When you are in the middle of a work call, or just finishing an urgent report, does your wi-fi decide to take an unexpected break? There is nothing more frustrating than having to go offline when you have been working all day long and in the worst-case scenario, have not saved your valuable data.

It happens to the best of us too. Wouldn’t it be wonderful and handy to learn how to troubleshoot these common issues of your wi-fi connection by yourself?

Scenarios -No internet connection

Before we go into the wi-fi issues and fixes, let us give you a brief on a commonly found technical issue- There is no internet connection. What are the possible scenarios?

1. The wireless network adapter is seen and networks are detected, however, you are not connected.
2. The wireless network adapter is seen, however, no networks are detected, hence you are not connected.
3. You are connected to a Wi-fi network, however, due to limited connectivity, you lose connection.
4. The wireless network adapter is not detected, neither is it enabled.

How to connect Wi-Fi to PC

Are you not sure how to connect Wi-Fi to pc? Is your laptop not connecting to Wi-Fi?

To connect a PC to your Wi-Fi network, follow these steps:-

1. Go to your Wi-fi settings ( you will see the Wi-fi/network icon in the notification area)
2. From the list of networks available there, choose that one which you want to get connected to, and click Connect.
3. Type the the password (Security Key)
4. Your PC will be connected.

(You can follow the same if you want to know how to connect wifi to laptops.)

Some common Wi-fi network issues and the fixes

Before you run off to get assistance from your service provider for Wi-Fi connection problems, try some of these home fixes first. Most of the time, your wi-fi issue will get resolved with these tiny tips. These fixes appear to be very easy and not complicated at all. And what’s best. They work! We have tried our best to present them in the simplest way possible for better understanding. So here goes!

Issue 1 – The Wi-fi /Network icon seems to be missing. You do not see it on the screen.

Reason 1

The Wi-Fi switch is off. Not seeing the symbol or list of available networks maybe because the Wi-fi button has been accidentally switched off.

The Fix

There is a network icon at the bottom right-hand side of the taskbar. Check your wifi settings. Select your network and turn on your Wi fi.

Reason 2

The system is in airplane/flight mode

If you have turned on your flight mode at some point and forgotten to turn it back on, you will not be able to see any of the available networks.

The Fix

Switch off the flight mode and your wi-fi /mobile data will be automatically connected.

Issue 2 – You can’t connect to a Wi-Fi network.

Reason 1

If the wifi not connecting issue persists, it can mean that the wifi password is incorrect. To enter a wi-fi network, you need to enter the respective password unless it is an open network.

The Fix

Check the password (network security key)you typed in. All passwords are case-sensitive. Check if the Caps Lock is on.

Reason 2

The wireless router has some issue that needs to be fixed. If the router is malfunctioning, the Wi-fi network will be affected and you can’t connect to this network.

The Fix

Turn off the router and modem. Unplug them from the power source. Be patient. Wait for a couple of minutes(at least 30 seconds). Then plug in the Router followed by the Modem. Watch for the blinking green lights. This means that they are back in full power. Check your phone or laptop to ensure that a connection has been established.

Issue 3 – Slow Wi-fi network is giving you problems

Is your wifi not working on your laptop due to slow connections? This is a very common issue faced by internet users. And there is nothing as irritating as having to wait while your video is buffering or a mail is refusing to open. Well here’s good news. Wait no more.

Reason 1

The Wi-fi signal is weak. Unless you have a stable internet connection with a strong signal, you can never rely on your network. No matter which service provider you are with, if the signal is weak, then try as you may, your videos will keep buffering.

The Fix

Want to know where the signal is the strongest? This range is normally a few feet away from the wi-fi router. Not too close and not too far. Now let us move on to how to increase signal strength.

1. Move the router to a central location that is equally accessible to all rooms. If you can reduce the obstacles in between, like avoiding close walls, bigger shelves that block the coverage etc, the better the signal strength will be.
2. Check if the lights on the router are green and blinking. If you have any doubt about the signal, go to the router webpage and confirm that the network is functioning.
3. Use an internet speed test like Ookla to determine the speed of your connection. The Network Speed Test app by Microsoft is also widely used. You will know how fast the data transmission occurs and that will tell you if you have a strong or weak signal.

Reason 2

The wi-fi router is a long way from you. As we explained above, the wi-fi connection gets weaker as the distance from the router increases.

The Fix

1. Move closer to your router. If the router is placed in a position that is inconvenient to shift, you should find a way to sit closer to the router.
2. Check if you can place the router at a higher, central location.
3. Avoid corners or places behind tables /desks.
4. Opt for open spaces, these are the best.
5. If none of the above solutions is possible, get a network extender ( a small device that can be plugged into any electrical outlet in the house). This will help you improve the signal.

Reason 3

Lack of bandwidth is a serious issue that affects the speed of your network. If all the family members are online and engaging in data-hungry apps, the connection is being shared at the same time by multiple devices. This will slow you down a lot.

The Fix

Disconnect the wi-fi from devices that are not in active use. If possible try using the same screen, say two family members are watching the same movie on two devices. It is better for both the wi-fi connection as well as family bonding to watch it on a single large screen!

Reason 4

Peak hours mean that the connection is being used at once by everyone, slowing down the entire network.

The Fix

For those of you who can have flexible hours of work, try to work out a schedule wherein there are time intervals in simultaneous use of wi-fi. It would be great if some of you can adjust your timings outside the peak hours for everyone’s convenience and of course, greater speeds

Important tip of the day – Be careful of who knows your wi-fi password Always set up security for your wireless network by enabling a strong password. You don’t have to be so generous as to give out the password to outsiders

Issue 4 – Wi-Fi gets all complicated after an Update.

Reason

Some updates cause the system to leave out the total support required for a wi-fi connection. This also leads to the laptop not detecting wifi at all.

The Fix

This is fixed mostly by the system itself. You can either restart your system or uninstall the update. You could go one step ahead by clicking the wi-fi icon and troubleshooting the problem.

If you continuously face issues in your wi-fi connectivity and feel that your internet functionality is being limited, you could also look into upgrading your internet plan. You could choose a plan with higher data and validity. ( Also always make sure you have paid your bills. It’s human nature to forget, so just keep a reminder on your due dates. )

Issue 5 – Security breaches and malware

You may have left your network open and now someone else has access to unlimited usage. This can also affect your wi-fi connectivity, strength, and speed. Do not panic. It happens at times.

The Fix

This is how you are going to take care of such issues. You just have to follow four simple steps.

• Scan the system for viruses or unwanted software.
• Uninstall unnecessary apps
• Reset your computer after saving all important documents and data.
• Change all your passwords

Logging off

It’s time to log off from this session. We hope you will find this article useful in fixing your wifi connection. If there is a possibility that you can solve such issues on your own, it saves you a lot of time and tension. Let us know if you need solutions to other commonly occurring Wi-fi problems. Stay tuned as we will be back with more!