What to do if Wi-Fi stops working? Wi-Fi does not work: how to regain access to the wireless network


Routers and access points with Wi-Fi are an integral attribute of the home and mobile internet for 10 years now. One day, the speed of the Wi-Fi network can be greatly reduced, and sometimes the wireless connection disappears completely and for a long time.

The main reasons for disruption of the Wi-Fi network

Problems with wireless Internet access may be due to for various reasons: router failures, incorrect computer or smartphone settings, interference from nearby equipment, etc. Viruses and even the actions of hackers can disrupt operation. In all cases, you need to identify the cause of the malfunction and try to eliminate it - first yourself, and if that doesn’t work, then turn to professional computer specialists.

The Wi-Fi network is visible to devices, but they do not connect to it

There may be several reasons why there may be no connection to a Wi-Fi network.

Wi-Fi network is not visible to devices

There are several reasons why the Wi-Fi network is not visible from a gadget or PC.


Wi-Fi on PC or tablet does not work after reinstalling Windows

There are several reasons - from hardware to software.


Video: WI-Fi does not work after Windows 10 update

Laptop or tablet is connected to Wi-Fi, but there is no Internet

The reasons are due to the fact that the router does not have Internet access.


There is Internet via Wi-Fi, but it turns off on its own

There may also be several reasons.

  1. Inadequate Internet connection quality. If the provider has an unreliable communication channel or, in the battle for first place in the list of the most popular operators, has gone too far with the number of clients, the speed of individual users will be very low, the connection will often reconnect due to equipment overload, and incoming traffic will freeze. Previously, cellular providers suffered from this - on initial stages development of the 2G/3G/4G coverage area, demand in the conditions of a collapse in the price of 1 MB of traffic far outstripped the construction and launch of new network facilities.
  2. The router's RAM freezes (data buffer overload). Restarting it will help.
  3. The device has overheated - at any time modern technology There is protection against overheating of microcircuits. Both the CPU/RAM of the router or access point, as well as any of its microcontrollers that process data incoming/outgoing via LAN or Wi-Fi, can overheat. It is advisable to turn off the router for at least a few minutes.

If the 3G/4G signal is poor and the Internet speed is high, the 4G modem used with the router may also overheat. Users of Android smartphones and tablets (Yota subscribers), who distributed up to 40 GB every day via Wi-Fi (in the 2000s, these were Nokia and Motorola mobile phones connected via cable or Bluetooth), talk about cases when the device got hot like a kettle and turned off every hour or two of downloading/distributing torrents on the PC. The same thing happens with routers.

Wi-Fi does not work due to firmware glitches and viruses

No matter how simple, friendly and secure the firmware (firmware) of the router is, the router itself is not protected from malfunctions and viruses. Virus technologies disrupted the operation of Apple, Android and Symbian gadgets. The virus code penetrated card machines, ATMs and access control systems at protected sites with the Internet, and disabled the firmware in USB modems. Routers are also not insured - neither purely wireless from Beeline or Yota, nor home ZyXEL and TP-Link, nor Cisco access points, nor purely cable equipment used in facilities where any wireless element is prohibited by security rules.

Software failures can occur either due to inept flashing (by ignorance or accident, the power is reset during a firmware update in the router’s flash memory), or wear and tear of the flash memory chip itself (it’s impossible to even enter the router settings - underloading of the web pages interface in the browser).

Virus activity is expressed in reprogramming the router settings: changing the IP DNS to the values ​​of the malicious server, substituting primitive passwords or turning off Wi-Fi security settings, switching wired protocols and cellular network operating modes, etc. To fix this, do the following.


Sometimes the virus changes the firmware file just before it is downloaded to the router. The solution is to remove viruses from your PC, using all means, including formatting the drive (of course, transferring valuable data to other media before doing so) and download official version firmware again from the manufacturer's website.

Slow Internet speed via Wi-Fi

The reasons are related to both the quality of network access and Wi-Fi communication parameters.


The last point requires clarification. The fact is that the Wi-Fi speed is switched by the router and the gadget automatically. Even if you forcefully turn on the maximum (802.11n or 150 Mbit/s), then if you go into the next room, you may lose your connection to the Internet - incoming and outgoing traffic will freeze, websites will stop opening and messengers will stop working, even simple ones like ICQ , since the lower level speed (802.11g, or 54 Mbit/s) will not be enabled.

Different types Wi-Fi networks support different data transfer rates

Check the auto speed selection in the router settings.

Advice for experimenters: without highly directional antennas and amplifiers, do not be located far from the router.

Video: how the provider’s speed is “cut” by the router via Wi-Fi

Other Wi-Fi errors and their solutions

Complete list of errors in Wi-Fi work is not limited to failures of the Wi-Fi repeater alone or problems on the provider’s side.

Network cable is not connected

The provider's network cable connected to the WAN socket may not be connected either to the router itself or to the entrance terminal. The reasons are as follows:

  • damaged cable wires;
  • broken RJ-45 connector retainer holding the cable in the LAN socket;
  • power outage (the terminal has no autonomous power supply);
  • malfunction of the LAN interface in the terminal and/or router (burnout of network equipment throughout the entire area from electrical interference, an accidentally dropped network wire, static discharge when touching materials or a lightning strike on external cables);
  • a faulty LAN network card in a PC or laptop (it happens that the adapter in Windows is detected as a working device, but the connection cannot be recognized);
  • viruses on PCs that overload Windows performance (displaying incorrect connection status or connecting with a delay of minutes or hours).

The connection is already in use or not configured

Error 651 indicates that the modem or dedicated one is already in use or has not been configured.

If the router is not configured or is already in use by other processes, error 651 is displayed

Your connection needs to be removed and reconfigured. The instructions are suitable for Windows 7/8/10 - working with the network connection setup wizard in the latest versions has not been enriched with anything special.


After clicking the “Connect” button, a connection to the Internet will be established. If the problem persists, contact your provider's support. In the worst case scenario, reinstalling Windows helps.

Infinitely obtaining an IP address from the router

Without receiving at least a temporary IP address from the DHCP IP address numbering range of the router, the gadget or PC will not be able to access the network. And this is typical not only for Wi-Fi connections - assigning an IP to a computer or mobile device laid down during the creation of TCP/IP.

If the device freezes at the stage of obtaining an IP address, you need to check the router settings

You need to check the router's IP settings.

Checking Wi-Fi settings

Do the following.


You may need to restart the router again.

Checking services and connections in Windows

Ensure that all services, addresses, and protocols critical to the network are enabled correctly. The following services are responsible for Windows networking capabilities:

  • DHCP client;
  • DNS client;
  • WLAN auto-configuration service;
  • web client;
  • IP auxiliary service;
  • routing and remote access;
  • server.

Do the following.


The connection of the router or cable modem to the network is broken

ADSL modems, popular in the 2000s, are being actively replaced by ONT modems (optical network terminal) - these devices support Internet speeds of up to 1 Gbit/s (using GPON technology), which differs from the throughput of an ADSL modem by 10 times. Already, Rostelecom and local providers provide Internet speeds of about 35–100 Mbit/s.

The reason for the decrease in Wi-Fi speed may be not only the reduced external speed at the cheapest available tariff, but also damage to the optical cables in the section ONT-modem - home rack-terminal - the nearest provider node. The LAN cable between the router and ONT modem may also be damaged.

The router in access point mode acts as a LAN/Wi-Fi distributor

The user can diagnose the entire subnet of the router (the router itself and its external cable). In case of damage to cables and equipment, including the ONT modem, telephone, IPTV set-top box and cables in the entrance, you should use the help of technical specialists from the same Rostelecom. This is also explained by the fact that if a twisted pair cable can be restored/replaced independently, then the subscriber simply may not have the tools to splice damaged fiber-optic lines.

Video: Tablet does not connect to Wi-Fi - overview lecture

Solving problems with Wi-Fi at home and at work is not particularly difficult. In many cases, the user will figure it out on his own. The help of a specialist is required only in cases where problems arise on the provider’s side.

Such a problem, when the router does not distribute Wi-Fi, but there is Internet on the computer, can overtake any user. Here we will talk about the reasons for the difficulties and give step by step methods solutions - our instructions will help even a beginner get rid of problems!

The device works, but there is no connection

The first part of our review will answer the question why the router does not distribute Wi-Fi, but there is Internet. There are several causes and solutions to this problem.

#1 . The first reason why the router does not distribute the Internet via WiFi to the computer is a temporary failure. It may be due to device overload:

  • Press the power button, wait ten to fifteen seconds and turn the device on again;
  • Check that the date and time are set correctly;
  • Try re-creating the connection on your computer.

A temporary glitch most often goes away on its own after a reboot. If this doesn’t help, let’s look at why the router stopped distributing Wi-Fi, but there is Internet.

#2. The second option is cable problems:

  • First, check that the Internet cable is plugged into the WAN port marked blue color;
  • Make sure that the cable going to the computer goes into the yellow LAN port.

If the indicators on the device do not light up, check the condition of the cable for breaks, kinks, or other mechanical damage. If there are any breakdowns, the wires must be replaced.

#3. What to do if the router does not distribute WiFi, but there is Internet: the reason may lie in problems with the device itself.

This is indicated by the following parameters:

  • The computer does not see the wireless network;
  • The speed of work drops critically;
  • The connection is extremely unstable.

First, you should try connecting another device to the network - a smartphone, tablet or laptop. Did not help? Then the problem lies in the hardware:

  • Press the router's on/off button and make sure the indicator light turns on. wireless network caught fire.
  • If this does not help, then you need to take it to a technician for repairs or replace the equipment.

Correcting system settings

Let's move on to correcting the operating system configuration settings that affect the fact that the router works but does not distribute WiFi:

  • Open the Start menu on your computer and go to Settings;

  • Find the “Network and Internet” icon;

  • Enter the “Network and Sharing Center”;

  • Find the required connection and click on the “Properties” button;
  • In the new window, find the line “TCP/IPv4 protocol” and click the “Properties” icon again;

  • Opposite the lines with the IP address and DNS addresses you need to enter your own values;

  • Click the save changes button and restart your computer.

Changing the address in the adapter settings

The TP-Link router does not provide Wi-Fi, but there is Internet, what should I do? Next instructions Suitable for other models - we will change the address in the settings of the adapter itself:

  • Enter your IP to log into the web interface;
  • You can find the address you need at back side devices - it is applied to a special sticker;
  • Enter your password and login. The standard pair is shown on the same sticker if you have not changed the combination;
  • Go to the “Wireless Connection” block;
  • Go to the settings tab;
  • In the Channel field you need to erase the automatic value and enter your own channel.

Changing Wireless Network Settings

You have performed all the steps described above, but the situation remains the same: the Rostelecom router does not distribute Wi-Fi, but is there Internet on the computer? In fact, no matter what model you are talking about, try debugging your wireless network settings:

  • Repeat the steps above and log into the web interface;
  • Log in to the system;
  • Go to the “Wireless Network” tab;
  • Find the settings line and enable the items shown in the image.

Finally, let’s figure out why the router doesn’t distribute Wi-Fi to the phone or PC, what else could happen? Problems may be caused by problems with the provider:

  • Call your provider's hotline;
  • Ask a question to a call center specialist.

Distribution is in progress, but there is no connection

Let's consider what to do if the router distributes Wi-Fi, but the Internet on the computer does not work. First you need to make preventive measures:

  • Reboot your router;
  • Reboot the connected device;
  • Try connecting another smartphone/laptop/computer or tablet;
  • Make sure the date and time you set are correct;
  • Disconnect from the network and reconnect.

The next step, if the router does not distribute the Internet via cable, is to check the functionality of the wires:

  • Make sure that no cable is broken or bent;
  • Check that the wires are connected to the correct ports.

Why is WiFi not distributed from the router if you have checked all the above indicators? You may need to adjust your hardware settings:

  • Log in to the web interface and log in to the system;
  • Open the “Wireless Network” section;
  • Find the DHCP settings and enable the server.

Now you know how to deal with the problems that arise!

We all use the Internet while in cafes or restaurants, with friends, even at home at the dinner table, checking mail or messages on VKontakte. As practice shows, one of the most common problems occurs when working with wireless Wi-Fi technology. Let's say our access point is located in the house from the router or in a public institution. Everything seems to be configured correctly, but for some reason there is no access to the network.

So, what to do if you encounter such a problem? In fact, there may be a dozen reasons, each of which we will consider in this material!

Wi-Fi on Android is turned on, the status is “Connected”, but there is no Internet access

Let's say that you have activated Wi-Fi on your smartphone and connected to an access point. Your phone displays the “Connected” status, but you cannot access the Internet, either using a browser or through other programs, for example, Odnoklassniki. What should we do in this case?

First you need to check whether the Internet works for this connection at all. That is, you need to gradually weed out the list using the process of elimination. possible reasons and checking the Internet is the very first of them.

Try connecting to this access point from another device and go online. If everything is fine, then the problem is in your smartphone. If another device does not connect to the Internet or does not open websites, then the problem is with the access point or router itself.

Solution 1 – Correctly setting up your router for Wi-Fi

First, check if your smartphone is within range of a wireless network. Typically, routers can distribute a signal up to 200 meters, provided that there are no obstacles within this radius. If everything is in order with this, then move on to the router settings.

Change the channel your access point is on. Usually it is set to Auto, but we advise you to set it to channel 6 or another. Select any of the available ones, save the changes and check the functionality.

You can also change the operating mode for Wi-Fi. As practice shows, by default the 11bg mixed mode is usually set everywhere. Change it to 11n only.

If you have a column in your settings to indicate the region, then in mandatory set your region there. This is a minor parameter, but in very rare cases even it can affect the correct operation of the access point.

Solution 2 – Setting up a proxy server

Another one possible problem– this is the automatic selection and installation of a proxy server for a specific access point on a wireless network.

To fix this:

  1. Go to Settings on your device
  2. Next, select Wi-Fi or “Wireless Networks”, depending on the version of Android
  3. Find the access point you are connected to and hold your finger on it for a few seconds. An additional menu will appear in which you need to click “Change network”
  4. Check the box next to "Advanced options" and select "Proxy settings"
  5. All that remains is to check the box next to “No”, after which the proxy server will be deactivated

Wi-Fi is enabled on Android, but Google Play and other apps are not working

If Wi-Fi is activated on your smartphone and it is connected to a certain access point, but the phone does not open websites or load pages and applications on Google Play, check that the time and date settings are correct. This is a very common user mistake! In 90% of cases, it is this that causes connection problems.

You just need to set the time and date correctly, reconnect the Internet, then try to log into Google Play and view one of the applications on the page.

Why Wi-Fi doesn't work on Android: other reasons

  1. Incorrect password. Sometimes the Android operating system stores the password for a certain access point, but when you subsequently connect to it, no notification appears that the password is incorrect. We advise you to check the correctness of your entry and change it if necessary. As you understand, in public places it is usually open points access, but there are also closed ones. To select a password for them, you can use special programs, for example, from the same Google Play, where users share information around the world.
  2. Software problems. Another common reason that is related to software your system. To check if it's working correctly, you can use the Wi-Fi Fixer app. Just install it on your device and run it. There you can also view full list networks that have saved data that you have previously connected to. Restart your phone and try connecting to the hotspot again.
  3. Malicious applications. There may be viruses or Trojans on your phone that are blocking wireless networks. In this case, you will have to manually install an antivirus, for example, Kaspersky.
  4. Incorrect settings. We have already talked about setting up Wi-Fi networks. If you can’t change them, you can simply reset to factory settings. You may also have old entries about the access point. For example, you connected to it, as it says in the system, although the connection was not actually made. Just update the list of networks in the settings or delete everything and try updating again, and only then connect to a specific Wi-Fi point.

But what should you do if Wi-Fi is connected, but the Internet still does not work even after all the recommendations described? Most likely, your Wi-Fi module itself is not working correctly. The following will help:

  1. Phone firmware, if the reason lies in the software part of the smartphone. If you do not know how to flash Android operating systems yourself, it would be better to contact a service center.
  2. Repairing the Wi-Fi module. If the phone's firmware does not help, then the problem lies in the wireless network module itself. In this case, you will have to take the smartphone to a service center and have the parts replaced.

This is not a complete list of reasons that cause Wi-Fi malfunctions. If you have had similar situations, and you solved them in some other way, be sure to tell us about it in the comments for our readers!

So, you have configured your wireless router, but for some reason something is not working. I will try to consider the most common problems with Wi-Fi router problems and ways to solve them. Most of the problems described can equally occur in Windows 10, 8.1 and Windows 7 and the solutions will be similar.

From my work experience, as well as from the comments on this site, I can identify the following typical problems that users encounter when, it would seem, they have configured everything exactly and according to all sorts of instructions.

  • The router status indicates that the WAN connection is down
  • Laptop, tablet, smartphone does not see Wi-Fi, but sees neighbors’ access points
  • Constant disconnections
  • Local city resources of the provider, torrent, DC++ hub and others are not available

If I remember other typical things like the above, I’ll add to the list, but for now let’s get started.

  • (provided that the router is configured correctly)
  • What to do if when connecting it says:
  • What to do, if .

Wi-Fi connection disappears and low download speed through the router (through a wire everything is fine)

In this case, changing the wireless network channel can help you. We are not talking about those situations that also occur when the router simply freezes, but only about those when the wireless connection itself disappears on individual devices or in specific places, and it is also impossible to achieve normal Wi-Fi connection speed. You can read more about how to select a free Wi-Fi channel.

WAN is broken or the Internet is only on the computer

The main reason why this problem occurs is with WiFi router- connected WAN connection on the computer. The point of setting up and operating a wireless router is that it will establish a connection to the Internet on its own, and then “distribute” access to other devices. Thus, if the router is already configured, but the Beeline, Rostelecom, etc. connection available on the computer is in the “connected” state, then the Internet will only work on the computer, and the router will take virtually no part in this. In addition, the router will not be able to connect the WAN, since it is already connected on your computer, and most providers only allow one connection from one user at a time. I don’t know how clearly I was able to explain the logic, but even if it’s not clear, just take it for granted: for everything to work, a separate provider connection on your computer must be disabled. Only the connection via local network, or, in the case of a laptop, etc. - a wireless network connection.

It is impossible to access the address 192.168.0.1 to configure the router

If you encounter the fact that when you type the address to access the settings of your router, the corresponding page does not open, do the following.

1) Make sure that in the local network connection settings (your direct connection to the router) is set to: obtain an IP address automatically, obtain DNS addresses automatically.

UPD: Check whether you enter this address exactly into the address bar - some users, when trying to configure the router, enter it into the search bar, resulting in something like “The page cannot be displayed.”

2) If the previous point did not help, use the run command (Win+R keys, in Windows 8 you can simply start typing the word “Run” on the start screen), enter cmd, press Enter. And in command line mode, enter ipconfig. Pay attention to the “Default Gateway” value of the connection used for configuration - it is at this address that you should go to the router administration page. If this address differs from the standard one, then perhaps the router was previously configured to work on a specific network with certain requirements. You can reset it to factory settings. If there is no address at all at this point, then, again, try resetting the router. If that doesn’t work, you can also try disconnecting the provider’s cable from the router, leaving only the cable that connects it to the PC - this may solve the problem: make the necessary settings without this cable, and after everything is configured, reconnect the provider’s cable. Pay attention to the firmware version and, if relevant, update it. If this does not help, make sure that the “correct” drivers are installed for the computer’s network card. Ideally, download them from the manufacturer's website.

Settings are not saved

If for some reason the settings are not saved after entering them and clicking “save”, and also if you cannot restore the settings previously saved in a separate file, try performing the operation in a different browser. In general, in case of any strange behavior of the router admin panel, you should try this option.

Laptop (tablet, other device) does not see WiFi

In this case, the most possible different variants and they are all about equally common. Let's go in order.

If your laptop does not see the access point, then first of all, check whether the wireless module is turned on. To do this, look at the "Network and Sharing Center" - "Adapter Settings" in Windows 7 and Windows 8, or in Network connections on Windows XP. Make sure your wireless connection is turned on. If disabled (displays gray), then turn it on. The problem may have already been resolved. If it doesn’t turn on, see if your laptop has a hardware switch for Wi-Fi (my Sony Vaio, for example, has it).

Let's move on. If the wireless connection is turned on, but is constantly in the “No connection” status, make sure that the required drivers are installed on your Wi-Fi adapter. This is especially true for laptops. Many users have installed a program to automatically update drivers or have a driver installed operating system Windows automatically assumes that this is the required driver. As a result, they often encounter problems. The required driver is the one that is located on the website of your laptop manufacturer and is intended specifically for your model. Laptop computers often use specific hardware, and using drivers (not just for network equipment) recommended by the manufacturer can avoid many problems.

If the previous option did not help you, try logging into the “admin panel” of the router and slightly changing the wireless network settings. First: change b/g/n to b/g. Did it work? This means that the wireless module of your device does not support the 802.11n standard. It's okay, in most cases, this will not affect the speed of network access. If it doesn’t work, try manually specifying the wireless network channel there (usually “automatic”).

And another unlikely one, but possible variant, which I had to deal with three times, and twice for the iPad tablet. The device also refused to see the access point, and this was solved by setting the United States region in the router instead of Russia.

Other problems

If the connection is constantly disconnected while working, make sure that you have installed latest version firmware, if this is not the case, update it. Read the forums: perhaps other clients of your provider with the same router that you have already encountered such a problem and have solutions to this matter.

For some Internet providers, access to local resources, such as torrent trackers, game servers and others, requires setting up static routes in the router. If so, then you can find information on how to register them in the router huge probability You will find on the forum of the company that provides you with Internet access.