Hi Everyone,

We have a number of Windows 8.1 clients connected to a network (ethernet cable) with port 443 and 80 open to any address, you can browse the Internet fine, but the connection stills states "Limited" and not "Connected".

When you connect these clients to another Internet Connection e.g. ADSL home broadband or another corporate site with Internet access the Windows 8.1 client are connecting fine.

I'm either not searching for the right terms because I can't find anything on Technet or google to explains what windows tests to determine when a client is connected to a live Internet feed so our network guys can open up anything we have missed.

Thanks

Rich

Here you go :https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee126135(v=ws.10).aspx  (this is the same in windows 7 and 8)

Edit: Added more info: http://blogs.technet.com/b/networking/archive/2012/12/20/the-network-connection-status-icon.aspx

In short for the lazy people. 

WIndows make a request for http://www.msftncsi.com/ncsi.txt.

And depending on the result does more step all in detail in the link.

• Edited by Frederick Dicaire 16 hours 58 minutes ago
• Marked as answer by rcolbyuk 11 hours 46 minutes ago

You want to check your DNS settings too, If these are domain computers but primary DNS is a public DNS server you may get strange results for connectivity and also authentication issues.

You may also want to check to see if the link provided by Frederick is reachable you may have web filtering or a proxy server that is blocking access to this site, or you primary dns or hosts file me be poisoned with a bad entry.

Here you go :https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee126135(v=ws.10).aspx  (this is the same in windows 7 and 8)

Edit: Added more info: http://blogs.technet.com/b/networking/archive/2012/12/20/the-network-connection-status-icon.aspx

In short for the lazy people. 

WIndows make a request for http://www.msftncsi.com/ncsi.txt.

And depending on the result does more step all in detail in the link.

• Edited by Frederick Dicaire Tuesday, July 14, 2015 2:26 PM
• Marked as answer by rcolbyuk Tuesday, July 14, 2015 7:38 PM

Thanks Frederick, the articles are just what I've been looking for, not been searching for the right thing:).

Thanks

Rich

Will be interesting to see what the DNS enteries return, just got to wait until i'm onsite in a few days to troubleshoot again, will feedback what the actual issue was. Feedback from the network team was no filters or proxies, will be wiresharking this time to confirm.

BTW, if you're having issues with Windows not seeing your connection after, say, changing proxy settings, restarting NlsSvc service helps most of the time.