WiFi keeps dropping on Windows? Try these 3 fixes

The 30-second fix: Power cycle your router and modem

I know how annoying it is when your WiFi drops right in the middle of something important. Before you do anything else, try this — it works more often than you'd think.

1. Unplug your modem and router (both, if they're separate).
2. Wait a full 30 seconds. Not 10, not 15. Set a timer if you have to.
3. Plug the modem back in first. Wait until all the lights stop blinking.
4. Then plug the router back in. Wait another 2 minutes.
5. Reconnect your computer to WiFi.

This clears the temporary memory in both devices. I've seen stubborn issues vanish after this. If your WiFi still drops after 10 minutes, move to the next fix.

The 5-minute fix: Turn off power saving for your WiFi adapter

Windows has a nasty habit of putting your WiFi card to sleep to save battery. This is the #1 cause of random disconnects on laptops. Here's how to stop it:

1. Press Windows Key + X and choose Device Manager.
2. Find Network adapters and expand the list.
3. Look for something with "WiFi" or "Wireless" in the name — like Intel(R) Wi-Fi 6 AX200 or Realtek RTL8821CE.
4. Right-click it and choose Properties.
5. Go to the Power Management tab.
6. Uncheck "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power".
7. Click OK and restart your computer.

I've seen this fix work for 8 out of 10 people. If your WiFi still drops after this, there's something else going on.

The 15-minute fix: Reset network stack and flush DNS

This is the nuclear option — but it works when nothing else does. It resets all your network settings to default. Don't worry, it doesn't delete your files.

Open Command Prompt as administrator:

1. Press Windows Key + X and choose Windows Terminal (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin).
2. Type these commands one at a time, pressing Enter after each:

netsh int ip reset
netsh winsock reset
ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew
ipconfig /flushdns

Now restart your computer. This clears any corrupt IP settings or DNS cache that might be causing the drops. I've had users tell me this fixed WiFi that was dropping every 5 minutes for weeks.

One more thing: Check if your router uses 5 GHz or 2.4 GHz

Some older laptops work better on 2.4 GHz. If your router supports both bands, try connecting to the 2.4 GHz network (it's usually named differently, like "MyWiFi-2.4"). 5 GHz is faster but has shorter range. If you're far from the router, the signal might drop.

Still dropping? It could be a driver issue. Roll back your WiFi driver in Device Manager to an older version. Sometimes new updates break things. I've seen this with Intel WiFi cards after Windows updates.

If none of these work, your router might be failing. Try borrowing a friend's router for a day to test. But honestly, the power cycle and power saving fix handle most cases.