Have you ever encountered a problem when your laptop won’t connect to Wi-Fi? If yes, then you are not alone.
Many laptop users are facing this problem, either due to setup errors, hardware issues, or network glitches. This problem can be very annoying, especially if you are working, studying, or surfing the internet.
Fortunately, there are several ways you can try to fix a laptop that won’t connect to Wi-Fi. In this article, we’ll discuss some steps you can take to resolve this issue. We will also provide some tips to prevent this problem from happening again in the future.
Step 1: Check Your Laptop’s Wi-Fi Settings
The first step you should do is check your laptop’s Wi-Fi settings. Your laptop’s Wi-Fi settings may have changed or turned off accidentally. To check your laptop’s Wi-Fi settings, follow these steps:
- Click the network icon in the bottom right corner of your laptop screen. These are usually wave-shaped or triangular.
- Make sure that your laptop’s Wi-Fi is turned on. If not, click the Wi-Fi button to turn it on.
- Make sure that your laptop is connected to the correct Wi-Fi network. Otherwise, click on the name of the Wi-Fi network you want to connect to and enter the password if prompted.
- Make sure that the Wi-Fi network you choose has a strong signal. If the signal is weak, try moving to a location closer to your router or Wi-Fi access point.
If your laptop’s Wi-Fi settings are correct, but your laptop still can’t connect to Wi-Fi, proceed to the next step.
Step 2: Restart Your Laptop and Router
The second step you can try is to restart your laptop and router. Restarting this device can help resolve temporary issues that may cause your laptop to not connect to Wi-Fi. To restart your laptop and router, follow these steps:
- Turn off your laptop by pressing the power button or selecting the shutdown option from the start menu.
- Turn off your router by unplugging it from the wall outlet or pressing the power button if available.
- Wait about 30 seconds for the device to completely turn off.
- Restart your router by reconnecting the power cord to a wall outlet or pressing the power button if available.
- Wait about 5 minutes for your router to turn on fully and connect to the internet.
- Restart your laptop by pressing the power button or selecting the turn on option from the start menu.
- Try reconnecting your laptop to the desired Wi-Fi network.
If restarting your laptop and router fixed the problem, then congratulations! You can already connect to Wi-Fi again. If not, continue to the next step.
Step 3: Update Your Laptop’s Network Card Driver
The third step you can try is to update your laptop’s network card drivers. A driver is software that controls how hardware works with the operating system. Network card drivers are drivers that control how your laptop communicates with Wi-Fi networks. If your laptop’s network card drivers are outdated, corrupted, or incompatible, then your laptop may not be able to connect to Wi-Fi.
To update the drivers of your laptop’s network card, you can use two ways, namely manually or automatically. Here is an explanation of both ways:
- Manual way: You will need to find and download the network card driver of your laptop from the website of your laptop manufacturer. You should make sure that the drivers you download match the model and version of your laptop. You should also make sure that the drivers you download are compatible with your laptop’s operating system. Once you have downloaded the correct driver, you need to install it by following the given instructions. This manual method requires considerable technical skills and knowledge, so it is not recommended for beginners or people who are not sure what they are doing.
- Automatic way: You can use third-party software that can help you scan, detect, and update your laptop’s network card drivers automatically. This software is usually easy to use and does not require high technical skills and knowledge. You just need to download and run this software, then let this software do its work. Some examples of third-party software you can use are Driver Easy, Driver Booster, or Driver Talent.
If updating the network card driver of your laptop managed to fix the problem, then congratulations! You can already connect to Wi-Fi again. If not, continue to the next step.