It is difficult for a modern person to imagine his life without the Internet, and even wireless. But it happens that the laptop does not see the wifi network, why this happens and what to do then, let's figure it out in detail!
Why the laptop does not see the wifi network: possible problems and their solutions
Let's go from the most likely to the most difficult - by elimination. Let's get started.
The most common
So why does the laptop not see the wifi network - this can happen due to the fact that there is no wireless Internet in principle!
- We will make sure that there is wireless Internet in the coverage area, for this using other devices: a tablet, smartphone, laptop or PC, we will check if they see wifi on the laptop. If yes, we follow further, if not, then he does not see wifi,.
We found out that there is an Internet, but the laptop does not see the Wi-Fi network, why - it means that something is wrong with our device, as a rule, and here there are extremely banal solutions. - See if the adapter is turned on, as a rule, it is highlighted on the keyboard with an indicator:
- off - looks like the screenshot below.
- turn on the keys, according to the device layout, + from to .
- after that, the search for networks should begin with a notification in the tray and a yellow star near the antenna, see the screenshot.
- if everything works and the laptop sees a Wi-Fi network - enjoy surfing, otherwise continue
- let's try to run troubleshooting - right click on the antenna → "Problem Diagnosis"
- the procedure helps in most cases, otherwise we are looking for another reason why the laptop does not see wifi.
The driver is an important component!
We urge you not to forget that the driver is the link between the hardware and the OS. Without this talented negotiator, everything works rather crookedly or does not work at all - this may be the answer to the question - why the computer does not see the Wi-Fi network. Whether laptop or desktop, external or internal adapter connection, the solution is the same.
- In the taskbar, you can see another icon - a crossed-out monitor, see the screenshot.
If Windows 7 or 8, follow: - "Start" → right click "Computer" → "Properties"
- " Device Manager"
- Expanding "Network adapters"→ we are looking for "Intel(R) Centrino" , "Atheros ..." are also possible, etc.
It should be like on the screen, with the absence of any marks - if there are red or yellow symbols, right-click and select "Engage" You will most likely need to update your drivers.
If Windows version 10, follow:
We see - the drivers are not installed:
- go to the manufacturer and download the appropriate drivers.
- install → restart systems
- check if it works - we will complete it, otherwise we are looking for other reasons.
We adapt - adaptation!
There is such a word adapter - this is the main opportunist, in the name of the appearance of the internet, and if it is disabled, nothing will be visible!
Let's check if it's enabled:
Sees everything, but not what you need!
Why does the computer not see my Wi-Fi network, but catches everyone else - and this happens. Here it is already necessary to deal with the settings of the router. Let's look at it visually on Asus models, and write commands for the rest. First, connect to another available Internet - for example, you can distribute it from your phone.
Now, for TP-Link equipment:
What's in a name…?
Involuntarily, the words of the classic A.S. Pushkin. Do not think that this is a joke, sometimes there is an SSID conflict, your computer does not see Wi-Fi, but everyone else finds it. And do not believe it, it turns out that his change and Voila are enough!
We change using the example of an Asus router with screenshots.
If you have come to this page, then most likely your phone has stopped seeing the Wi-Fi network, or networks. It can be a home network, somewhere away, a public wireless network, etc. The problem is that the network we need does not appear in the list of available ones on the phone. He simply does not find it, does not see it, and, accordingly, it is impossible to connect to such a network. It is not uncommon for cases when a mobile device does not find a specific Wi-Fi network. Which, for example, a laptop sees and connects without problems. Or it may be that the phone does not find any network, but other devices see them and work fine with them.
In this article, I will try to collect all the most popular causes and solutions that can help you solve this problem. As usual, first it is desirable to find out what the problem is: in a mobile phone, or a Wi-Fi router. If the problem is with the Wi-Fi network at home, then we have a better chance of fixing everything, since we have access to the router itself. If this is someone else's network, then it is unlikely that something will be done.
In fact, it doesn't make much difference on which device you have a problem. It is clear that this is most likely an Android or iOS phone. Well, maybe Windows Mobile. Since this problem can hardly be solved in the settings of the mobile device itself, it doesn’t matter what device you have. It's the same with a router.
I have already written separate articles on Android and iOS devices:
The phone does not see the Wi-Fi router: possible reasons
1 Disable / enable Wi-Fi, restart your phone and router. To get started, just go to your phone settings and turn off Wi-Fi. I think everyone knows how to do it.Then turn it back on.
Reboot the phone:
- On Android, just press and hold the power button, then select Restart. Depending on the manufacturer and version of Android, the steps may be slightly different.
- On iPhone, press and hold the Home button and the Power button. The phone will reboot.
We reboot the router. If you have access to it. It is enough to turn off the power for a minute and turn on the router again. You can perform multiple reboots in a row. More details can be read.
2 We determine what is the reason.Check all three items:
- If your phone does not see any Wi-Fi networks, but they exist and other devices find them, then it is clear that the problem is specifically in your smartphone. All I can advise is to reboot it, and remove the cover from it. If he is. If this does not help, then you can try performing a hard reset. If this does not help, then you will have to carry the device to a service center.
- When a device does not find one network, the first step is to check if other devices can see it. If they do not see, then most likely the problem is on the side of the router. Let's reboot it first. If this does not help, then see the article:.
- If other devices find a Wi-Fi network, but your phone does not, but it sees other networks, then the problem is most likely in the router settings. As a rule, changing the wireless network channel and region helps. Below I will talk about this in more detail.
You need to go to the settings of your router, go to the section with Wi-Fi settings, and try to set a static wireless network channel and another region. You can also set the channel width to 20 MHz. It's better to take turns.
On TP-Link routers, it looks like this:
More details in the article:. You can experiment with the channel and region. For example, put the region USA. If you have a static channel set in your settings, then set it to "Auto".
Other problems with discovering Wi-Fi networks
I also noticed that people often write that the phone does not see the Wi-Fi of the laptop. I understand that the problem occurs when distributing the Internet from a laptop or PC. In this case, I advise you to first make sure that the laptop is distributing a wireless network. For example, view from other devices. You may have started the hotspot incorrectly. This is where the article comes in handy. Bring your phone closer to your computer.
The next case when problems with Wi-Fi appear after phone repair. For example, after replacing the battery, screen, glass, housing, etc. In such cases, I advise you to immediately take the phone to a workshop where it was repaired. Since the master most likely did not connect the antenna, or the Wi-Fi module itself.
Well, you don't need to rule out a hardware failure. Everything breaks, and the module that is responsible for connecting to Wi-Fi is no exception.
As usual, you can leave your question in the comments, or share useful information on this topic. Always glad to answer your questions and grateful for the additions to the article.
Wireless technologies do not stand still and more and more routers appear on the market that can distribute WiFi at frequencies 2.4GHz And 5 GHz. Frequency 5 GHz has a number of advantages, among which, first of all, it is necessary to note less network congestion, support 23
channels versus three in 2.4GHz and higher throughput. Lack of frequency workers 5 GHz- smaller coverage area than networks 2.4 GHz.
Alas, not all computers and mobile devices can see such a network. Let's assume you have a router that supports 5 GHz, but your Windows 10 laptop does not detect the WiFi. Can something be done? Unfortunately, your device's wireless adapter does not support networks on the frequency 5 GHz is the main condition for working with them. However, there is a possibility that the adapter still supports the frequency 5 GHz, but the settings are incorrect.
How to know if the adapter supports 5 GHz
The first option is to go to the website of the adapter manufacturer and get acquainted with its technical characteristics. But there is an easier option. Open a command prompt as administrator and run the following command:
netsh wlan show drivers
Among the list of parameters we find and see what standards the adapter supports.
802.11b And 802.11g 2.4GHz.
802.11ac- support for networks with range only 5 GHz.
802.11a, 802.11n, 802.11j And 802.11n- can operate at a frequency as 2.4GHz, so on 5 GHz.
Note: a distinction must be made between adapters with a standard 802.11n Dual Band 2009 years and adapters 802.11n 2006 of the year, working only in one range.
If support is declared, but WiFi- the network is not visible, in the device manager in the properties of the wireless adapter driver, you need to check the selected range. For example, in the case of an adapter Marvell AVASTAR Wireless-AC Network Controller tab "Additionally" property must be selected Band and set a value for it "Automatically" or "Only 5 GHz".
It is also worth considering the case when a networked 5 GHz the computer stops seeing it after upgrading to Windows 10. The main reason for this is the replacement of the adapter driver with a standard driver from Microsoft.
This problem is usually solved by downloading and installing the latest version. "native" wireless adapter drivers from the official website of the manufacturer. In this case, it is better to turn off automatic updating of Windows drivers so that the next update does not replace the driver again. If the adapter does not support a higher frequency, but work on the network 5 GHz I still want to, you can buy an external one USB WiFi-adapter with appropriate characteristics.
As you know, some models of routers (of the new ones, mostly) support the mysterious 5ghz wifi, that is, the same “5 GHz Wi-Fi”, which seems to automatically mean not only a “faster” Internet, but also a more stable connection.
In fact, this is approximately the way it is (although not always), but this is not about that now. And then how to find out if your laptop supports this same 5ghz wifi, and if so, how to turn it on.
The fact is that, unlike the usual and familiar to all users “wi-fi” (when it is enough just to select the name of the router and enter the password), 5ghz wifi, figuratively speaking, is not just given in the hands, and to turn it on you need a bit stretch your favorite brain muscle.
But better in order.
how to know if your router supports 5ghz wifi?
This is just in case you really don’t know how many bands your router is, 1 or 2, and whether it supports 5 GHz WiFi at all. Since if it does not support it, and another suitable one is not yet available, then there is no need to rush to turn on 5 GHz in a laptop. So, we find the packaging or user manual of the router and read its brief specification. Or open the router settings directly from the laptop and get acquainted with the Wi-Fi parameters.
By the way, since you have already found these settings, you can slightly correct something. The fact is that, by the way, in some 2-band routers, the same SSID (a unique network name that distinguishes one Wi-Fi network from another) is registered for both 2.4GHz and 5GHz. If this is found, then it will not be superfluous to change it so that in the future it will be easier to find the appropriate network, even from a laptop, even from a tablet or smartphone.
What Wi-Fi standards work on 5GHz?
At 5GHz, 802.11a, 802.11n and 802.11ac work, 802.11n is optional. And since most of the current routers are just models of the 802.11n standard, you have to clarify whether the device at hand provides support for 5 ghz wifi. In addition, not every router that supports 2ghz and 5ghz wifi can work in both bands at the same time. So, if yours is also one of these, then it is possible that it is better not to run 5ghz wifi with it.
After all, if in some of your mobile devices that you use daily, 5ghz wifi support is also not provided (and many models do not have it), then switching the router to 5GHz is not entirely advisable. Of course, modern dual-band routers, as a rule, do not have such problems. But there are problems with the devices connected to them, which can lose contact with each other, and then an unnecessary mess is obtained. When, for example, an iPhone 7 connected to a home network at 5GHz suddenly stops seeing your MacBook, which connects to the same network and through the same router at 2.4GHz.
how to find out if your laptop supports 5ghz wifi?
This is not easy either. The most accessible way for a regular user is to go to " Device Manager " (across " Control Panel") and in the tab " Network adapters » find the exact name of the laptop's built-in WiFi adapter. Next, you can google the detailed specification of this device by its name. If you read that the laptop's WiFi adapter supports 802.11a and 802.11ac, then it definitely supports 5ghz wifi.
There is another option:
in " Device Manager "Right-click on the name of the WiFi adapter, in the menu that appears, select" Properties ", go to the tab" Additionally ” and in the list of properties we are looking for a mention of 5GHz. If the option to switch to 5ghz wifi mode could not be found, then either it is not supported at all in your laptop, or there is a fact that there is an incorrect WiFi adapter driver (it happens).
However, if you really need 5ghz wifi, then the issue is guaranteed to be solved by purchasing an external WiFi adapter. Such a device is inexpensive and allows you to do without all the fuss described above.
By the way, about the fuss. As we know, work related to data recovery, replacement of components, removal of malware, installation and configuration of the operating system, etc. performed faster and more efficiently by qualified professionals. In this regard, knowledgeable people advise to be extremely careful in choosing a company whose employees can be trusted with your laptop. vlatar.com.ua- this is in case or when you need a workshop with a good reputation, specializing in the repair and maintenance of any laptops. Not prevent.
