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Network & VPN · 6 guides

Fix network problems

VPN drops, Wi-Fi with no internet, missing shared drives, and slow connections.

VPN is connected but I cannot reach internal sites

The VPN tunnel is up, but browsers and file shares still behave as if you are off-network.

ModerateAbout 10 minutes4 steps

You might notice

  • VPN shows Connected
  • Intranet pages time out
  • Network drives stay disconnected
  1. 01

    Confirm you are on the work VPN, not a personal one

    Some laptops have more than one VPN. Disconnect personal or browser VPNs and leave only the company client connected.

  2. 02

    Refresh DNS

    On Windows, open Command Prompt and run ipconfig /flushdns. Close the browser completely and reopen the internal site using the official bookmark, not a saved IP.

  3. 03

    Reconnect the tunnel

    Disconnect the VPN, wait 20 seconds, then connect again. If your company uses more than one gateway, try the one closest to your region.

  4. 04

    Test a known-good internal site

    Try the intranet home page and a mapped drive. If the intranet works but a single app fails, that app may be down or restricted to office IPs.

The VPN keeps disconnecting

The VPN drops after a few minutes, after the lid closes, or when you move between rooms.

ModerateAbout 12 minutes4 steps

You might notice

  • Client flips between Connected and Disconnected
  • Drops after the laptop sleeps
  • Works on a hotspot but not on home Wi-Fi
  1. 01

    Rule out sleep and power saving

    Set the laptop to never sleep while plugged in during a long session. After waking from sleep, disconnect and reconnect the VPN instead of leaving a stale tunnel.

  2. 02

    Test a different network

    Try a phone hotspot. If the VPN stays up, the home router may be dropping long-lived connections. Reboot the router and disable “VPN passthrough” experiments or extra security suites on the router.

  3. 03

    Pause extra security software briefly

    Personal firewalls and “web shields” can reset VPN traffic. Pause them for a test, then add the company VPN to the allow list.

  4. 04

    Update the VPN client

    Install the latest company-approved client from the software catalog. Old clients often fail after a gateway change.

Wi-Fi is connected but there is no internet

The laptop shows a strong wireless signal, but browsers and apps cannot reach the web.

ModerateAbout 10 minutes4 steps

You might notice

  • Pages spin and time out
  • A globe or warning icon appears on the network icon
  • Only some apps work
  1. 01

    Toggle the adapter

    Turn Wi-Fi off and on. If that fails, use Airplane mode for 10 seconds, then reconnect. This clears a stuck DHCP lease.

  2. 02

    Forget the network and rejoin

    Forget the SSID, reconnect, and accept any captive portal. Hotel and cafe networks often require a browser login before internet starts.

  3. 03

    Try another site and another device

    Open a simple site and compare with your phone on the same Wi-Fi. If the phone also fails, reboot the router or move closer to the access point.

  4. 04

    Flush DNS and release the address

    On Windows run ipconfig /release, then ipconfig /renew, then ipconfig /flushdns. On a company laptop, also check that you are not stuck on a manual proxy.

I cannot access a shared network drive

A department drive is missing, asks for a password, or returns “access denied.”

ModerateAbout 10 minutes4 steps

You might notice

  • The drive letter is gone
  • Windows asks for network credentials
  • You can see the folder but cannot open files
  1. 01

    Confirm you are on the corporate network

    In the office, join staff Wi-Fi or Ethernet. From home, connect to the VPN first. Shared drives are almost never available on guest Wi-Fi.

  2. 02

    Reconnect the mapping

    In File Explorer, try the official path (\\fileserver\share). If it opens, remap it as a drive letter so it returns at sign-in.

  3. 03

    Use your current work password

    If prompted, enter domain\username and the password you use for Windows. After a password change, old saved credentials in Windows Credential Manager often block the share.

  4. 04

    Check with a teammate

    If they can open it and you cannot, you likely need group access. If nobody can open it, the server or share may be down.

Internet or internal apps feel unusually slow

Pages crawl, file copies stall, or video calls pixelate when the network used to be fine.

ModerateAbout 12 minutes4 steps

You might notice

  • Sites load for a long time
  • OneDrive or file copies stall
  • Calls degrade only on your machine
  1. 01

    Separate Wi-Fi from the destination

    Try a wired connection or a hotspot. If speed returns, the issue is local Wi-Fi. Move closer to the access point and forget crowded 2.4 GHz if 5 GHz is available.

  2. 02

    Pause heavy sync and downloads

    Pause OneDrive, Windows Update, and large browser downloads. A single large sync can make everything else feel broken.

  3. 03

    Test with and without VPN

    If you are in the office, disconnect VPN. If you are at home, compare a public site on and off VPN. A slow VPN gateway is a common remote-work cause.

  4. 04

    Restart the stack

    Reboot the laptop, then the home router if you are remote. In the office, try another desk to see if one access point is overloaded.

I cannot join a meeting because of the network

Teams, Zoom, or Webex stays on “connecting” or drops you before the lobby.

ModerateAbout 8 minutes4 steps

You might notice

  • The meeting window never opens
  • You hear no one and they cannot hear you
  • It works on a phone hotspot but not on office or home Wi-Fi
  1. 01

    Try the desktop app, then the browser

    If the app hangs, join from the browser link in the invite. If the browser hangs, use the desktop app. This isolates a broken client.

  2. 02

    Change the network path

    In the office, switch between Wi-Fi and Ethernet. At home, try with VPN off if the meeting is hosted in the cloud. Some VPN paths block real-time media.

  3. 03

    Allow the meeting through local security tools

    Personal VPNs, ad blockers, and extra firewalls commonly break meeting media. Pause them for the call.

  4. 04

    Join from your phone as a fallback

    Use the mobile app or the dial-in number so you do not miss the meeting while you keep troubleshooting.