How to Fix Linux Mint Network Not Working or No Internet Connection (2026 Guide)

Why Is Linux Mint Network Not Working?

Linux Mint network failures fall into four broad categories: hardware not recognised (wrong or missing driver), NetworkManager misconfiguration, DNS resolution failure, and power management aggressively suspending the network adapter. Each requires a different approach, and this guide walks you through diagnosing which category your problem falls into before applying the correct fix.

These steps apply to both WiFi and wired (Ethernet) connections on Linux Mint 21.x and Linux Mint 22.x (2026).

Step 1: Verify Your Network Adapter Is Recognised

The first question is whether Linux even sees your network hardware. Open a terminal (Ctrl + Alt + T) and run:

lspci -nnk | grep -iA3 net

This lists all network controllers and which kernel driver is loaded. For WiFi, also run:

iwconfig

If your adapter appears but shows "no wireless extensions" or no driver in the lspci output, the driver is missing or blacklisted — skip to Fix 4. If the adapter shows correctly with a driver loaded, the issue is software configuration — continue to Fix 2.

Fix 1: Restart NetworkManager

NetworkManager is the service that manages all network connections in Linux Mint. A simple restart resolves most temporary connection failures, including situations where the network icon shows connected but there is no actual internet access.

sudo systemctl restart NetworkManager

After running this command, wait 10 seconds and test your connection by pinging Google:

ping -c 4 8.8.8.8

If ping to 8.8.8.8 succeeds but ping -c 4 google.com fails, your network hardware is working but DNS is broken — go to Fix 3.

Fix 2: Check and Reconfigure Your Connection Settings

Incorrect IP, DNS, or gateway settings are a frequent cause of "connected but no internet" problems, especially after a router change or ISP switch.

Step 1. Right-click the network icon in the system tray and select Edit Connections (or open Network Manager from the taskbar).

Step 2. Select your connection and click the gear icon to edit it.

Step 3. On the IPv4 Settings tab, ensure the Method is set to Automatic (DHCP). If it is set to Manual with incorrect values, switch to Automatic.

Step 4. On the IPv6 Settings tab, also set to Automatic unless your ISP specifically requires a manual IPv6 address.

Step 5. Click Save, disconnect from the network, and reconnect.

Fix 3: Fix DNS Resolution Problems

If you can ping IP addresses (8.8.8.8) but not domain names (google.com), DNS resolution is broken. This is one of the most common causes of "internet not working" on Linux Mint when the connection appears active.

Method A — Use nmcli to set DNS:

nmcli con mod "YOUR_CONNECTION_NAME" ipv4.dns "8.8.8.8 1.1.1.1"
nmcli con up "YOUR_CONNECTION_NAME"

Replace YOUR_CONNECTION_NAME with the actual name shown by nmcli con show.

Method B — Edit /etc/resolv.conf directly:

sudo nano /etc/resolv.conf

Replace the contents with:

nameserver 8.8.8.8
nameserver 1.1.1.1

Press Ctrl + X, then Y to save. Test with ping -c 4 google.com.

Fix 4: Install Missing WiFi Drivers

Many WiFi chipsets (especially Realtek, Broadcom, and Intel) require proprietary or out-of-tree drivers that are not included in the default Linux Mint installation.

Step 1. Open the Driver Manager: go to Menu → Administration → Driver Manager.

Step 2. Wait for it to scan your hardware. If a proprietary driver is available (especially for Broadcom adapters), it will appear here. Click Install and restart.

Step 3. If the Driver Manager shows no drivers but your WiFi still doesn't work, identify your chipset:

lspci -nnk | grep -iA3 wireless

Step 4. For Realtek adapters, install the kernel firmware package:

sudo apt install linux-firmware
sudo modprobe -r rtlwifi && sudo modprobe rtlwifi

Step 5. For Broadcom adapters, install the b43 or broadcom-sta driver:

sudo apt install firmware-b43-installer

Restart your system after driver installation.

Fix 5: Disable WiFi Power Management

Linux aggressively suspends WiFi adapters to save power, which causes random disconnections, slow speeds, and occasional complete network failures — especially after waking from sleep.

Check current power management status:

iwconfig | grep "Power Management"

If it shows "Power Management:on", disable it permanently:

Step 1. Create a NetworkManager dispatcher script:

sudo nano /etc/NetworkManager/dispatcher.d/10-wifi-power

Step 2. Paste the following:

#!/bin/bash
iface="$1"
action="$2"
if [ "$action" = "up" ]; then
    iwconfig "$iface" power off
fi

Step 3. Make it executable and restart NetworkManager:

sudo chmod +x /etc/NetworkManager/dispatcher.d/10-wifi-power
sudo systemctl restart NetworkManager

Fix 6: Flush DNS Cache and ARP Table

Stale DNS cache and ARP entries can cause selective connectivity failures — some websites work while others don't, or connections to specific IPs fail without apparent reason.

sudo resolvectl flush-caches
sudo ip neigh flush all

If your system uses nscd:

sudo systemctl restart nscd

Fix 7: Reset Network Configuration to Default

If your network configuration has become corrupted through manual edits or failed installs, resetting it to defaults is the cleanest solution.

Step 1. Back up your current connections:

sudo cp -r /etc/NetworkManager/system-connections/ ~/nm-backup/

Step 2. Remove existing connection profiles:

sudo rm /etc/NetworkManager/system-connections/*

Step 3. Restart NetworkManager:

sudo systemctl restart NetworkManager

Step 4. Reconnect to your WiFi network from the system tray — NetworkManager will create a fresh, clean connection profile.

Fix 8: Reinstall NetworkManager

If NetworkManager itself is corrupted or was accidentally removed, reinstalling it restores all network functionality.

sudo apt install --reinstall network-manager network-manager-gnome

After the reinstall, ensure it is running:

sudo systemctl enable NetworkManager
sudo systemctl start NetworkManager

Diagnosing: WiFi vs Ethernet vs Both

• Only WiFi broken, Ethernet works — driver or power management issue. See Fix 4 and Fix 5.
• Both WiFi and Ethernet broken after an update — NetworkManager or kernel regression. See Fix 1 and Fix 8.
• Connected but no internet on both — DNS issue. See Fix 3.
• Network drops after sleep/resume — power management. See Fix 5.

Still No Connection? Get Expert Help

Some network issues — particularly Broadcom driver conflicts and complex VPN routing problems — require hands-on kernel log analysis to diagnose. CloudHouse Technologies offers remote Linux support — a certified Linux engineer will remotely diagnose your exact network configuration and fix the issue in a single session.