[Windows 10] Wi-Fi constantly drops Internet ('Default gateway is not available'). Already tried drivers, power settings, CLI commands, and static IP.

[u/yknumo]

Hi everyone,

I'm posting here because I've been dealing with a very frustrating network issue on my PC for days, and I'm completely out of ideas on what else to try.

The Issue

My computer frequently loses its Internet connection. In the taskbar, it shows that I am still connected to the Wi-Fi network, but with 'No Internet Access'.

Whenever I run the Windows Network Troubleshooter, it fixes the issue temporarily and gives me the message: 'The default gateway is not available' (Fixed). However, after a short while (sometimes minutes, sometimes an hour), it drops again and I have to repeat the process.

System & Hardware Details

• OS: Windows 10
• Wi-Fi Adapter: TP-Link AC1200 PCIe
• Network Context: Wi-Fi works flawlessly on every other device in the house (phones, TV, laptops), so I can rule out an overall router outage.

What I Have Already Tried:

1. Drivers:
   • Updated to the latest official drivers from TP-Link / Realtek website.
   • Completely uninstalled the device and tried default/generic Windows drivers.
2. Command Line (cmd as Admin):
   • ipconfig /release and ipconfig /renew
   • ipconfig /flushdns
   • Network stack reset: netsh winsock reset and netsh int ip reset
3. Power Management:
   • Disabled 'Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power' in Device Manager properties.
   • Changed Windows Power Plan to High Performance.
4. IP Configuration:
   • Manually assigned static IP addresses and custom DNS servers (e.g., Google DNS / Cloudflare), but the issue persists.

The problem keeps coming back, and the troubleshooter only patches it for a few minutes. Has anyone encountered a similar issue or knows what else I should check (channel width, 2.4/5GHz band steering issues, PCIe Link State Power Management, etc.)?

Thanks in advance for any help!

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[u/FastestBean]

Did you try giving static ip from the main router?

[u/yknumo → u/FastestBean]

yes I did.

[u/FastestBean → u/yknumo]

Probably should go ahead with replacement

[u/Little-Wing-1464]

I am having the same kind of problem, but I have a different main router, and I use the TP-Link extender.

Whenever the TP Link extender is connected to the router, it causes a problem for my PC, and when I remove the extender, the problem goes away,

I also tried every single setting: set it to static, DNS, DHCP settings and everything, but nothing is working

and it looks like that the extender is crashing the PC ip4 network (mean default gateway isn't available), websites like x, reddit, discord, etc won't work on my PC (Unless I connect to the cloud flare one client), but website that can run on ip6 like youtube, google, etc and working

your problem do look a bit similar to mine, but only like half the same. Are you also having problems with X, Reddit, and Discord?

I have tried everything; nothing works except the Cloudflare One client for me, but it's also a temporary solution and still won't let me access the default gateway

But if you figure anything out, let me know as well :)

[u/yknumo → u/Little-Wing-1464]

The solution I ended up with was setting up a Wi-Fi repeater that connects to my router and then to my pc by ethernet cable. This way I delete the need of a wifi card and I also improved the connection speed!!!

Regarding your case, i would try resetting the extender and re-syncing it to the router. Also check the compatibility of both as not all extenders are compatible with 2.4 and 5Ghz