When your Chromebook is connected to Wi-Fi but you unable to access internet or getting “Network not available” error, login as guest and then install any pending updates.
If you can login as regular user to your Chromebook, and the Wi-Fi is connected, but no internet access, the quick fix is to hardware reset your Chromebook.
If this doesn’t work, power cycle your Wi-Fi router, restart your Chromebook, run Chrome Connectivity Diagnostic Tool, flush the DNS cache, or reset (Powerwash) your Chromebook.
Basic Checks
Check the internet status light on your router. If the light is solid or blinking green very fast, it means the internet is working correctly.
You can also verify your internet by connecting your mobile device to the same Wi-Fi network and browsing the web. If you’re able to browse on your phone, it’s time to troubleshoot your Chromebook.
Network Not Available
When you get Network Not Available error message while setting up or sign-in in to your Chromebook, follow these steps to fix it:
Click on Continue as Guest option.
Once logged in, press Ctrl + Alt + T keys to open command line.
Type autotest and press Enter key on the keyboard.
Next, open Settings and click on About Chrome OS.
Your Chromebook will be updating to the latest version. Once the update is complete, restart your Chromebook and attempt to sign in again.
Hardware Reset
Here’s how to do that:
- Turn off your Chromebook.
- Wait for 1 minute.
- After 1 minute, press and hold the Power and Refresh buttons on the keyboard together until your Chromebook starts up.
Once your Chromebook restarts, the internet connectivity problem should be resolved.
If hardware reset doesn’t work, the next thing to do is to power cycle your router.
Power Cycle your Wi-Fi Router
To power cycle your Wi-Fi router, disconnect it from the power source. Then, plug it back in after 1 to 2 minutes.
Wait for a few moments until your router connects to the internet. You can confirm that by looking at the router internet light.
When your router connects to the internet, connect your Chromebook to the Wi-Fi and check if it working now.
If your router cannot connect to the internet after restart, the problem is with your router. It could be due to a broken cable, or your ISP may be down.
Restart your Chromebook
If everything is perfect with your router, but you still have no internet connectivity on your Chromebook, it’s time to restart your Chromebook.
Most of the time, simply restarting the Chromebook solves most of its issues. So here’s how to restart your Chromebook:
- Click on the Power icon to open Power menu.
- Select Power off. This will shutdown your Chromebook.
- Now turn it on again using the power button.
If the issue is temporary, it should be fixed by a restart. If it doesn’t, continue reading.
Run Chrome Connectivity Diagnostics Tool
Chrome Connectivity Diagnostics is a lightweight addon for ChromeOS which scans your network connection for common issues and provides suggestions.
You can get Chrome Connectivity Diagnostics from Chrome Web Store.
Once it is installed, run it inside the Chrome browser to get a detailed overview of your network connection.
Flush the DNS Cache
Chromebook stores IP addresses and other DNS records of websites you visit in its cache. This prevents browsers from making new requests, thus reducing server response times.
Flushing the DNS means clearing all the stored IP addresses and DNS records from your computer cache. This can help resolve the internet connectivity issue on your Chromebook.
To flush the DNS cache on your Chromebook, paste the below URL in its address bar and hit enter:
chrome://net-internals/#dnsClick on the Clear host cache button to clear the cache.
Reset (Powerwash) your Chromebook
If none of the above works, the issue may be due to the wrong configuration or corrupted system files. In that scenario, I’d recommend resetting or powerwashing your Chromebook to the default factory setting.
Make sure to back up all your data and files before proceeding with this step, as it will delete all the data.
Once you have backed up your data, follow these steps to reset your Chromebook:
- Turn off your Chromebook.
- Press and hold the Refresh and Power buttons on the keyboard for a few seconds.
- This will boot your Chromebook to recovery mode. Now, press and Ctrl and D buttons on the keyboard.
- You will see OS Verification is OFF message. Press the Space button, and then follow on-screen instructions to complete reset operation.
Alternatively, you can also reset your Chromebook by opening the Settings app and then under Advanced, select Reset settings.
Next, click on the Reset button. See the screenshot below:
If you have questions about this guide, ask me in the comments section below.
I powerwashed my chromebook and it worked.