Windows 10 bug that broke internet connectivity gets patched – here’s how to install the fix
Windows 10 has got a fix for the nasty bug that’s disrupting the internet connection of some folks trying to work from home, which is obviously less than ideal given the Covid-19 outbreak, and the large numbers of people trying to do just that because they’re on lockdown.
As we recently reported, this problem was caused by a previous cumulative update for Windows 10, which broke internet connectivity in some cases, preventing important apps like Office 365 or Microsoft Teams (and many more besides) from getting online.
Affected users are those running a VPN (or proxy) who might experience net connectivity issues with some applications (or the system may indicate there’s no internet connection, even if there actually is – a more minor glitch where connectivity isn’t actually disrupted).
Of course, this is a much bigger problem than normal right now, given that many more people are running VPNs because they’re working from home, and they need the extra security of a VPN tunnel for accessing remote company systems which contain sensitive business data.
Microsoft promised that a fix would be available swiftly, and the target date was early April – but the software giant has evidently given this a major priority, because a patch has now been issued for Windows 10 before March is out.
It comes in the form of another cumulative update which you should only install if you have experienced this particular issue. Let’s just hope that it’s an update which doesn’t have any other side-effects, of course (given that a cumulative update was how this flaw manifested in the first place).
How to install the fix
Note that Windows 10 users won’t get this new fix from Windows Update, as is commonly the case (at least not yet, at the time of writing). Rather, it is necessary to grab this one manually and install it that way. Luckily, this is a simple process which we’ll explain in full now.
If you’re running Windows 10 November 2019 Update or May 2019 Update, head over to the Microsoft Update Catalog here and download the relevant version for your system. All you need to do to install the file is double-click on it once downloaded, and then follow the instructions.
Version 1909 is the November 2019 Update and version 1903 is the May 2019 update (as you’ll see, there’s also a version for those running Windows Server). Almost all users will need to download the relevant patch for x64-based systems, if you’re running 64-bit Windows 10, which is highly likely. The x86-based patch is for the very small minority still running 32-bit Windows 10 (perhaps on a very old PC which was given an in-place upgrade from 32-bit Windows 7, for example).
And if you’re running a machine with an ARM processor, rather than an Intel or AMD CPU, you should grab the ARM64-based cumulative update.
If you want to check what version of Windows (or indeed CPU) you are running, click on the Start menu, and then the Settings cog, then click on System, and then at the bottom of the menu on the left-hand side, click on About. This will give you the specifications of your device including the type of processor you’re running, and whether your system is 64-bit or 32-bit (under where it says System Type).
Those using Windows 10 October 2018 Update (1809) should head here, and again pick up the relevant download for their version of Microsoft’s operating system as discussed above.
Folks running Windows 10 April 2018 Update (1803) need to grab the cumulative update here, and finally, users way back on the Fall Creators Update (1709) should visit this page for their download.
Remember, it’s worth stressing that you only need to get this particular cumulative update if you are experiencing internet connectivity problems as we mentioned at the outset. Don’t install this patch unnecessarily if you aren’t having any such issues around getting online with your Windows 10 PC.
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