How to Restart a Network Adapter in Windows 11

Is your internet connection slow or dropping out? Restarting your network adapter might be the fix you need. This guide shows you easy ways to do it on Windows 11.

What is a Network Adapter?

A network adapter is hardware inside your computer that connects you to the internet or other networks. It’s sometimes called a network card or NIC. When you restart it, you’re turning it off and back on. This clears out small problems that may have built up.

Why Restart the Network Adapter?

Restarting your network adapter fixes common connection problems. It resets your network settings and clears temporary errors that slow down or stop your internet.

How to Restart Your Network Adapter

Method 1: Turn Wi-Fi Off and On

This is the quickest way to restart your adapter:

1. Click the Network icon in the lower-right corner of your screen near the clock.
2. Click the Wi-Fi button to turn it off.
3. Wait a few seconds, then click it again to turn Wi-Fi back on.

Here’s a helpful video showing how to do this step by step:

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Method 2: Disable and Enable Your Network Adapter

You can also restart your adapter by disabling and enabling it:

1. Press the Windows key + X and select Network Connections.
2. Click Advanced network settings.
3. Under More settings, click Network adapters.
4. Find your network adapter like “Wi-Fi”, click it, then click Disable.
5. Wait a few seconds, then click Enable to turn it back on.

More detailed steps can be found here: How to Disable or Enable a Network Adapter in Windows 11

Method 3: Restart the Network Adapter Using PowerShell

⚠️ Admin privileges required for this method.

If you like using commands, you can restart your network adapter with PowerShell:

1. Press Windows key + S, type PowerShell, right-click it, and choose Run as administrator.
2. Type this command to see all your network adapters:
   
   Get-NetAdapter | Format-Table -AutoSize
   
3. Look for the name of the adapter you want to restart like “Wi-Fi”.
4. Then type this command and replace Wi-Fi with your adapter’s name:
   
   Restart-NetAdapter -Name "Wi-Fi"
   

Here’s an example screenshot showing the list of network adapters:

Summary

Restarting your network adapter is a simple fix for internet problems. It clears small errors that may be slowing you down. You have three easy options:

• Turn Wi-Fi off and on from the Network icon.
• Disable and enable the adapter through Network settings.
• Use PowerShell commands for a quick restart if you’re comfortable with typing commands.

By following these simple steps, you can quickly improve your network connection and get back online without hassle.