Why doesn't my phone connect to Wi-Fi: a simple solution

Hello, dear friend! Over the past 10 years, the telephone has become an integral part of the life of every citizen. Maybe this is good, or maybe it’s bad - everyone decides for themselves. And if earlier mobile phones acted only as regular mobile communications. Nowadays, smartphones are a combined computer, game console, Internet center, and high-performance camera.

Basically, with the development of the global and mobile Internet, people anywhere in the country and even the world can access the Internet either through a mobile provider or by connecting to Wi-Fi. But this is technology - and no one is insured against breakdowns or any errors. Sooner or later, users of smartphones with the Android operating system encounter a number of problems connecting to WiFi.

Here, most likely, the problem is in the OS, since it does not try to solve any internal errors and the user needs to perform a number of actions in order to reconnect to the wireless network. Today in this article I will tell you both about the reasons for shutdowns and errors, and about ways to solve such minor nuances. Everything with pictures, explanations - in simple language.

HELP! Dear friends, I tried to explain the solution to this problem as clearly as possible. But if unforeseen situations or errors arise during the process, write about them urgently in the comments. I or our WIFI guide team will help you.

Causes

Why doesn’t my phone connect? Why does it give me an error when I try to connect to my home WiFi network? To put it very roughly, problems can come from two sides: from the router and from the phone. Now a short excursion. Many users confuse Wi-Fi and the Internet - these are two different things.

The router builds a local network to which almost any device can connect. You can also connect to a local network over the air using Wi-Fi technology. The router can also distribute on a local network - the Internet. But even if there is no Internet, the router will still be able to connect devices to itself and build a local network.

But in this article we will try to analyze both problems with the Internet and with connecting to Wi-Fi. Let's take a closer look at the reasons:

Most often, if a mobile phone suddenly stops connecting, this indicates an overheating of the module on the phone or router.
There is a problem with the data transmission frequency.
The user simply forgot the password.
The router does not correctly decrypt the data sent by the smartphone.
The network settings on the phone are incorrect.
The main configuration on the router has gone wrong or it has been reflashed.

There are a lot of reasons, as well as solutions. I will talk about the most popular ones in descending order. Just do what I describe step by step.

Express methods

Typically, to connect to Wi-Fi on a smartphone, you need two things: to be within range of the network signal, and also to know its name and password. But sometimes problems arise.

If the phone does not connect to Wi-Fi, but still sees the network, the first step is to use the favorite tool of all system administrators - reboot. Turn off and turn on your smartphone again. If there is access to the router, we do the same with it. In most cases, this method helps to solve the problem immediately.
We check whether we are connecting to the right network. The fact is that routers from the same company have similar default SSIDs. If your smartphone is in the coverage area of several networks, you can easily confuse their names.
Let's see if the password is entered correctly. Open the list of Wi-Fi networks, click on the one you are connecting to, and select “Change”. There may be variations depending on the Android version. For example, click on the network name, and then on the pencil icon.

Enter the password again, oh. We try to connect again.
We're checking to see if airplane mode (airplane mode) needs to be turned off on your smartphone. In the menu at the top of the screen there is this airplane icon.

If it is active (highlighted), the phone cannot connect to wireless networks. Just tap this icon with your finger to turn off offline mode.
If you are connecting to an open Wi-Fi network in a cafe or shopping center, you may need to go through an authorization procedure. The methods may be different - from simply accepting the terms of use to confirming by phone number. A window should open with information about what needs to be done. If it doesn't, disconnect and connect again. Check for notifications at the top of the screen. If you see a Wi-Fi network symbol with a question mark or something similar there, click on it. Try launching your browser. The authorization page will open there when you try to log into the Internet.

If the Internet still does not work, we proceed to a detailed analysis of the problem point by point.

Quick Actions

This method helped on my old Samsung smartphone. First, restart your phone, or better yet, turn it off and turn it on again after a few minutes. This is especially true if it was charging and overheated. Then the internal module may begin to fail.

The same should be done with the router. Simply unplug the cord or reset it with the on/off button. While you do all this, remember some nuances before the problem appeared. Perhaps children played with the router - pressing all sorts of buttons or it fell. Have there been any updates to your phone or have you changed settings? After this, my Samsung could connect to the network again. But if this doesn’t help, move on.

How to connect your phone to a public Wi-Fi network

Open public networks sometimes become a real salvation when the phone suddenly declares a boycott of the mobile Internet and persistently draws the EDGE icon, putting an end to plans to rummage through social networks, watch movies, and read the news. In this case, it is worth looking for available and free WI-FI networks. They are available at all airports, most restaurants and cafes, at train stations and in parks, and even in the metro - not only in Moscow. In order to connect to such a network, it is enough to select the appropriate option with the largest number of “sticks” showing the signal strength. Networks are divided into open and password-protected. In the second case, you can ask the staff for the code phrase, unless, of course, this network is intended for visitors.

Setting up a router - connection

If the previous steps did not give the desired result, and that damn WiFi does not want to connect, then most likely the problem is in the router. The settings may have gone wrong, but most likely the problem is due to the type of encryption, the frequency of data transmission, or the problem is in the channel that is clogged with your neighbors’ routers.

First, we need to connect to the router’s local network. This can be done via a network cable. If you still have the box from under the transmitter, then look there. Now we need a computer or laptop.

Next, we just plug the wire into the computer or laptop, and the other end into the router. It doesn’t matter which connector it goes into, since one is used for the Internet (has a blue or blue color) and is already inserted, and the rest are intended for local connection.

We look under the body of the device - there you should find:

Address - which must be entered into the address bar of any browser to enter the router settings.
Login and password for the router admin panel.

ATTENTION! If, after connecting, the system greets you with a quick setup section (supposedly you just connected), this means that the router settings were simply reset (someone accidentally pressed the RESET button on the device). In this case, you need to configure it again. Our portal will help with this. Just enter the name of your router model in our search line (located in the upper right corner, where there is a magnifying glass) and read the simple instructions with pictures and explanations.

Further instructions may differ depending on the firmware version of the router, as well as on the company. I will give pictures below - where it will be written in detail where to poke what and what to change.

Next we need to change:

Communication channel (set the last one to 11 or 13).
Network name and password.
Set the encryption version to WPA2-PSK or Personal.
Set the encryption itself as AES - on some firmware it is set automatically, after installing WPA2-PSK (Personal).

NOTE! And one more important point - after making changes, be sure to click on the “Apply” or “Save” button in the same sections, and then reboot the router. You already know how to do this.

Android phone does not connect to Wi-Fi: reasons and solutions

It’s trite, but it still happens sometimes: check if the router is turned off, if the WI-FI icon on it is lit, if all the cables are firmly in the sockets, if the phone is in airplane mode. If everything is fine, check what specific connection problem is occurring.

Wi-Fi is connected, but says “no internet access”

There are several reasons.

The router is really not connected to the network at the moment or is working with errors. It needs to be rebooted - you can ask the staff about this if we are talking about a restaurant or cafe. Or do it yourself: we recommend unplugging the power cord for 2-3 minutes, at the same time checking whether the Internet and ethernet cables fit tightly into their cells.
You are too far from the router, and it simply does not reach your device. Try moving. If this happens at home, place the router in another place - perhaps some obstacle is preventing the signal transmission.
You have not completed connecting to the network. In many public networks, a mandatory requirement is to authenticate the user on a special page that appears after you click on the “connect” button. You may have prevented the page from opening. In this case, find the network in the list of available ones, click on it and select “Delete”. Connect again and wait until the start page opens, where you will need to enter your phone number and the password that will be sent to it. If the page does not open automatically, go to the default browser installed on your phone and try to open any page - a login window should appear.
The date and time on your phone are set incorrectly. Check your settings and enter the correct information.
There are problems with the IP address. Go to the list of networks and long press on the one you need. Select “Change Network”, then “Advanced Settings”. Here, in the IP setting parameter, set the value to “custom” and enter 192.168.1.X (where X>1) (make sure that this data suits you by looking at the label on your router. Its IP address will be indicated there. Phone address there will be the same numbers, except for the last one - choose it to your taste.)
It is possible that despite the free network, the Internet is distributed only to the IP/MAC addresses of devices specified by the administrator, i.e. You won’t be able to connect without meeting the administrator.
Perhaps the connection is being blocked by a “security program”: a firewall or antivirus. Try turning them off.

2. The phone does not connect to Wi-Fi, but the computer is connected

This suggests that the problem is not with the router or provider, but with the device itself. Although, the communication channel may be clogged and the router simply cannot handle a large number of devices. Try turning off the Internet on your computer or laptop and connecting only from your phone.

The easiest way to solve the problem: restart your phone. If this does not help, delete the network. To do this, go to the list of available WI-FI, by long pressing on the screen next to the name of your network, bring up the drop-down list and click the “delete this network” button (option: “forget network”). Along with it, all settings will be deleted: the remembered IP address, DNS and other parameters. Then again find the network you need and connect to it by entering the password.

If this does not help, find the item “Reset mobile Internet, WI-FI, Bluetooth settings” in your phone’s “Settings”. It can be located in the "System" section or in the "Advanced Features" section. Reset the settings, restart your phone and try connecting again.

All in vain? Download an antivirus app on your phone and check it. Malware can intentionally block access to the Internet or disrupt access due to certain settings.

How to remove a virus

We'll tell you about effective methods to remove a virus from your phone.

3. Writes “saved”, but there is no connection, authentication error

If you are trying to connect to a public network in a restaurant or airport, for example, then the explanation can be very simple and offensive for you: the router’s connection limit has simply been exhausted; it cannot cope with the number of devices attacking it, eager to get into the network. This often happens in places with large crowds of people: at holidays, concerts. Any channel has a limit, and it can be difficult to feed the phones of thousands of insatiable users. Or an old router is installed and the phone simply does not support its settings. It is difficult to solve the problem in this case; all you have to do is wait or look for another network.

Also, a public network may be protected by a password and you do not know it or enter it incorrectly. Try talking to local employees, maybe they will tell you a secret, even if it is not a public network for all clients.

If we are talking about a home network, this error may indicate that the router is frozen. In this case, it can be revived by simply holding down the reset button or disconnecting it from the power supply for a couple of minutes.

If the error persists, go to the router settings via a computer (by entering the IP address of the device in the browser address bar), check that the WPA-2 encryption type is selected and the DHCP server is enabled. And yes, make sure that the password is entered correctly - on the router and on the phone. Even if it seems to you that you remember it by heart and there can be no problems with that. Sometimes, an error may occur during the typing process and you won’t even know which character is in it: just change the password and try to access the network again.

Also check the date, time and region settings on your phone and router. Their mismatch can lead to devices blocking each other.

4. Writes “obtaining an IP address, IP configuration error”

This problem, which does not occur very rarely, indicates that your router cannot communicate with your mobile device. Moreover, the problem can be both in the router and in the phone.

First of all, without further ado, we simply reboot the router: unplug the power cord for 2-3 minutes and turn it on again.

If this does not help, then manually register the IP on the phone. Finding out what to write is not difficult: look at the label on the router, this information is there. To enter the settings, go to the list of networks and delete the existing connection. Click on the connection again, but do not enter the password, but select “advanced settings”. Click on “IP settings” and select the custom sub-item.

In the “Gateway” field, enter the router address (for TP-Link 192.168.1.1). In the IP address line - the same numbers, but change the last one to any number from 2 to 999.

For DNS, many experts recommend using Google addresses 8.8.8.8 or 8.8.4.4. - they are suitable for Android-based devices, in which almost all applications are based on this system.

Then enter the password and click “connect”.

The third method is to check that DHCP is enabled on the router. Perhaps during the update process or a failure, these settings were deleted and now the devices simply cannot reach the router. In order to enable the mode, you need to log into the router through a browser, entering the device’s IP address in the address bar. Then log in and select the DHCP item, it can be in the “Advanced Settings” menu, the “Network - LAN” or “Local Network” submenu. At this point, you need to click “Yes” in the line “Enable DHCP server.

If none of these steps help, and other devices easily connect to this network, check your phone for viruses, reset your Internet settings, or, if all else fails, reset your phone to factory settings. Be careful - this operation will delete all information from your phone, write it down to another medium or make a backup copy in advance.

TP-Link

Old firmware

Also set the mode to 11bgn if it is different. These standards are more common. Channel can be set to 11 or 13 (if available).

New firmware

Once again about the password

This is the most common reason, so if you entered the Wi-Fi password and it still doesn’t work, there is an option to change it on the router. To do this, find your model on our website through the search - there will definitely be an article with the settings. Go to the configurator, and somewhere on the wireless network there will be a current password.

Maybe this will allow you to simply remember it, or maybe you’ll want to change it. Using your TP-Link as an example:

If something goes wrong, it makes sense to re-enter and save the old password - let it be updated in the router system. It happened that just such a rewrite helped on all devices.

Other models

As you probably understand, the instructions are approximately the same, but developers may name menu items differently. You just need to rummage around and travel through the sections of the router settings.

First you need to find the “Wi -Fi” , but the developers could call this section “Wireless Network” or “SSID” .
All the items that I indicated above (communication channel, password, network name, etc.) can be found immediately. But sometimes fields such as WPA2-PSK, AES can be found in the security-related section - you can also change the network password there.
The network name may have an additional name such as "SSID".

How to connect your phone to your home Wi-Fi network

In order for your phone at home to connect to a wireless network, you need a router. Its role can be played by a laptop or a computer with a WI-FI adapter. The main advice: do not be lazy to set a high-quality password for the network and enable the WPA2 security type. You should not strive to be a good neighbor; this is fraught with many problems, from running out of traffic to problems with the law, if a dishonest person connects to your network.

You only need to set up the connection once, and in the future the phone will automatically find your home network.

The best routers

What to look for when choosing the best router for your home with WI-FI

Problem with Internet

If there is a Wi-Fi connection, you see a connection icon at the top and everything would be fine - but there is no Internet. It may also be that some applications do not work. I once had the Internet, Wi-Fi connections, but Google Play, YouTube, Play Market did not work. Now we will begin to solve this problem step by step.

DNS installation

I just had a problem with crooked DNS servers that were used by my provider.

We hold our network with our finger and select the second item to change the network settings. Click on "Advanced settings" to see the full menu. In the “Proxy server” , make sure that the value is “No” (that is, the service is disabled). If it is set to “Manual” or “Auto-configuration of proxy” , turn it off.

Click on DHCP and go to the Custom section . Scroll to the very bottom.

We set these values: 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4. Save the configuration.

We are looking for the culprit - a laptop or router

Before you begin to fix the problem, you need to determine why the laptop does not connect to the network. The error may be related to your computer, router, or ISP. If the laptop does not see the Internet, but the phone connects to it without problems, we can talk about problems with the PC.

If your mobile device also cannot establish a connection to the router, check if the Internet is working. To do this, you need to directly connect the Internet cable to the laptop’s network card. If after connecting and setting up the connection the network works, you should check the router. Otherwise, you need to call your provider.

Important point. The default network card is often missing from many ultrabooks. There is only a built-in Wi-Fi module.

None of the above helped

Then most likely there is a problem in the phone system itself. Go to the “System” as you did before and find “Reset settings”. Now we need to do a global reset. The fact is that some system files or libraries could be broken on the phone.

After restarting your phone, install the latest Android update. Also go to the “System” and then to “System Update”.

Reboot the wireless network adapter

It is carried out according to the following algorithm:

Calling the command window using the Win+R key combination;
Initializing the ncpa.cpl
using the window that appears
;
Select the desired wireless connection from the list and disable it (right-click – “Disable”);
Enable the connection (right-click – “Connect”).

As a result, you will forcefully restart the adapter, and the question of how to configure Wi-Fi will be resolved. Otherwise, you can also try putting your device into airplane mode. This is done using a special button on the laptop keyboard or through the notification area of the Windows operating system.

Checking your password and reconnecting

Through carelessness or inattention, the owner of a smartphone, tablet, or netbook may enter the password incorrectly. This situation often occurs in public places, where passwords have to be memorized by ear or typed from memory. On a home network, you just need to enter the data correctly once, and it will be saved in the configurations of your phone and router.

Note! There are times when you have to enter your password again, but the password prompt does not appear on the screen. To do this, you need to “cut” the connection using the “Delete” function.

This problem often occurs in smartphones of the Nomi, Xiaomi, Prestigio, and Samsung brands. The connection and saved Wi-Fi often have to be changed several times to achieve the result.

The listed nuances of “fighting” problems logging into the Internet will help to cope with the common error “Saved, WPAWPA2 protection”. It occurs on many devices, regardless of class, cost and brand, firmware quality, original or fake. Working with various wireless networks, communicating and doing business remotely (via the Internet) is the main occupation of the current generation.

Authentication settings, encryption settings, channels, passwords, and keys must be changed to avoid errors. To troubleshoot network problems, you need to remember to change the region, read the instructions for the router and check the password. Almost all reasons for incorrect network operation are related to router settings. Problems can be easily resolved without professional help.