The vast majority of modern laptops use Wi-Fi technology to connect to the global network, because it is easy to use and provides optimal speed settings for the network, and no wires are required to connect it. Against this background, any problems with access to the Internet via Wi-Fi are becoming a serious problem for most users. This article will talk about how to troubleshoot a laptop with Wi-Fi connectivity on its own.
Wi-fi does not work on a laptop - what is the reason?
It should be noted right away that malfunctions in the wireless network can be caused not only by malfunctions in the laptop, but also by malfunctions and breakdown of the router, which is responsible for distributing Wi-Fi. In order to understand what exactly caused the trouble with the Internet connection, there is a fairly simple way: you should connect to the network using any other device, whether it be:
- Smartphone
- Tablet PC
- A laptop
- Personal computer with a special antenna for Wi-fi
If the connection went without problems, and the device freely accesses the Internet, then the reason lies clearly in the laptop itself. In order to exclude the possibility of minor system errors affecting the connection status, before proceeding to the methods described below, it is recommended to restart both the router and the laptop 1-2 times. It is worth noting that many router models turn on for quite a while after a reboot, so you should not rush into attempts to connect to the network.
About turning on the adapter hardware
First of all, it will not be amiss to check if the wireless adapter on the device is turned on. Manufacturers provide most modern laptop models with special indicators.
Reference! On most models, the adapter indicator glowing in even color indicates its uninterrupted operation. The red light of the indicator or its absence can talk about problems in the adapter.
You should look for such an indicator either on the keyboard itself or on the front or side panel of the case. In rare cases, indicators are installed in the immediate vicinity of the touchpad. If the ind indicator is located on the keyboard (usually in the "range" f1-f12 "), then it is usually turned on / off using the Fn key, pressed simultaneously with the one on which the small antenna icon is drawn.
If switching the indicator did not have any effect on connecting the Windows or Ayios device to the network, try the methods described below.
Program inclusion
As is clear from the header, this type of inclusion is carried out through the operating system. This method can help in cases where wifi stopped working suddenly, without any visible problems. In order to connect programmatically, on Windows 10, 8 and 7 systems, you must:
- Click on the network connection status icon in the notification panel
- In the list that opens, go to the point of the network and sharing control center or the network settings item
- Go to “change adapter settings”
- In the window that opens, pay attention to the color of the wireless network connection icon. If such an icon is not highlighted or is displayed in black and white, then you should right-click on it and activate the connection by clicking on the corresponding item in the context menu.
- If all operations are carried out correctly, the icon color will change, and you will need to connect to an available network, after which you can try to go into any browser and open any web page.
Problems in the wireless network can also be caused by outdated driver or its absence at all. In order to check the version and availability of the driver, you should contact the device manager
oystv. You can find it by clicking on “Start-Properties-Device Manager”, and in the window that opens, find the “name” of the laptop’s network wireless adapter.
Reference! Very often, the name of the adapter is written in Latin letters, and is accompanied by the name of the developer company.
After the necessary item is found, you need to right-click on it and select “Properties” of the device in the context menu. If there is an inscription in the window that the user sees that the device is operating in normal mode, this does not always mean that it is. To check the device driver, you need to go to the tab with the same name, and pay attention to information about the supplier and the development date in it.
If the driver is out of date, you can go to the official website of the developer (the company name is indicated in the line “supplier”) and try to download a more recent version of the software for your operating system.
Causes of an unstable signal or a missing signal
A negative effect on the stability of the signal received by the device from the router may also be the power saving mode, included on the laptop. In order to check whether this mode is enabled, the user must:
- Call up control panel
- In the list, find the item responsible for power consumption or power
- In the presented window, note one of the optimal energy consumption modes
Among other things, physical external obstacles can also prevent a laptop from "catching" wifi. Speaking about such obstacles, first of all, we mean thick walls, floors, floors and ceilings, so if the user prefers to use the router of his neighbors or friends living through the wall or a floor below, then there is no need to talk about the stability of the connection.
It is widely known that the signal from the router extends to a small area of space, which is also worth considering when working with wireless technology. If the weak signal is caused by the distance from the router, then the user should either move closer to the stable signal zone with the laptop, or move the router closer to its workplace, or even purchase a new router model with a larger coverage area.
How to solve a problem?
As is clear from the above, in case of problems with the wi-fi network, you first need to establish the cause of the lack of a signal, and act on it. Only the most common wireless network problems have been described above, however, in fact, there are many more.
It’s worse for the user when the problem with wi-fi is caused by malfunctions in the hardware of the device, because to resolve them most often it will be necessary to disassemble the device. Most often, hardware problems relate to the network board. The board may be damaged as a result of mechanical influences, negative operating conditions, or even released with factory defects. In most cases, the board is simply replaced during repair, however, some problems can be fixed without replacing the part. For example, one of the most common network board malfunctions may be the lack of an antenna cable connection to the contactless communication module.
Reference! The disconnection of the wire may occur unintentionally during the cleaning of the case and circuit boards of the device from dust.
In cases where such work is performed by the user or a not very attentive specialist, they can simply forget about checking the antenna, as a result of which the laptop will lose the ability to catch the signal from the router, even if it is in close proximity to it.
The network card of the device can prematurely exhaust its life if it works under conditions of constant overheating. This happens to those users who often work with a laptop without a special stand, for a long time leaving the device working on a soft surface, whether it is a sofa cover, a blanket, etc. In the lower part of the case of most modern laptops there are holes through which air enters the cooling system. Soft tissue blocks these openings, as a result of which the system does not receive enough air for cooling, and all mechanisms and circuit boards operate in unfavorable temperature conditions and wear out quite quickly.
In fact, the same effect on the system is exerted by periodically accumulating dust and small debris in the device. In order for neither the network card, nor other components of the device to fail prematurely, experts recommend cleaning the laptop from dust at least once a year.
Leave Your Comment