"Default Gateway Not Available" every minute or so. - Hardware & Software

Apparently this is a semi-common issue, and because of that, I've already tried the usual suggestions: Everything to do with my drivers. Uninstalling, reinstalling, all that. My anti-virus is the free version of MalwareBytes so there's no security issue there. The weird thing is that, if I restart my router, it's pretty much fixed until my PC is restarted, then it all happens again. https://files.facepunch.com/forum/upload/222725/6b1c080c-346f-43ad-a3e2-0285e7be2d76/image.png Apparently it can be due to some Windows 10 automatic sign-in thing, but I've already tried to change that. (To no avail.) This just started happening out of nowhere. Any ideas?

When you re-installed the drivers, did windows find them or did you get them online?

I couldn't get them online, since there was no internet at that moment. I uninstalled them and had them reinstall from the device itself, and when that didn't work, I got the internet back long enough to try and update online- nothin'. The drivers are all hunky dory.

Do you HAVE to restart your router to get it working again? If it's wifi does disconnecting and reconnecting not work? If it's a lan cable, what about disconnecting and reconnecting the cable? Everything online seems to point to drivers that's all, and if only a reboot of your pc is bringing the problem back, even more so. Also just to confirm, if you go into windows 10 settings, update & security, view update history, then scroll down to 'Driver updates'. Anything changed or installed around the same time you started experiencing the problem?

Do you have any custom settings for your network adapter? Is it using DHCP/Custom DNS servers and when this is happening have you tried to ping the gateway?

Yeah I have to restart the router- I've done all I can with this wifi adapter I have. Since my PC was built, I opted in just getting this USB one that works a treat to this day. But, looking at your update history thing told me something: https://files.facepunch.com/forum/upload/222725/758938ab-bc3f-4e07-a282-c16884714ad4/image.png They say antivirus triggers it. I didn't even know I still had this- I'll see about disabling it, and getting back to you tomorrow.

Wait, are you using a USB Wifi device or an internal card? I ask because I've never owned a USB Wifi device that worked worth a damn, they've all been hot garbage. If you got a spare slot it doesn't make sense to me to not use an internal card, they're all around better imo.

Hah, well I don't have the money now, and this USB thing can handle more than what my internet is meant to give me. It's surprisingly good. As for internal cards, well, for some reason that was far from my mind. When I upgrade my PC in future, it'll be a certain thought to have.

Are you able to plug directly into the router and see if the issue persists? Because if it does then we'll know for sure it's not the Wifi dongle. What brand is it? Got a model number?

Nope, the router's downstairs. If I reset it, everything's perfect. The wifi thing iiiis... This: https://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-LINK-TL-WN822N-Wireless-Adapter-Version-300M-x/dp/B00416Q5KI As said, had it for a couple years. Even right now it works perfectly- during the issues, the PC just wanted to restart it over and over. It's like it accepted the internet, then just threw it off because it didn't like it. But I restart the router and it's all fine- I don't get it. I know I ought to get an upgrade soon, it has been on my mind, but it's not something I can't really get right now. Have to wait until next year. (Student.)

I am certain this is a DHCP related issue, have you edited your settings by chance?

No clue what they are. I've had no reason to mess about with my internet at all. Here: Gateway issues See if this does anything for you. It's the detailed information the troubleshooter gives.

Have you confirmed it's your AV? Also out of curiosity go ahead and post your ipconfig /all cmd output

AV? ipconfic /all? You got me lost here, bud. I've never messed around with that stuff before.

Av as in Antivirus and so just go to command prompt (winkey+r) type cmd, press enter, then once you're in cmd type ipconfig/all and just copy and paste the text it generates

I've reset the router now so it works. Had stuff to do today- and yeah, Defender is my only realtime defence, MalwareBytes is just free stuff that scans well and can delete. I turned Defender off, problem still happened. I'll reset my PC some time and check that ipconfig, though.

How does your IPv4 settings look? @Richard Longflop Meaning this window: https://files.facepunch.com/forum/upload/133985/6fb5621a-8ab5-4d1d-a0be-6a781cd76e2b/image.png Make sure it's automatic.

https://files.facepunch.com/forum/upload/222725/dbfc5913-9adc-4ba6-a732-1c1e28579737/image.png That's what I got.

Then let's do this: from the ipconfig command in CMD, there should be a gateway line. That ip-adress is what we want to write in this IPv4 setting window. To make sure Windows always now which gateway is the router. If the thing keep happening then we need to try changing routers, if it still happens its your ISPs routing tables that are borked.

Alright, but what do I use for preferred/alternative DNS server?

There is the free cloudflare one 1.1.1.1/2.2.2.2 or google's 8.8.8.8/8.8.4.4 Make sure the ip adress field itself is empty.

https://files.facepunch.com/forum/upload/222725/3ba2c70f-5a03-4183-9a67-c5e80885a6f2/image.png Ruddy awkward machine.

That's fine, I'm just a potato. Do 192.168.0.5 as IP-adress. And let's give that a try.

Pardon the wait, I got a bit caught up in stuff I needed to do. https://files.facepunch.com/forum/upload/222725/c7b10c02-3d17-44c8-97ce-08ef44521a8f/image.png It cares not for the stuff.

Well it doesn't like it since I assume that that's not the correct IP range you're router is giving out. You need to set that back to it's default, automatic, and then run "ipconfig /all" (no quotes) in the CMD promt and show us what it says. Just go to the start menu and type CMD.

Yeah, we need to figure out the routers IP-adress, that is the "gateway", my router is 192.168.1.1, I've made my computer be 192.168.1.2. It might be the DHCP part of your router is failing somehow.

Windows IP Configuration Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : DESKTOP-HM2932H Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . : Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No Ethernet adapter Ethernet: Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) Ethernet Connection (2) I218-V Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : F0-79-59-5E-F7-22 DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes Wireless LAN adapter Local Area Connection* 2: Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft Wi-Fi Direct Virtual Adapter Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : C0-4A-00-15-B2-AA DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes Wireless LAN adapter Local Area Connection* 3: Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft Wi-Fi Direct Virtual Adapter #2 Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : C0-4A-00-15-B2-AA DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes Wireless LAN adapter WiFi: Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8192CU Wireless LAN 802.11n USB 2.0 Network Adapter Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : C0-4A-00-15-B2-AA DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::3cb2:5929:6103:8175%7(Preferred) Autoconfiguration IPv4 Address. . : 169.254.129.117(Preferred) Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0 Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 314591744 DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-1E-0A-40-53-F0-79-59-5E-F7-22 DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : fec0:0:0:ffff::1%1 fec0:0:0:ffff::2%1 fec0:0:0:ffff::3%1 NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Hmm, did you capture that when you were having the gateway issue? If you did then you definitely have a DHCP issue since you're getting an Automatic Private IP (169.254.129.117). Windows gives that out automatically when DHCP IP issues happen Are you able to login to your router and show us the DHCP range it's supposed to be giving out? Once we've got that info then we can tell you what static IP information you need to use.