Why doesn’t my phone see Wi-Fi from the router and what to do in this situation? Why doesn't my phone connect to wifi: how to catch the router's network? Why doesn't Android see the wifi network?

Why can't my Android phone see the WiFi network from my laptop? This question often worries users. It is worth noting that when distributing WiFi from a laptop, you get the same network as using a regular router. Therefore, the principle of its operation and configuration is practically the same.

The only difference is that the router has more extensive and flexible parameters. In addition, you should know that you can organize an access point on a laptop in different ways. One of them is organizing a “Computer-to-Computer” connection. In this case, your phone or tablet simply will not detect the network, since it is designed exclusively for computers.

Why doesn't Android see the WiFi network?

There can be many reasons for this. If you organized a network using a router, then first of all you will need to enter the settings, since all settings are made exclusively in the router. If the network was created on a laptop, then you should go to the operating system settings. As you can see, you don’t need to configure anything on the tablet or smartphone itself.

The fact is that the Android operating system is made in such a way that all the settings have already been entered and users simply have nothing to configure. Everything is extremely simple. Therefore, we will look for the cause of the error directly at the access point itself (in the router or laptop). So, let's look at both options in more detail.

Why Android may not see the WiFi network (video)

Setting up the router

Very often, Android does not see the WiFi network due to incorrect router settings. So let's go into the router menu and make all the necessary adjustments. To do this, connect to an access point on your laptop or desktop PC. Open your favorite browser and enter the router's IP in the address bar. How to recognize him. As a rule, there is a sticker on the device itself with all the data. But if it is not there, the necessary information can be found in the user manual. If there are no instructions, then we do the following.

Press two Windows keys + R at the same time. In the window that appears, write CMD and click “OK”. Thus, we launched the command line. Here you can view detailed information about the network to which your computer is connected. To do this, write ipconfig and press Enter. After this you will see the connection information. Here you need to find the line “Default Gateway”. This is the address we need to enter in the browser. As a rule, most routers have the following IP - 192.168.0.1 (but there are also 192.168.1.1) It all depends on the model.

How to easily find out the IP address of a WiFi router (video)

So, after we have entered the desired address, press “Enter”. After this, we need to enter a username and password. Here we write admin, admin respectively. If you changed these values, then enter your data.

That's it, we got into the router parameters. The interface may vary depending on the model and brand of device. We will analyze further steps using the D-LinkDir-615 router as an example. But it is worth noting that all access points operate on the same principle, so their configuration is practically the same. The only difference is in the design of the menu and the names of some sections.

First of all, click on the “Advanced settings” button at the bottom of the screen. After this, additional sections will appear. We are interested in the item called “WiFi”. Here we enter the main settings.

First, check if the wireless connection is turned on. There should be a checkmark in the “Enable wireless connection” line. If it’s not there, then install it, save the settings and check if Android finds our network.

If the problem is not solved, then we move on. Now you should check the channel. Try changing it. It is recommended to set the value to "Auto" (automatic detection). A little lower you need to select the network mode. It is recommended to select 802.11 B\G\Nmixed from the list. This is a mixed mode in which devices that support different WiFi communication standards can connect to the network.

Now find the line “Hide access point”. This feature hides your network. Because of this, devices simply cannot detect it. In this case, the connection to the router must be created manually. If there is a checkmark here, uncheck it, save the settings, reboot the router and try connecting your smartphone or tablet to the network again. This completes the router setup.

Why Android won't connect to Wi-Fi: Video

Setting up a virtual access point on a laptop for network discovery

A very common question is why Android does not see the WiFi network created on a laptop.

The fact is that simply creating a virtual access point is not enough. After this, you should open access to it and enable detection.

This is done simply. First, we need to log into the network control center. To open the tool we need, find the network icon in the tray (in the lower right corner of the desktop). Right-click on it and select the required item from the menu that appears.

A menu will open in which you should enter the “Change advanced sharing settings” item. Here you just need to enable network discovery and allow file and printer sharing. In addition, at the very bottom of the menu you need to disable network access with password protection.

That's it, the setup is complete. Try connecting your Android to the network again. You must also remember that if you use a laptop as an access point, then the range of such a network is lower than that of a router. This is because laptops use less powerful antennas.

It is worth noting that the WiFi adapter antenna in smartphones and tablets is even weaker than in a laptop. This means that in some cases Android may not see the network as a result of being too far away from the signal source.

For example, on a laptop the signal level is about 20% (2 sticks), and a smartphone in the same place does not see available connections at all. The solution to this problem is simply move closer to the router. Or try moving the router closer to the center of the room and position it higher so that the signal can cover a larger area.

What to do if Wi-Fi is connected, but the Internet does not work on Android: Video

In this article we will look at why your Android device does not see WiFi ctmn in the list of available networks, although you are sure that it should be there.

This article is suitable for phones and tablets of all Android device manufacturers: Samsung, LG, Sony, Huawei, Xiaomi, HTC, ZTE, Fly, Alcatel and others. We are not responsible for your actions.

In this article, we will look at solving a problem in which an Android tablet or smartphone suddenly stopped detecting Wi-Fi networks or one particular network. For example, let's take a smartphone that runs Android. So he connected perfectly to the home network, but at one point he simply stops seeing this Wi-Fi network.

This network is not in the list of categories available for connection. Other devices see and also connect to this network without problems. There may also be situations when no products see the wireless network at all. In such situations, you should check the router, then reboot it and see if the Wi-Fi indicator on it is blinking.

Similarly, there are cases when in public places (shop, cafe, restaurant) other devices see and join a certain (often open) network, but your tablet or smartphone simply does not find it.

Increase

It doesn’t matter here whether you use a smartphone, tablet or even a TV set-top box. Let's consider the situation specifically for devices on the Android system. There is a possibility that if your gadget has stopped seeing the Wi-Fi network that it previously connected to without problems, then there may be a problem with the router (access point). If this is not your network (there is no access to the router), then it is unlikely that you will be able to do anything.

To avoid confusion, you should first find out the following:

• When a gadget does not see any Wi-Fi networks at all, but there are wireless networks in a given radius and other devices see them, then the problem lies only in the device itself. In this situation, you can do the following: turn off and turn on Wi-Fi again, reboot the gadget, remove the case. In extreme situations, you can reset the gadget settings to factory settings or flash the firmware. If even after resetting the settings the device does not see any available wireless networks, then most likely the problem is related to hardware. The device must be taken to a service center.
• The second case is more popular, which we will consider in detail. We are talking about a situation when Android does not see one specific Wi-Fi network, but other devices find it and connect without problems.

Troubleshooting

First, let's look at the simplest solutions that should be done first:

There are very few options for a solution on the device. Rebooting, resetting settings, turning off, turning on the Wi-Fi network - this is the maximum that can be done directly on the Android device. There is another option - changing the wireless network settings on the router.

Changing settings on the Wi-Fi router

You can experiment with changing the Wi-Fi network channel, check the network operation mode, and change the channel width. Of course, these settings may vary depending on the router you have. Often they are located on one page in the router control panel menu: “Wireless”, “Wireless mode”, “Wi-Fi”.

In the settings, you can, for example, set the 6th static channel or specify “Auto” if a static channel was already installed previously. Then we save the settings and reboot the router. We take the gadget and check the visibility of the Wi-Fi network.

In the settings you can immediately check that the “11bgn mixed” mode is specified. You can change the "Channel Width". You should also check whether the region is specified correctly if the router has such a setting. The screenshot below shows an example on a TP-Link router.

Increase

If after the first change of settings the gadget does not see the wireless network, then you can do it again. We set other settings. For example, a different operating mode (only n), channel. If there are no results, then it is better to return to the factory settings that were set before changing the parameters. You also need to return all the settings back when problems arise when connecting on other devices.

Setting up a virtual access point on a laptop to determine the network

There are also questions about why Android does not detect the Wi-Fi network that is created on the laptop. This is because creating a virtual access point is not enough. After this, you need to enable discovery and open access to it.

It's easy to do. First, you should request to go to the Network Control Center. To open this center, you need to find the network icon in the tray (at the bottom right corner of the desktop). Right-click on it, then a window will open, and in the menu that appears, select the required item.

Increase

A menu will open where you need to enter the “Change advanced sharing settings” section. There you just need to enable network discovery and give permission to share. At the bottom of the menu, you should disable network access with password protection. You can also use Virtual Router Plus software to create a wireless network on a laptop.

Increase

Today, portable devices are gaining more and more popularity compared to personal computers, and there are a number of reasons for this. Modern laptops, tablets and phones are not just compact in size. They communicate with the Internet via Wi-Fi, and this is important, because Wi-Fi networks are quite widespread today. It is available in cafes, restaurants, libraries, train stations and even in public transport. All this thanks to the Wi-Fi module found in portable devices. However, sometimes such wireless communication does not work entirely correctly.

A little about Wi-Fi coverage

The Wi-Fi network is wireless and based on IEEE-802.11. Today, data transfer speeds through this network can reach 600 Mb/s. Wi-Fi coverage has a number of positive aspects, namely:

• To connect to a phone, laptop or tablet, you don't need a cable at all. Thus, the amount of cash costs is reduced.
• The owner of a phone, tablet or any other portable device is not limited to a specific place. The Internet can be used anywhere the user desires.
• Wi-Fi coverage can be used without problems by owners of phones, tablets and smartphones.
• Despite the fact that there is only one Wi-Fi network in the room, many users with a phone or tablet can simultaneously connect to it.

Reasons for Wi-Fi connection failures

The reason such as the portable device being too far from the connection point, that is, the router, is not worth mentioning. The main thing is to maintain the required distance. However, if a laptop, phone or tablet is located a few meters from the wireless router and there is no connection, then there are several reasons for this. So here are the reasons:

• Older laptop models have a special small button to turn on/off the Wi-Fi connection. Therefore, it is worth checking that the connection is simply turned on. In new models, you can use a key combination, for example, Fn and F2, to enable Wi-Fi access. The device documentation will provide further assistance.

• The next reason is damage to the drivers that ensure high-quality operation of the Wi-Fi module. The problem is easily solved by reinstalling the drivers, which can be downloaded using the manufacturer's official website. Other sites may offer low-quality products.
• Sometimes the adapter module does not work at all. This is caused by the lack of a special utility that allows you to manage your wireless network. The utility can be found on the manufacturer’s website or installed from the disk included with the laptop.
• Sometimes the Wi-Fi connection is completely unavailable. This refers to cases when all devices recognize the network, but one of the devices does not. In this situation, you first need to turn off the router for 10-30 seconds and then turn it on again. Sometimes the problem occurs due to an unexpected failure in the router settings. All you need to do is configure it again. In this situation, the best assistance will be provided by the provider’s support service, because each provider has its own type of settings.
• It also happens that the signal is almost imperceptible and is characterized by a low level. At the same time, some devices recognize the Wi-Fi connection, but connection is still impossible. This situation may arise if the router is located quite far from the laptop, phone or tablet.

• Theoretically, the cause could be a breakdown of the Wi-Fi module in a laptop or some other device. Moreover, if the warranty is still valid, you can easily exchange the purchased product. If you have an old device, repairs can be very expensive. Therefore, many advise purchasing an external Wi-Fi adapter, which is quite affordable.

So, it is important to remember that it is not enough to just purchase a router, connect the appropriate cable to it and connect to the Wi-Fi network. Setting is required, which is best left to a specialist.

If Android does not see the WiFi network, the first thing you need to do is understand which side the problem is on: on the device that distributes the wireless network (modem/router), or on your Android phone/tablet.

This article is suitable for all brands that produce phones on Android 10/9/8/7: Samsung, HTC, Lenovo, LG, Sony, ZTE, Huawei, Meizu, Fly, Alcatel, Xiaomi, Nokia and others. We are not responsible for your actions.

Attention! You can ask your question to a specialist at the end of the article.

Determining the Source of the Problem

First of all, determine whether Android sees other Wi-Fi networks. Try sharing the network from a laptop, iPhone or other phone, go to a public place with free Wi-Fi.

If there are no problems detecting other points, the problem is clearly in the network, which . If the device does not catch any points, although other phones show their presence, then look for problems in the system and hardware.

Android doesn't see any Wi-Fi networks

If the device does not detect wireless points, although it previously saw them without problems, make sure that there are no errors in the system and that the module is working properly.

1. Open settings.
2. In the “Wireless Networks” field, slide the Wi-FI switch to the “On” position.
3. Start a network search.
4. Open advanced features and check “Always search for networks.”

In the settings of the latest versions of Android there is an option to reset network settings. Using it, you can fix system failures without resetting other device settings or deleting information from memory.

• Settings
• User and archiving
• Archive and reset
• Resetting network settings

If problems with connecting to Wi-Fi occur after updating or flashing the device, then you need to roll back to the latest stable version of Android. Use official or proven custom assemblies for firmware, then the question of what to do with the next system error will arise much less frequently.

The worst thing that can happen to a phone or tablet is hardware failure. If you suspect that the wireless module has failed, contact a service center to diagnose and replace the component.

Troubleshooting

Before you begin serious hardware diagnostics, follow a few simple steps:

1. Make sure that the network you want to connect to actually exists. To do this, see if other devices detect it.
2. Go to Android settings. Disable and enable Wi-Fi.
3. Reboot your phone/tablet.
4. Reboot your router if you have access to it. Unplug it, wait 10-20 seconds and plug it back in.
5. Bring the device closer to the router. The signal may be blocked by obstacles or the distance is too great.
6. Check your saved password again. If you changed the password in the router settings, it could be saved in the connection settings on Android.

That's all you can do on your Android device. If after performing these steps the network does not appear, proceed to checking and setting up the signal source.

Setting up the router

If you have access to a router, check its settings. What can help:

1. Enable Wi-Fi in settings.
2. Change the network name (SSID).
3. Change Wi-Fi channel.
4. Checking the network operating mode.
5. Removing restrictions on the number of connected devices.
6. Configuring the built-in firewall.

Router settings differ, but all have a Wi-Fi section. Look again at how to set up Wi-Fi on a specific router model and make sure you have the correct settings.

If, when you try to establish a connection, the message “ ” appears, but nothing else happens, try:

1. Reboot your router.
2. Rename the Wi-Fi network. Use only Latin letters in the name.
3. Enable the DHCP server.
4. Change the network encryption type.
5. Manually enter the DNS and IP address in the settings of the point on Android.

These methods are also relevant for other devices from which Wi-Fi is distributed. If you use third-party software to create a wireless connection from a laptop or phone, make sure that the mobile hotspot is configured correctly. Try connecting to it from another phone, and if you cannot establish a connection, create the point again.

Android users often complain about not being able to connect to a public or home Wi-Fi network. Therefore, for all those who have encountered a similar problem, we have prepared material containing the causes and troubleshooting methods.

Why doesn't my phone see the wifi network?

Problems affecting the display of access points are conditionally related to problems:

1. On the mobile device side.
2. On the router side.

To resolve problems with displaying Wi-Fi networks, you need to correctly diagnose the problem. To identify the cause, the best way is to connect another mobile device. If the second smartphone also does not see the wireless network, then the problems are related to the router or incorrect settings. To clarify the latter, it is better to connect to another access point.

Possible problems and solutions

Problem 1: My phone's Wi-Fi is turned on, but the hotspots aren't showing up

Reason: failure of the Wi-Fi module on the phone

Sometimes your phone may experience problems that prevent you from displaying a list of available access points. This problem is most often observed in custom firmware, where the Wi-Fi/mobile network is not debugged.

Solution:

1. If problems started after changing the firmware/communication module, flash the system back to the factory.

Problem 2: the phone does not see Wi-Fi at home

Reason 1: incorrect router settings

If the phone does not see only the home network, but shows other access points in the house/apartment or in other places, the router is probably not configured correctly to work with your phone. Then you need to log into the router management console and double-check the settings.

Solution:

1. Make sure that the mobile Internet distribution function is activated. To do this, open the “Wireless Network Settings” section; the name of the item differs from one manufacturer to another. It is important to check the boxes next to “Enable router wireless broadcasting” and “Enable SSID Broadcasting”.
2. Change your network mode to a less modern standard, such as 11b or 11g. Since some phones are equipped with outdated standards and do not always see the Wi-Fi network with new standards.
3. Also change the region, channel and channel width if the above recommendations are unsuccessful.

1. If the router broadcasts a signal at a frequency of 5 GHz, but the phone only supports a frequency of 2.4 GHz, the network will not be displayed on the phone.

Reason 2: the frequency range is not set correctly

If your smartphone has a dual-frequency Wi-Fi module installed, the default mode is set to auto. Thus, the phone detects access points operating at a frequency of 2.4 and 5 GHz. If the settings are set to work only on one frequency, routers broadcasting a signal on another frequency will not appear in the phone menu.

Solution:

Check the module’s operating mode in the phone settings: phone settings – Wi-Fi – advanced settings in the drop-down list – Wi-Fi frequency range – automatic mode.

Problem 3: The network periodically appears and disappears

Reason 1: weak antenna signal, interference

If an access point appears on your phone at different intervals and then disappears, it’s likely that the router’s antenna is set to low transmitter power. It is worth paying attention to the number of icon divisions in the line with the name of the access point. One or two bars indicate a weak signal.

Signal strength is also affected by interference. For 2.4 GHz routers, a large location near access points with the same operating frequency is critical. And also working equipment: microwave oven, joysticks, mice, etc. For models broadcasting a signal at a frequency of 5 GHz, even a sheet of paper is considered interference.

Solution:

Increase the transmitter power to the maximum level. To do this, open the router configuration console and select the “Advanced wireless network settings” section. Set the value to "High" and then save the settings.

Remove objects that interrupt the antenna and interfere with the free propagation of the signal. Move the router away from equipment that creates interference - microwave oven, wireless mice and keyboards, etc.

Reason 2: The option to hide access points with low signal is active

There is a feature in Wi-Fi settings that allows you to hide the display of access points where the signal strength is low or frequently interrupted. Deactivating this option will expand the number of available access points nearby.

Solution:

Open your phone settings – Wi-Fi – advanced settings in the drop-down list – uncheck the “do not use weak connection” option.

Problem 4: the phone does not receive Wi-Fi at home, but works stably with other access points

Reason: router malfunction or firmware damaged

If no device connects to your home access point, but connects reliably to neighboring routers, and changing the router settings has no effect, your home router is likely broken. Sometimes the firmware crashes.

Solution:

Perform a factory reset and/or update the firmware. If performance is not restored, replace the router or take it to a service center.

Reason: failure of the Wi-Fi module in the phone

Wi-Fi failure is a rare occurrence. Usually other modules also fail at the same time - Bluetooth and/or GPS. To identify a breakdown, you should carefully check the settings on your phone and router. Connect with other equipment at a frequency of 2.4 and 5 GHz. If changing the firmware/communication module is unsuccessful, you should contact a service center. If a module failure is confirmed, the motherboard removed from another device is often replaced to restore it.

Conclusion

Finding the problem is not difficult if you determine on which side the problem occurred. If no action has been taken to change the settings/firmware, and the network does not see a specific phone, then the problem lies in the mobile device. If the access point is not visible to other smartphones, then the problem is related to the router. It is also impossible to exclude interference due to other access points and equipment operating at the 2.4 GHz frequency.