No Internet on Linux – Step-by-Step Network Debugging

No internet on Linux – step-by-step network debugging

No internet on Linux is frustrating, but it’s almost always fixable in a few minutes once you know where to look. This guide works through the problem in order — from “is it just this website?” down to the network card itself — so you can find the cause without guessing. It applies to Ubuntu, Mint, Debian and most other distros.

Step 1 – Find out how far the connection gets

Open a terminal and test three things in turn:

ping -c3 192.168.1.1
ping -c3 1.1.1.1
ping -c3 google.com

If the first (your router) fails, the problem is local — cable, WiFi or adapter. If the router replies but the second (a public IP) fails, the issue is between you and your provider. If only the third (a name) fails, your connection works and the problem is DNS — jump to Step 4.

Step 2 – Check NetworkManager sees your connection

nmcli device status

Your adapter should read connected. If it says unavailable or disconnected, the network service may have stalled. Restart it with:

sudo systemctl restart NetworkManager

Wait ten seconds and check again — this alone clears a surprising number of “no internet on Linux” cases.

Step 3 – Wired vs wireless

If WiFi is the problem, plug in an Ethernet cable to confirm the rest of the system is fine. A working wired connection but dead WiFi points to a wireless driver issue — our separate WiFi troubleshooting guide covers that in detail. No wired option? Tethering a phone over USB is a quick way to get online temporarily so you can install any fix you need.

Step 4 – Fixing DNS

If you can reach IP addresses but not website names, DNS is failing. Test with a public resolver:

ping -c3 1.1.1.1
nslookup google.com 1.1.1.1

If that works, set your connection to use a reliable public DNS server in Settings → Network → your connection → IPv4, then turn off automatic DNS and enter the server manually. Reconnect and names should resolve again.

Step 5 – Rule out the router

Before assuming it’s the computer, check whether other devices are online. If nothing in the house has internet, restart the router and contact your provider. If only the Linux machine is affected, the cause is local — and the steps above will have narrowed it down.

Hardware that connects out of the box

Network adapters with poor Linux support are a common root cause of these headaches. Every ArkPC Linux laptop and desktop is tested with wired and wireless networking working on your chosen distro before it ships anywhere in Australia. If your current machine keeps dropping offline, talk to our support team — we’ll tell you honestly whether it’s a setting, a driver, or hardware worth replacing.