon next to the Wi-Fi quick setting to see a list of available networks. Choose the network that you want to connect to, and then select Connect.

How to connect to internet when setting up Windows 11? ›

In Windows 11

Select the Network icon in the notification area, then select the > icon next to the Wi-Fi quick setting to see a list of available networks. Choose the network that you want to connect to, and then select Connect.

How to skip network connection during Windows 11 installation? ›

To set up Windows 11 without an internet connection, follow these steps:
  1. Start the installation and proceed through the initial setup screens.
  2. When prompted to connect to a network, press "Shift + F10" to open Command Prompt.
  3. Type OOBE\BYPASSNRO and press Enter.
  4. The system will restart.
Feb 9, 2023

Should I connect to the internet when installing Windows 10? ›

However, you may perform offline setup too. However, when setup has been completed you have to connect to internet so your Windows would be able to activate and then to download and install all updates.

How to skip Wi-Fi connection after factory reset? ›

Note: This might not be implemented in all Android versions on all devices. Note: During the normal setup after a Factory Reset, the wizard screens have to be answered one-by-one like the following example: Language screen > Press 'Start' Wi-Fi screen > Press 'Skip' > 'Skip Anyway'

Why won t my Windows 11 computer connect to the internet? ›

Restart your router and modem: Power cycling your network equipment can often resolve temporary connectivity issues. Turn off your router and modem, wait for a few seconds, and then turn them back on. Update network drivers: Outdated or incompatible network drivers can cause connectivity problems.

Can you install Windows 11 without an Internet connection? ›

The only way to upgrade from Windows 10 to 11 without an Internet Connection is to download the Windows 11 ISO on another PC that has an Internet Connection, then transfer the ISO to your PC and use it to perform an in-place upgrade.

How to activate Windows 10 without internet connection? ›

If online activation fails, first try the activation troubleshooting in Activate Windows 10. To activate Windows 10 by phone: Select Start > Settings > Update & Security > Activation. Under Activate Windows Now section, select Activate by Phone.

How to skip Windows 10 account setup? ›

After completing the initial setup screens, you'll be asked to sign in with a Microsoft account. Look for 'Skip this step' or 'Create a local account instead' at the bottom of the screen. Click it to bypass signing in.

How to install drivers on a new PC without internet? ›

In order to install a network adapter driver on Windows 10 without internet, you can either use a USB flash drive or a CD/DVD. To use a USB flash drive, you need to download the driver from the manufacturer's website and copy it to the USB flash drive.

How to skip internet connection in Windows 10? ›

If there is no way to replace it, you can refer to the following steps to skip this configuration screen:
  1. Press shift+f10 on this screen to open a command prompt.
  2. Type oobe\bypassnro.cmd.
  3. Your computer will reboot, then select "I have no Internet connection", and then complete the configuration to enter the system.
Oct 24, 2023

How do I connect to the internet after installing Windows 10? ›

Manually Connect to WiFi in Windows 10
  1. Click on the Windows Start button in the lower left corner.
  2. Select Settings.
  3. Select Network & Internet. The Status window will open.
  4. Click Network and Sharing Center. This is the second link from the bottom of the page. The Network and Sharing Center window will open.

Does installing Windows Update require internet connection? ›

Make sure that your device is connected to the internet. Downloading updates requires an internet connection. If you're connected the internet, try to install the updates manually. Select Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update , and then select Check for updates.

Does a computer have to be connected to the Internet for factory reset? ›

Do I need an internet connection to perform a factory reset? In most cases, no - you do not need an internet connection to perform a factory reset. However, some devices may require an internet connection in order to complete certain steps of the reset process (such as downloading updates or reinstalling drivers).

How do I bypass internet connection? ›

You can bypass Wi-Fi restrictions by using services like a VPN, Tor, and proxy. They obfuscate the websites and services you want to access. This way, the Wi-Fi firewall doesn't know what to block.

How to set up Wi-Fi after factory reset? ›

Access the router's web interface through a browser using the default IP address (e.g., 192.168. 1.1) and log in with default credentials (check router documentation). Follow the setup wizard to configure basic settings like Wi-Fi network name, password, and security settings.

Why is the Wi-Fi option not showing while installing Windows 11? ›

Install Wireless Lan driver

If Windows is unable to find an available Wi-Fi network to connect to during the installation of Windows 11, please connect the USB flash drive with the WLAN driver on it (previous step) to your device. Press Shift + F10 keys to open Command Prompt window.

How do I get Windows 11 to connect to Wi-Fi automatically? ›

2 answers
  1. Open the Settings app.
  2. Click on Network & Internet.
  3. Select Wi-Fi from the left pane.
  4. Click on Manage known networks.
  5. Select the network you want to connect to automatically.
  6. Ensure the Connect automatically when in range option is checked.
Dec 13, 2023

How do I activate Windows Connect to the internet? ›

Select the Start button. , right-click Computer, select Properties, and then select Activate Windows now. If Windows detects an internet connection, select Activate Windows online now.

How do I skip initial setup on Windows 11? ›

Use the "Shift + F10" keyboard shortcut to open Command Prompt on the Windows 11 setup. Type the following command to disable the internet connection requirement to set up Windows 11 and press Enter: oobe\bypassnro.

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