Windows 10 says I have no internet connection, but I have.

Anonymous
2020-05-21T19:20:56+00:00

I am running on Windows 10 Enterprise, Version 2004, OS Build 19041.264.

I recently changed to the Windows Insider Program and updated Windows. In the taskbar, the Wi-Fi icon shows No Internet Access, but I have a stable internet connection wirelessly (Ex: I can browse the internet, ping IP Addresses, etc.). Another problem is when I try to open Cortana it also says that I have no internet connection (By the way, I can also open Microsoft's website).

As I know Windows checks internet connectivity with this URL: http://msftconnecttest.com/connecttest.txt. But this gives Error 404, File Not Found. Maybe it is because of this?

If you know the problem or an answer, please help. Thanks!

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Internet and connectivity

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Anonymous
2020-06-18T19:27:38+00:00

Hello, use Registry Editor, go to: 

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\NlaSvc\Parameters\Internet

and modify: EnableActiveProbing

then change "Value data" from "0" to "1"

and restart your computer

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Anonymous
2021-06-07T17:45:06+00:00

The proper one is

"HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\NetworkConnectivityStatusIndicator\” -Name UseGlobalDNS -PropertyType DWORD -Value 1 -Force

But the more appropriate way to do this is not through registry directly, but through group policy config:

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  1. Anonymous
    2021-01-29T18:04:27+00:00

    I am running W10 prof version 1909 with latest update and this just started this week on laptop, not sure why. So far desktop using wifi adapter is ok (fingers crossed). Spent quite a bit of time trying to figure out why the wireless icon showed no internet and then when tried internet it worked okay.  Network settings also shows no internet access! Then checked online since seemed weird and saw this post so looks like a far reaching concern.  My enable active probing was already set to 1.  So am going to ignore this for now unless cannot connect and hope it is corrected sometime soon.  Noticed that the airport mode button is greyed out, maybe because since ms sees no internet access there is nothing to stop.   I have never used it, so not sure.  Seems each week have to take time off work to readjust or worry about one more thing due to a windows update.  Thanks to all for the posts, helped me.

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  2. Anonymous
    2021-01-26T01:55:34+00:00

    I have(with Tom's help via PM's) figured out what was causing the issue in MY machine.  This is a conclusive result - it really WAS this, and no amount of tinkering with keys in the registry fixed it thus far.  The cause in my case, was VirtualSheild VPN.  Turn it off with the globe icon showing, the globe almost instantly vanishes and is replaced with the normal connection icon.

    If  you are running a VPN but ESPECIALLY VirtualSheild, turn it off/shut it down and see if that fixes your globe icon.

    It would seem that VirtualSheild anyway, does something there that is affecting the connect-test servers from doing their thing.

    As soon as I restart VirtualSheild, about ten minutes later, the globe icon is back again.  Shut down VirtualSheild again, and the globe vanishes and you get the standard connection icon back.  I can repeat this at will, so it is definitely VirtualSheild causing MY issues.

    But purely out of interest, I would love to hear from any members who have this globe icon issue - and also use VirtualSheild.  For those members, shut-down your copy of VirtualSheild and see if that solves your problems.  I am reasonably confident that it will.

    I still use my VirtualSheild, but when I NEED to have W10 know it is online such as in the MS Store etc, I just kill VirtualSheild, and seconds later, I have the normal connection icon in the taskbar.

    I would also be interested to know if that is also the case for other VPN providers like NORD for example.

    Oh, and yes - I am using the most up to date version of VirtualSheild, so it is not cos it was an old version or something like that, but it really does seem to be the root cause of all MY globe icon issues.

    I'll add here what I discussed with GrogsterNZ offline

    VPNs are famous for messing with NCSI active probes.  Sometimes on VPN connection new routes take a long time to plumb down into the network stack and drivers, and the probe can't route out correctly until it's there.   But more often the case is that the active probe is just trying to get to the dang internet, so if it sees an active network on a VPN adapter it can forward the probe through the VPN tunnel.  

    The problem with that is how long it takes for the far-end to forward that probe to its internet access point, take the probe response and send it back through the tunnel to you....hopefully before NCSI times out and fails the probe attempt.  Wherever that remote endpoint is might not be quick enough in forwarding the probe, getting an answer and propping it back through the tunnel to your machine.  It's all in the timing.

    If it turns out to be the VPN, what can you do?   Configure the VPN for a "split tunnel", which says forward certain traffic directly to the internet and not through the VPN tunnel....certain traffic like active probes.   Surprised that VirtualShield doesn't do that by default, if that turns out to be the problem.  Other VPN software knows better.   

    In almost all customer NCSI cases I've worked, NCSI behaves by design.  It's just that when someone plays tricks with the active probe, or slows it down, NCSI is only at the mercy of getting a timely response.   It can't do anything about the stuff in between.

    Others on this thread may have completely different issues (not VPN).

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  3. Anonymous
    2021-01-26T01:34:34+00:00

    I use ProtonVPN and have the same issue. But I only use split tunneling for one application , all the other apps don't go through VPN.

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