Recently when my Windows 10 PC stopped connecting to the internet, I had to investigate all the system settings. After going through everything from the WiFi router settings to the network adapter settings in Windows, I finally figured out that something is not right with all the VPN tunnel software installed on my system. I had at least 3 of these installed by different VPN providers that I must have installed in the past. I fixed everything by removing these drivers and the related software from Windows using a new feature in Windows 10 called “Network Reset”. It takes care of all the steps automatically and you do not have to manually change any settings or remove any adapters.
If you also come across such troubles, you can simply reset all the network settings back to the default ones (when you installed Windows fresh) using Network Reset. Here is how:
- Press Win+I to open Windows settings. In the settings window, select Network & Internet.
- Select Status and then click on Network reset. You will have to scroll down to the very bottom to find this option.
- On the next screen, read all the information carefully and then click on Reset now.
This will initiate system restart. At next boot, it will restore the network settings back to the default values. It will remove all the network adapters and then reinstall them with factory default values. It will also remove any components installed by VPN software and virtual switches. You will have to download the setup program for your VPN software and then reinstall it all over again. But I suggest that you first check your network setup with bare bones configuration without installing any third-party software. When it starts to work as expected, only then you should proceed with the installation of extra software.