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Is your internet leaving you high and dry at the most inappropriate of times? To be fair, any time the internet is not connecting in this day and age could be considered inappropriate.
How dare the one connection you thought you could rely on betray you like this? Especially after you’ve gone and updated its software and everything.
How did I know you recently did an upgrade? It’s not a science, well actually it is, simple statistics. You’re not alone. Many Windows 10 ‘upgraders’ have been reporting this issue.
If you’re slightly more tech-savvy, you might have run a troubleshoot. In that case, you would have come across the error message: The Default Gateway is Not Available.
Not all networks drop out sporadically, some never connect at all. If this sounds like you, or your PC, read on.
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Table of Contents
What’s Happening Here?
Have you heard of McAfee? It comes up a lot with pesky pop-ups and is, in fact, a virus.
Now, it’s not the only cause for the issue, but it’s one of a few different malware (imposter software) or viruses floating around that can be the root cause of our problem.
Another possible cause is a corrupt network adapter driver. A what?
The network adapter driver is the center where all the software and hardware come together to connect you to the internet and an array of networks that make the world work, or at least the world of your PC.
How does it become corrupt? Usually a disconnect between software, whether it’s outdated or incompatible.
What we need to do is bridge the gap between where we are and where we want to be, i.e: repair the gateway. For that, we have a few options.
Option 1: Update, update, update!
This is specifically a Windows 10 issue. Meaning the software and the hardware doesn’t want to play nicely. When you update your system, even after the upgrade, all drives should be upgraded automatically.
Option 2: Get Rid of The Network Adaptor Drive.
It seems excessive, even counter-productive, right? However, when you delete the network adaptor drive, it will be automatically be reinstalled when you reboot Windows.
Not only that, but it will be reinstalled in its shiny new compatible glory.
Here’s how you do it:
- Simultaneously hit the Windows key with the ‘R’ key
- In the field write ‘devmgmt.msc’ then hit Enter
This will open the Device Manager.
- Click on network adaptors and find your network.
- Right-click on the name and hit uninstall.
- Confirm the uninstall by clicking ‘yes’.
- Reboot and test.
Important note: If you’re not connected to the internet the network adaptor file will not reinstall automatically.
Option 3: Adjust for Compatibility aka The Compromise Option
As we know, technology is on a fast-paced trajectory. The new software that we update is not always compatible with the older hardware.
Even if that hardware doesn’t seem so old. Old is relative in technology time. Right now routers can go up to 5GHz (fast), but your adapter probably cannot.
Just like when you travel overseas and might need a converter for voltage, we can manually change the frequency of our routers. Instead of out with the old, in with the new, we find a compromise.
What you’re going to do:
- Open Device Manager and click on Network Adapters.
- Select your network adaptor and hit ‘update’.
You should get a pop up with a choice. You will choose: Browse my computer for driver software.’. - Then select ‘let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer’ and deselect ‘show compatible hardware.’
- Identify your network adaptor drive from the list.
Solution 4: Do It Yourself
You can also set the IP address and even the default gateway all by yourself. Here’s how you do it:
- Hit the “Windows key” at the same time as the “X” key, choose ‘command’.
- Type in the field: “ipconfig” and hit enter.
* Do not forget* At this point, you’ll want to write down the default gateway, IP address and subnet mask. Don’t worry! It’s all written in the WiFi details.
- Find your wireless icon and select ‘open networks and sharing center’.
- On the left-hand side menu, find “change adapter settings” hit that.
- Right-click on “wireless adapter connection” and then “properties.”
- Select “IP Version 4” and again, “properties.”
- You’ve gotten to “use the following IP address” and refer to your notes to enter the default gateway, IP address, and subnet mask.
- Hit “Apply” followed by “OK.”
- Go ahead, reboot your system!
Solution 5: Flush Your System
Removing all your anti-virus software can oftentimes help the situation. Again, seems counter-productive, but some of the software can pull your entire system down, even when it is legitimate.
Windows Key + R > type ‘aapwiz.cpl’ > enter > select Mcaffee > select uninstall > reboot!
Solution 6: Change the Power Saving Mode of The Wireless Adapter
While power saving mode does a great job boosting your battery, it can do so at the cost of the performance of your device. So let’s go ahead and change those settings.
- 1. Selecting the “Windows key” in combination with the “S” key will bring up a pop-up. Write ‘power options.’
Locate your current plan which, as we have established, is doing you no good at the moment.
- Hit “Change advanced power settings.”
- Then set your “wireless adapter settings” to “maximum performance.”
- Hit “Apply” followed by “OK.”
Read Article: How To Fix Windows Has Detected An IP Address Conflict
Is the Network Gateway *Really* Not Available?
When you have the right commands and the know-how, you can bridge that network and get to where you need to be. It’s just a matter of compatibility and controls.
Sometimes upgrading takes a little extra work, but boy is it worth it. Have fun with your ‘new’ device!