If your main computer has an internet connection, Windows Sandbox piggybacks on it so that you have a working internet connection in the sandbox environment. However, if your Windows Sandbox has no internet connection, follow the steps below to fix the problem and gain access to the internet in the sandbox environment.
Reasons for no Internet connection in Windows Sandbox
When Windows Sandbox cannot access the internet, it displays the no internet connection icon. Hovering over it will show the error message “No internet access. No connections available.”
Some of the most common reasons for the no internet connection error in Windows Sandbox include conflicting firewall and antivirus rules, the installation of third-party virtual machine (VM) software like VMware or VirtualBox, and issues with network adapters.
You can follow the suggestions below to quickly and easily narrow down the problem and fix the no internet connection error in Windows Sandbox.
Fixing the no internet connection error in Windows Sandbox
If Windows Sandbox says no internet connection even when your main computer has an active internet connection, follow these steps:
- Reinstall Windows Sandbox
- Exclude Windows Sandbox in firewall settings
- Flush DNS cache
- Disable unnecessary network adapters
- Run internet troubleshooter
Let us see each step in more detail:
1. Reinstall Windows Sandbox
If you installed a third-party virtual machine software like VMware or VirtualBox after installing Windows Sandbox, it can be the main cause of why Windows Sandbox has no internet connection. The same is true for installed network adapters and VPN software. To fix it, you must reinstall Windows Sandbox. Here’s how:
Step 1: Press the Start icon key on your keyboard.
Step 2: Type “Turn Windows features on or off” in the Start menu and click the relevant result.
Step 3: Uncheck the Windows Sandbox checkbox. Click/tap the “Ok” button.
Step 4: Click/tap on the “Restart now” button.
Step 5: Open “Turn Windows features on or off” from the Start menu after restarting the system.
Step 6: Select the “Windows Sandbox” checkbox and click/tap the “Ok” button.
Step 7: Click/tap on the “Restart now” button.
After restarting, open Windows Sandbox by searching for it in the Start menu. The no internet connection problem in Windows Sandbox is fixed and you now have access to the internet in the sandbox environment.
2. Exclude Windows Sandbox in firewall settings
After reinstalling Windows Sandbox, you must exclude Windows Sandbox if you are using a third-party firewall or antivirus software. This is because third-party firewall software might see connections from Windows Sandbox as suspicious and block them.
Excluding Windows Sandbox in firewall settings will fix the no internet connection problem.
3. Flush DNS cache
After adding Windows Sandbox to the firewall exclusion list, flush the DNS cache of your computer. Oftentimes, outdated or corrupted DNS cache prevents Windows Sandbox from accessing the internet. As such, several users reported that they’ve fixed Windows Sandbox not connecting to the internet by flushing the DNS cache. Here’s how to do it.
Step 1: Open Windows Terminal by right-clicking on the taskbar’s Start icon and selecting “Terminal.”
Step 2: Type the “ipconfig /flushdns” command and press the Enter key on your keyboard.
Step 3: Windows immediately flushes the DNS cache. Reboot the computer.
After rebooting, you will be able to access the internet from Windows Sandbox.
4. Disable unnecessary network adapters
After flushing the DNS, disabling any unnecessary network adapters is also helpful. Here’s how.
Step 1: Open the Windows Settings app with the Windows key + I keyboard shortcut.
Step 2: Go to the “Network & internet > Advanced network settings” page.
Step 3: Click/tap the “Disable” button next to a network adapter to disable it. Do this for all the unnecessary network adapters.
Step 4: Once done, reboot the computer.
With that, the Windows Sandbox can access the internet connection.
To enable a network adapter, click/tap the “Enable” button next to the network adapter.
5. Run internet troubleshooter
Finally, run the internet troubleshooter to find and fix residual network issues. Here’s how.
Step 1: Use the Windows key + I shortcut to open the Windows Settings app. You can also right-click on the start icon and select “Settings.”
Step 2: Go to the “System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters” page in the Settings application.
Step 3: Click the “Run” button next to the “Internet Connections” option.
Step 4: Follow the troubleshooter wizard, answer questions, and follow the suggestions.
Step 5: Once the troubleshooting is done, reboot the computer.
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That’s it. It is that simple to fix Windows Sandbox having no internet connection problem .
Related Windows Sandbox guides:
- How to install Windows Sandbox in Home edition
- How to transfer files to and from Windows Sandbox
- How to disable Windows Sandbox
- How to create a shared folder in Windows Sandbox
I hope this simple and easy Windows how-to guide helped you.
If you are stuck or need help, send an email, and I will try to help as much as possible.