Wi-Fi keeps losing connection to Internet when running specific programs

[screminmemes]

I have been having this problem for about a year now:

When using certain programs I my computer will randomly disconnect and my Wi-Fi status will say "Connected, no Internet." Running troubleshooting on the connection usually results in Windows saying there is an issue with DNS server (I have it set to 8.8.8.8 for Google's DNS from the default [which was having the same issue.]) My system is as follows:

- Windows 10 Home
- Netgear Nighthawk R7000 (dual band) connected to Technicolor DCP3216 cable modem supplied by Spectrum
- ASUS USB AC53 Nano USB wireless adapter (dual band)

This happens occasionally with all programs, but very frequently when actively streaming anything via OBS and when running Fallout 76 (with or without using OBS) - after about 10-15 mins it will disconnect and I will not be able to reach anything on my browser. If I play without streaming OBS (for example, Insurgency) it will not disconnect as often (sometimes I play for 3-4 hours with no trouble.)

Just today I streamed an entire movie from Prime Video on my computer, logged into Fallout 76 and 15 mins in I lost Internet connection.

The connection still shows perfectly connected to Wi-Fi, but with no Internet Connection. This happens on both 2.4 and 5 GHz connections.

I was having this issue over the past year and the above Wi-Fi router and the USB Wi-Fi adapter were both purchased new due to having this same issue with previous router and adapter (though just with OBS since FO76 wasn't out yet.)

I have been scouring the web for similar reports but nothing I can find matches my situation exactly, though I have tried the following steps as have been suggested for other issues:

- Turned off Windows power saving for my adapter
- Called Spectrum. (Of course, they say the line is just fine and it's not their problem.)
- Had Spectrum come out (a year ago) to check the lines here and they replaced some but said it wasn't causing the issues.
- Replaced modem (Spectrum replaced it when our speed increased about 5 months ago.)
- Tried adapter in every USB slot available in my PC (currently plugged into USB 2.0 slot, though I have 3.0 it will connect with.)
- Tried on both router bands - on 5GHz when I first connect I get 100 MBps over Wi-Fi, so very strong connection.
- Router, modem, and adapter are all on latest firmware updates (and have been updated as needed.)

It should be noted that while my computer is disconnected from the Internet, other devices USUALLY remain connected (Fire TV continues to stream, Echo continues to play music.) Sometimes the second PC which is hardwired via Ethernet to the Netgear router will lose it's connection as well.

In order to get the connection back I usually have to restart the router and/or the modem (sometimes just one works, other times I need to do both.) The modem itself still shows it is fully connected to the Internet at the time and the router lights still indicate 2.4 and 5 Ghz bands are on, as well as the Ethernet connection to the modem.

I know this is long, but I wanted to be as detailed as possible because I have tried EVERYTHING I can find over the last year to no avail and I'm at my wit's end about this.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[screminmemes]

I also have tried switching channels on 2.4 and 5 GHz bands - which actually made it worse that leaving it on auto.

 

[leoscott]

When it disconnects from the internet open a command prompt and ping the router. That will verify your wireless connection if the ping succeeds. You should also open your router's web page and find the server it is connecting to and then try pinging that if the first test succeeds.
You can also try tracert 23.53.254.142 from the command prompt. That address is the one that just came back to me as www.microsoft.com. It could give you an idea where your connection in failing.

 

[screminmemes]

It just happened with Fallout 76 again. I pinged my router, which was fine. Connection info says "Connected, no Internet"

Disconnected from Wi-Fi and connected again and it immediately has connection to Internet again.

 

[screminmemes]

I am now almost 100% certain this is caused by Fallout 76. About 9/10 times I play Fallout 76 my DNS server will stop responding (it is set to Google's) within 4-5 mins of connecting to a server.

Prior to that I can stream videos, play other games, browse the web - literally everything I normally do - without trouble. As soon as FO76 is fired up, though, I lose my entire connection to the Internet.

Oddly, now it doesn't say No Internet - it will still say Connected, secured on Wi-Fi but all websites can't be accessed and troubleshooting the connection results in it saying DNS server is not responding. Reconnecting fixes it.

The only common denominator here is Fallout 76 but I can find NOTHING on the Internet with people having the same issue.

 

[MojoTeq]

I've been playing Fallout 76 for a few weeks, and this just started happening to me. I'm playing on Xbox one x Scorpio edition with physical media, the xbone is wired directly to a Netgear nighthawk x6s that is connected to a Netgear cm1100 modem. I can pay other online games like blops 4 with no issue, but fo76 started connecting to the server, then immediately crashes when you spawn, and it takes the whole network down for all devices. During this time my phone will show connected, no internet, and the Xbox gets completely signed out of my profile. Then in about the same amount of time as rebooting the router, the internet comes back up. I can then run any game or steam any video service, but if I switch back to fo76, it crashes everything, again. I have rebooted all 3 devices, I have unplugged and plugged all wires back in, I have cleared the cache on the Xbox, and then deleted the same game, and finally uninstalled and reinstalled the game, and it still happens. I usually play adventure mode, but it also happens in nuclear winter mode