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How does Windows decide whether your computer has full Internet access?

devblogs.microsoft.com

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Re: How does Windows decide whether your computer has full Internet access?

#71

Post by justusw »

toast0 wrote: post #57
justusw wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was using a Win 11 Pro installer stick on a Surface 4 the other day paired with a USB Ethernet interface. Aside from the fact that keyboard and mouse don’t work, because Windows doesn’t have drivers for a Microsoft Surface during install, I was able to convince Microsoft that I have no connection by unplugging the Ethernet cable right before the Microsoft account login prompt. Maybe I was lucky? Or really old insta…

If I've been following tech news, Pro lets you move on with a local account, but Home might not.

That clears it up! Thanks!

Re: How does Windows decide whether your computer has full Internet access?

#73

Post by sk5t »

silisili wrote: post #23
iudqnolq wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> and you get free caching Mayeb that's the problem?

Howso? You still need internet access to hit the recursive.

Don't need internet access to read a cached record from a DNS service on localhost, on the LAN, etc.

Re: How does Windows decide whether your computer has full Internet access?

#74

Post by pxeboot »

sammy2255 wrote: post #72

Why don’t they make this configurable? I want to hit 1.1.1.1 not microsoft. Also, sucks how Spotify wont even try to play songs when Windows displays no internet

It is configurable via a registry setting, ActiveWebProbeHost [1].

But you have to point it at a server with the right file present. It doesn't just do a ping.

[1] https://www.ghacks.net/2014/02/07/disable-customize-windows-...

Re: How does Windows decide whether your computer has full Internet access?

#75

Post by ikiris »

gerdesj wrote: post #56
dahdum wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I run quite a few systems/sites that have multiple internet connections - deciding whether the internet is available is quite a nuanced thing and that Windows internet detector is bloody stupid, naive and a fucking hindrance. I'm not following this, where is the nuance? What problems does this cause and why are they so difficult to solve? Even if behind a strict firewall that allows only a few IPs or ranges (arguab…

When you have a router with multiple WANS, LANS and VPNS etc, routing can get a bit complicated. For example how do you tell traffic to go via WAN2 (or 3 or whatever) instead of WAN1 if is really down (define really down). So you create a rule that says that all inbound on LAN is routed via a failover thing. That's fine but now you've broken RFC1918 routing. You try to connect to a remote site via 192.168.lol and its…

No, if you know at all what you're doing in something that complicated, you're running an actual routing protocol, and none of this ping trash.

Re: How does Windows decide whether your computer has full Internet access?

#76

Post by banana_giraffe »

lxe wrote: post #62
photoGrant wrote: post #2

Doing this during a Windows 11 install will result in a road block until you fix said connection issues. You literally can't proceed without finding a hidden terminal and disabling the process and restarting. Insane.

Yup. The full instructions can be found online but in general, When you get to that step, press Shift + F10 to bring up the terminal, then type "OOBE\BYPASSNRO" and press enter. The installer will restart but this time will have a "I don't have Internet" button that you can use to bypass this nonsense.

This is also currently the only way to bypass the need for an MS account when setting up a new PC.

Re: How does Windows decide whether your computer has full Internet access?

#77

Post by omvtam »

hsbauauvhabzb wrote: post #39

Two things I’ve always wanted to do is figure out how to cache windows updates on my local network without an enterprise windows install, and how to block windows updates by sinkholing domains and/or ip addresses (I work in IT security). Can anyone give any tips on either of these?

The nuke-it-from-orbit approach works for me but ymmv: a default-deny firewall for the Windows IP on the default gateway with external squid proxy for Firefox. netstat -on | grep $PID to add rules to allow access per process for things that just have to get through.

Re: How does Windows decide whether your computer has full Internet access?

#78

Post by Jamie9912 »

pxeboot wrote: post #74
sammy2255 wrote: post #72

Why don’t they make this configurable? I want to hit 1.1.1.1 not microsoft. Also, sucks how Spotify wont even try to play songs when Windows displays no internet

It is configurable via a registry setting, ActiveWebProbeHost [1]. But you have to point it at a server with the right file present. It doesn't just do a ping. [1] https://www.ghacks.net/2014/02/07/disable-customize-windows-...

I wonder if we can hack the binary that's doing the actual check >:)

Re: How does Windows decide whether your computer has full Internet access?

#79

Post by boneitis »

LoganDark wrote: post #3
photoGrant wrote: post #2

Doing this during a Windows 11 install will result in a road block until you fix said connection issues. You literally can't proceed without finding a hidden terminal and disabling the process and restarting. Insane.

Doing what? Blocking those domains?

I am similarly bewildered by everyone going along with it. I am not in on whatever cruel joke is being played on us.

My best guess after turning my head 270 degrees, closing one eye, and squinting the other is that the noun is Microsoft/Windows, and the verb is running the ncsi daemon and having it fail the check.

Re: How does Windows decide whether your computer has full Internet access?

#80

Post by josephcsible »

lxe wrote: post #62
photoGrant wrote: post #2

Doing this during a Windows 11 install will result in a road block until you fix said connection issues. You literally can't proceed without finding a hidden terminal and disabling the process and restarting. Insane.

Yup. The full instructions can be found online but in general, When you get to that step, press Shift + F10 to bring up the terminal, then type "OOBE\BYPASSNRO" and press enter. The installer will restart but this time will have a "I don't have Internet" button that you can use to bypass this nonsense.

What explanation other than malice is there for Microsoft not giving you that button all the time?
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