internet connectivity

Question

my Asus laptop has stopped downloading data using an Ethernet connection or WiFi using the primary router address. It will however download using an attached access point. Both Windows and the router indicate that an internet connection exists. Windows 11 version 24H2 has been removed and the repair version loaded. I think that a windows update has screwed the registry but i need advice on what to do next

Answer 1

I see. This now strongly suggests a routing or ARP-level issue specific to Windows — possibly triggered by a misapplied update or a corrupted route/ARP cache entry. You can try this.

1. Clear ARP Cache

Open Command Prompt (Admin) and run:

arp -d *

This clears cached physical-to-IP mappings. Corruption here could block local access to your router.

2. Manually Ping Router and Trace Route

Try pinging your router directly:

ping 192.168.1.1

Then trace the route:

tracert 192.168.1.1

If ping fails immediately, Windows can’t reach even the local router interface.

If tracert shows a timeout or redirect to a different route, it confirms a route corruption.

3. Check for Static Routes

Run:

route print

Look under Persistent Routes and Active Routes.

If you see entries routing 0.0.0.0 or your subnet through something other than your main router, that’s a problem.

Look for anything odd or different compared to the access point route table

Temporarily Disable IPv6

Some routers have poor IPv6 handling, and Windows might prioritize IPv6 improperly.

Go to:

Control Panel > Network and Internet > Network Connections

Right-click your active connection > Properties

Uncheck Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6)

Click OK and test again.

5. Check Windows Firewall / Security Software

A recent Windows update may have flipped something in Defender Firewall or a 3rd-party firewall (e.g., ZoneAlarm, Bitdefender).

Temporarily:

Disable Windows Defender Firewall

Disable any third-party security tools

Then retry connection via the main router.

6. Try Safe Mode with Networking

Boot into Safe Mode with Networking:

Hold Shift while clicking Restart

Navigate: Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Startup Settings > Restart

Press 5 or F5 to enter Safe Mode with Networking

Now test the main router again. If it works, a startup service or driver is interfering.

Next Steps

If your other Windows laptop works fine, compare its route print, IP configuration (ipconfig /all), and network adapter settings to the affected one.

You can even export working configs via:

netsh interface ip dump > good_config.txt

and compare with the broken one.

Regards

Answer 2

So the problem is still there Mac OS and IOS phones are working fine - it’s just Windows When I get home I’ll check the update status on an older Windows 11 laptop that hasn’t had recent updates I’m fairly sure that that is OK

Answer 3

You're Welcome. Hope everything goes well.

Answer 4

I've just run the command sequence, both the access point and the main router carry the same gateway and dns values. After running the command sequence I can access the router homepage from the access point from the main router all I get is "page unreachable"

Thanks for your help so-far

Answer 5

Hey there!

Nice to meet you! I'm Randy, an Independent Advisor.

I appreciate the thorough information. You're probably right to think that a Windows update might have changed something important (such registry entries or network stack components), particularly if you were using version 24H2 and rolled back to a repair version. Even while everything indicates that your laptop is connected, the fact that it only downloads through an access point and not the main router points to a routing or DNS resolution issue, or perhaps a corrupted network profile. Here are some steps and guide for you to check.

STEP 1: Check DNS and Gateway

Open Command Prompt as Administrator and run:

ipconfig /all

Compare the DNS and gateway values when connected to:

The access point (works)

The main router (fails)

Look for differences. You may be getting a valid IP but a faulty DNS/gateway from the router.

STEP 2: Reset Network Stack

In Command Prompt (admin):

netsh winsock reset

netsh int ip reset

ipconfig /release

ipconfig /renew

ipconfig /flushdns

Then reboot.

Note: do this command one at a time.

Hope that this helps.

Regard.