The default gateway is not available, explained and fixed

The Windows Network troubleshooter reports “The default gateway is not available” when the PC cannot reach the router that connects it to the internet. The default gateway is the router's address on the local network, so this error means the path from the PC to the router is broken.

The fix, in order

  1. Restart the PC and the router. A temporary fault on either side is the most common cause.
  2. Reset the network stack. Open Command Prompt as administrator and run netsh winsock reset and netsh int ip reset, then restart.
  3. Disable and re-enable the adapter. Press Windows key plus R, type ncpa.cpl, right-click the Wi-Fi adapter, choose Disable, wait a few seconds, then choose Enable.
  4. Turn off adapter power saving. In Device Manager, open the wireless adapter properties, go to the Power Management tab, and uncheck “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power.”
  5. Update or reinstall the Wi-Fi driver. A driver that fails after a Windows update is a known trigger for this error. Install the latest driver from the computer maker's support site.
  6. Release and renew the address. In an admin Command Prompt, run ipconfig /release then ipconfig /renew and test again.
This error is often fixed by a driver update, so do not reset the router to factory defaults over it. A factory reset wipes the router settings and is rarely the cause.

If it still happens

If the error returns every time the PC wakes from sleep, the power saving setting is the likely cause, so make sure it stays off and check the power plan. If it happens on every network, the adapter itself may be failing, so test with a USB Wi-Fi adapter.

Common questions

What is a default gateway? It is the router's address on your local network. Devices send internet traffic to the gateway, and the router forwards it on. If the PC cannot reach the gateway, nothing beyond the local network is reachable.

Why does the troubleshooter fix it and then it comes back? The troubleshooter resets the adapter, which clears the fault temporarily. If the cause is a bad driver or a power saving setting, the fault returns until that cause is fixed.

Related errors

Wi-Fi doesn't have a valid IP configuration · Wi-Fi keeps disconnecting · DNS server not responding

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