Some of the most frustrating issues experienced in Windows 8 relate to problems with WiFi, some of the issues are set out below:

Limited connectivity message

If you are getting a limited connectivity message in the task bar, there can be several causes. Some reasons are a bad network cable, a problem with the router or network adapter.  We have outlined some possible solutions below which may help you resolve these issues.

Solution 1 – using troubleshooter

Windows 8 comes with a built-in Troubleshooter that can help resolve the WiFi issue you are experiencing.  Below are the steps to use the Troubleshooter in Windows 8

1. Press Windows + C keys on the keyboard simultaneously to open Search Charm
2. Type Troubleshooting
3. Select Troubleshooting that appears first in the list
4. Click Network and Internet
5. You will see different types of fixes available under the Troubleshoot problems – Network and Internet, click Internet connections
6. Follow the on-screen instructions to resolve the limited connectivity issue

If the above solution does not work, try the troubleshooting steps given in Solution 2

Solution 2 – Reset TCP/IP

Some users might also get an additional error message which says “WiFi does not have a valid IP configuration.”  You can try resetting TCP/IP and Winsock to resolve the issue. Follow the troubleshooting steps given below to reset TCP/IP and Winsock.

1. Press Windows + C keys on the keyboard simultaneously to open Search Charm
2. Type Command prompt
3. Right click on the first listing and select “Run as Administrator”
4. At the command prompt, type the following commands one at a time

netsh winsock reset catalog

netsh int ip reset c:\resetlog.txt

The above troubleshooting method will only work when the WiFi is working. If the WiFi icon is greyed out or disabled, try  Solution 3 given below

Solution 3- Enabling WiFi connection

In some cases, you will notice that you cannot enable the WiFi connection and the WiFi toggle button in Windows 8 is greyed out. Here are the troubleshooting steps you need to follow

1. Go to Desktop
2. Right-click the Network icon in the taskbar
3. Click Open Network and Sharing Center
4. Look for Wireless connection at the top. Click on the blue link
5. A new dialog box pops ups, click on the Diagnose button
6. Follow the on-screen instructions to resolve the issue.

You can also try disabling and enabling the Wireless adapter by following the steps given below

1. Go to Network and Sharing Center
2. Click Change Adapter Settings
3. Right-click on Wireless Network connection
4. Click Disable
5. Right-click on Wireless Network connection and click Enable