When you lose wifi

Reasons Wi-Fi Connections Drop

An MIT graduate who brings years of technical experience to articles on SEO, computers, and wireless networking.

Jerrick Leger is a CompTIA-certified IT Specialist with more than 10 years’ experience in technical support and IT fields. He is also a systems administrator for an IT firm in Texas serving small businesses.

In This Article

There often seems to be no reason behind Wi-Fi connections that randomly drop off or weaken. However, there are actually several common scenarios where an otherwise strong Wi-Fi connection can become unreachable. When that happens, there are a few things you can try to get your Wi-Fi back up and running again in no time.

Insufficient Wi-Fi Network Range and Power

Your wireless access point is going to reach only so far. When you’re accessing the internet on the outer edges of the network range limit, you’ll notice the Wi-Fi connection start and stop, probably over and over. Of course, as you move even further away from the router or modem delivering the Wi-Fi, your connection will stop permanently.

You might be suffering from weak Wi-Fi access if your router is buried in a closet, stuck in the corner of your basement, three rooms away, or is simply old or nearly broken.

The solution might be as simple as moving closer to the router or moving the router closer to you. As you lessen the distance between the router and your device, you strengthen the odds of a good connection.

If you’re on a wireless device like a phone or tablet, it’s easy to move where the Wi-Fi strength is the strongest. Another option for improving Wi-Fi strength is to consider an antenna upgrade on your access point or on your computer, if possible.

Similarly, mesh networks and range extenders are other common solutions to Wi-Fi range problems — but you don’t need both. On the other hand, relocating your computer or other gear isn’t always a practical solution so if you’re in that position, it’s worth checking out these two options.

There are very reasonably priced Wi-Fi extenders on the market; mesh networks tend to cost a bit more. Research what will work best for you before you commit to one or the other.

Wi-Fi Radio Interference

Radio signals from various consumer electronic products around your house or in the vicinity of your device and the router can interfere with Wi-Fi network signals.

For example, cordless phones, Bluetooth devices, garage door openers, and microwave ovens can each take down a Wi-Fi network connection when they’re powered on.

So, if you notice that your phone stops getting Wi-Fi when you’re right next to the microwave, chances are this is your problem. It’s best to look into what that new device is and how it works since the way it transmits wireless signals might be what’s interfering with other devices in the house.

Another solution, which might be easier, is to turn off those other devices that could be interfering with Wi-Fi. If you’re in the kitchen when Wi-Fi drops, move away from the microwave or avoid using it if you need to also use your phone, laptop, or other device.

The Network Is Overloaded

Your hardware and home might be set up perfectly to accommodate Wi-Fi signals and avoid interference, but if there are too many devices using the network, the available bandwidth for each device is limited.

When each device lacks enough bandwidth, videos stop playing, websites won’t open, and the device might even eventually disconnect and reconnect from the network, over and over, as it tries to hold on to enough bandwidth to keep using Wi-Fi.

You can test your internet speed to see if you’re getting the speeds you were promised. If the test shows a significantly slower speed than you pay your internet service provider (ISP) for, there’s either a problem with your modem or router or you’re using too many devices on your network at once.

The first thing to do is take some of the devices off of the network. If your TV is streaming movies, turn it off. If someone is gaming on your network, have him or her take a break. If a few people are browsing Facebook on their phones, ask them to turn off their Wi-Fi connection to free up some of that bandwidth — you get the idea.

If someone’s downloading files onto a computer, see if they can use a program that supports bandwidth control so that less bandwidth will be used for that device and more will be available for your Wi-Fi device. In particular, Microsoft OneDrive tends to use all available upload bandwidth when it syncs large files, so temporarily pausing OneDrive could free up immediate bandwidth for other people.

If your network is still slower than you think it should be, and Wi-Fi isn’t stable, restart your router. Sometimes, the router’s memory becomes full and needs flushing in order to work properly.

How to Reboot a Router & Modem

You’re Using the Wrong Wi-Fi Network

If two neighboring locations run unsecured Wi-Fi networks with the same name (SSID), your devices may connect to the wrong network without your knowledge.

This misdirection causes all of the problems mentioned above, including a momentary loss and reconnect of Wi-Fi as you leave one network and join another. Additionally, in this scenario, your wireless devices will lose connection whenever the neighboring network is turned off, even if your preferred one remains functional.

Not only that, but if the other network is suffering from bandwidth problems, then your device might experience those symptoms, too, even if their Wi-Fi remains on. Chances are, if the other location has an open network, other people are using it, too.

Take proper security measures to ensure that your computers and other devices connect to the right network. You might also set up your phone, laptop, tablet, and so on to stop joining networks automatically to avoid picking up unsecured Wi-Fi.

It’d also be wise, and kind, of you to tell your neighbor that he should set up a Wi-Fi password (or a dedicated, but still password-protected guest network) because people could easily be stealing his Wi-Fi.

Outdated or Missing Driver or Firmware

Each computer connected to a Wi-Fi network uses a small piece of software called the device driver. Network routers contain related technology called firmware.

These pieces of software might become corrupted or obsolete over time and cause network drops and other wireless problems.

Upgrade the router’s firmware to the newest version. This isn’t a common task but could be what’s happening that’s causing your specific Wi-Fi connection problems.

Also consider updating your device’s network driver, if that’s supported on your particular device. For example, if your Windows computer keeps disconnecting from Wi-Fi, one solution is to update the network drivers.

Incompatible Software Packages Installed

This is the least likely reason for internet connection problems, but Wi-Fi could be failing on a computer that has incompatible software installed, including patches, services, and other software that modifies the networking capabilities of the operating system.

This is most likely your problem if you notice Wi-Fi dropping right after an update or other software installation. However, you should first address the driver problem mentioned above, because that’s a much more likely situation if software is messing up your Wi-Fi.

Record each time you install or upgrade software on your computer, and be prepared to uninstall incompatible software or reinstall a corrupted program.

If you’ve tried everything above and you’re confident that the internet drops lie not with hardware or your ISP, but with software, you could always reinstall the operating system, but consider that only as a last resort option.

You can also reset an iPhone or Android back to factory defaults.

Your Router May Be Bad

If none of these strategies work for creating a consistent Wi-Fi signal, you may have a router problem. Contact your wireless provider; they can test your connection and may provide a replacement free of charge. You may also choose to purchase a new router yourself, just make sure it’s compatible with your Wi-Fi service before you do.

To connect your Android to Wi-Fi, go to Settings > Connections > Wi-Fi to see a list of nearby networks. To connect an iPhone to Wi-Fi, go to Settings > Wi-Fi and choose a network.

When deciding between Wi-Fi or Ethernet, a wired Ethernet connection is almost always more stable than a wireless one. With Ethernet, you don’t have to worry about signal interference.

If your Wi-Fi network isn’t showing up, your device might be out of the router’s range, something could be interfering with the signal, or Wi-Fi might be turned off on your device. Another possibility is that the router was not properly restored after losing power or being unplugged.

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What Do You Do When You Lose Your Wi-Fi Connection?

If the Internet works fine on other devices, the problem lies with your device and its WiFi adapter. On the other hand, if the Internet doesn’t work on other devices too, then the problem is most likely with the router or the Internet connection itself. . Turn on the modem and one minute later turn on the router.

How do I get my WiFi back on my phone?

1. Restart your device. It might sound simple, but sometimes that’s all it takes to fix a bad connection.
2. If restarting doesn’t work, switch between Wi-Fi and mobile data: Open your Settings app «Wireless & networks» or «Connections». .
3. Try the troubleshooting steps below.

Why does the WiFi keep disconnecting?

Common Causes Why Internet Randomly Connects and Disconnects

WiFi hotspot strength is insufficient – you may be near the edge of the WiFi network. . Wireless interference (channel overlap) with other WiFi hotspots or devices nearby. WiFi adapter outdated drivers or wireless router outdated firmware. ISP issues.

How do I fix unreliable WiFi?

If this is a consistent issue, try to position your router higher (up on a shelf), away from other devices, which can interfere with it, and in a central location in your home. If that doesn’t work, consider purchasing a second router and a set of powerline network adapters to extend your network.

What can go wrong with a router?

• Mismatched Wi-Fi Security Settings.
• MAC Address Restrictions.
• Loose or Disconnected Cables.
• Overheating or Overloading.
• Wireless Signal Limitations.
• Defective or Outdated Hardware or Firmware.

What does connected but no Internet access mean?

If you are connected, but don’t have inrternet access it usually means either you didn’t get an IP address from the wifi access point or router etc. It means that either they don’t want you accessing the internet or your machine is not configured correctly.

Why does my Iphone say no Internet connection when I have WiFi?

Reset your Network Settings. Tap Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings. This also resets Wi-Fi networks and passwords, cellular settings, and VPN and APN settings that you’ve used before.

Why does the WiFi say no Internet secured?

This error occurs due to different reasons, the most common being a change in your configuration settings like your IP address, which could cause your router to have problems connecting to the Internet. Any program, including an update to the operating system, can cause this problem.

Why WiFi is not working in my phone?

Go to settings, then on Wireless and Network check to ensure that the WiFi icon is turned on. Alternatively, draw down the notification bar menu, then enable WiFi icon if it’s off. Many users have reported having fixed android wifi problem by simply disabling airplane mode.

Should you leave WiFi on on your phone?

You can leave WiFi enabled, so that you can still connect to a Wi-Fi network, but disable your phone’s tendency to be always-scanning for new networks. . It’s a good idea, while you’re at it, to disable Network notification. This will stop those annoying sounds and vibrations every time a free WiFi network is in range.

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