Device won’t connect to WiFi? Here’s what to do first.

The most frustrating thing about WiFi connectivity is the inability to connect your laptop or phone to the network. Your equipment and wireless network are functioning properly—it should have been a match made in heaven.

However, connection is not easy.

Therefore, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. We will walk you through some possible solutions, but be aware that the further you scroll down this page, the more likely your problem will require a professional repair or call your internet service provider.

Check (and check again) your credentials

You are sure that the password is entered correctly and are about to slam the router, but you realize that the capital lock key is on. While this sounds obvious, unexpected login information errors are a common cause of WiFi connectivity problems. Taking a deep breath and checking the accuracy of your credentials can save you a lot of valuable time wasted by repeatedly typing in the wrong password.

[Related: How to Choose a Secure Password - and How to Remember them]

First, make sure you read each character correctly - this is especially important when someone shares a password with you on a note. When entering, click the eye icon to the right of the password field to view the content you entered in real time. Most interfaces have this feature, but you should avoid it if you are in a crowded public place, as someone may peek at your screen.

Secondly, remember that credentials are case sensitive, so please be case sensitive carefully.

Third, pay attention to your keyboard. First check if your capital lock key is off – most laptops and mechanical keyboards will light up to alert you about this problem. If your keyboard does not have an indicator light, check the on-screen prompts or check by typing in visible fields such as the address bar.

If you use your keyboard to enter multiple letters, make sure it is set as your default language, as you may have accidentally pressed the wrong key.

Make sure you are within the signal range

WiFi coverage can vary for a number of reasons—from the intensity of the router's signal transmitting to the thickness of the house's walls. It wouldn't help if the router owner places it deep in the corners or covers it with books or other trinkets in order to cover up its unsightly appearance.

Getting close to the router and making sure its antenna is upright and free of obstacles can help you connect more easily.

Open the WiFi mode of the device

Again, this may sound obvious, but any device connected to a WiFi network must proactively seek connections. This only happens when WiFi mode is on.

If you are using an iPhone or iPad, you need to access the Control Center menu – open it by swiping down from the upper right corner of the screen. There, click the WiFi icon (looks like three curved waves that overlap) to turn it on. On a Mac, you will find the same icon on the left side of the clock in the upper right corner of the screen. On Android phones and tablets, you can swipe down from the top of the screen with two fingers. Depending on your device model, you will see a three-wave WiFi icon, or you will see an option called Internet. Click it and turn on the switch next to WiFi. On your PC, when you click the up arrow next to the clock in the lower right corner of the screen, you will see a tilted three-wave WiFi icon. Click it to open it.

Check if the router is online

Sometimes you successfully connect to WiFi, but still can't access the Internet. This may be because the router is offline and is sending an empty signal. There is an easy way to know if this is the case - check the indicator lights on the router.

Most of these devices have a series of indicator lights that indicate different meanings. The symbol of the indicator light you are looking for looks like an antenna with waves on it. If the indicator light under this symbol is not green, or if it blinks steadily, it means the router is not receiving an Internet signal.

To solve this problem, you can try the classic shutdown and restart method. When doing this, make sure to wait 10 seconds before turning it on again - this is usually the time it takes for the router to prompt a restart instead of continuing from where it was interrupted. After restarting the router, wait for it to restart for a minute and pay attention to the same indicator lights you saw before. If the red light turns green, or the steady flash turns into irregular flash, it means the router is now online.

If this doesn't work, there may be problems with your internet service provider. Check your ISP's social media to see if they mention any interruptions in your area, or any planned work you may have missed. Calling their customer service will also provide some answers – although it may take a long wait.

Shut down and restart your device

Sometimes the problem is neither the thickness of the router, the wall, nor the Internet service provider. Sometimes the problem lies with you, I mean your device. It doesn't matter, this will happen. A quick way to fix this is to restart your device and, in doing so, make sure to do it correctly – go to the menu of your phone, tablet, computer, or device and turn it off or select Restart.

When your device returns to operation, make sure to wait for one minute until the restart is complete and everything returns to normal. Try connecting to WiFi again.

Update your operating system

If the restart does not work, you may face a bug. If you keep postponing system updates, now is a good time to install it.

Plug your device into the power supply first. If you are using an iPhone or iPad, go to the Settings app, click General, and then click Software Update. Your device will tell you if it has been updated or if there are patches waiting for you. On macOS, go to System Preferences and go to Software Updates. Your computer will automatically search for any new content and will let you know if there is anything available for you to download and install.

[Related: Stop postponing your device update]

If you are an Android user, the specific path will depend on your device model, but you can usually set by going to , system and then go to System Update to find this option. The screen will display the results of the last search for the new software to be installed. If you want to check again, please click the Check for updates button in the lower right corner of the screen. Finally, on a device running Windows, go to Settings and then Windows Update. As with the previous example, you can check here if there are patches available for you to install or if your system has been updated.

There are many reasons why your device cannot connect to WiFi. These are the most common reasons, but sometimes there can be other reasons – there are some hardware issues (such as your device’s antenna is damaged in some way), and routers with limited connections. Still, most of the time, if you follow this list, you will be able to re-surf the internet.

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