Common Android Wi-Fi Problems & Possible Fixes

I have helped many of my website visitors solve problems with Wi-Fi. In 95% of cases the five below methods worked. In the remaining 5% the problem was very specific or software/hardware related and I couldn't solve it remotely. I hope one of these methods will help you! 

Android Wi-Fi Problem Fix No.1: Check Your Wi-Fi Settings 

You probably won't believe how many people got depressed because their Wi-Fi wasn't working only to discover that they didn't really turn it on or didn't properly set up the Wi-Fi connection.

Here is what you need to do to make sure that you Wi-Fi settings are all OK:

• Go to Settings > Wi-Fi and use the toggle to turn the Wi-Fi on. Note that this may differ depending on the phone model and version of Android you are using. 

The most common Android Wi-Fi problem fix is to simply turn Wi-Fi on correctly.

• Once you turn Wi-Fi on, you will be able to see the networks available and connect to them. If your phone doesn't remember any Wi-Fi network, you may want to add one. To do that, click on the Wi-Fi network you want to connect to, enter its password and click CONNECT. 

Android WiFi Problem Fix: Connect to the right Wi-Fi network and type the correct password.

If you type the password correctly, your phone will connect to the network and you will see the Wi-Fi on the upper part of the screen. 

If you don't see the Wi-Fi icon on the screen of your phone as showed on the screenshot above, you didn't connect to the Wi-Fi network properly. 

Android Wi-Fi Problem Solution No.2: Check Your Wi-Fi Router & Restart It

Sometimes the Wi-Fi problem isn't caused by your phone but by your router (e.g. the "box" that broadcasts the Internet all over your home). 

To make sure that your router is working OK, you should do two things: 

• On every router there is a LED named "Internet". If it's shining (blinking), it means the Internet is working properly. If it's not, then you should contact your Internet provider. 
• It's always a good idea to simply restart your router. To do that simply unplug it and plug it again. If your router caught a temporary "glitch", it should start to work normally again. 

Android Wi-Fi Problem Fix No.3: Remove (Forget) The Wi-Fi Network & Add It Again

The administrator of the Wi-Fi network you use might have changed the network password and that's why you are unable to connect to the Internet.

What I always suggest in such a situation is to do the following: 

• Open Wi-Fi settings (like I showed you in the fix no. 1) and tap on the Wi-Fi network you have problems connecting to. Forget it and then try to add it once again (make sure that you know the right password). 

Android Wi-Fi Problem Solution: Forget the Wi-Fi network and add it back again.

Read more: How To Forget A Wi-Fi Network

Android Wi-Fi Problem Fix No.4: Activate Smart Network Switch

This Wi-Fi problem fix is only for those who have either unlimited or big data plans (because it may use a lot of mobile data depending on how you use your phone and how your Wi-Fi is working).

By activating Smart Network Switch you will make sure that you are always online. If your Wi-Fi connection becomes weak or disappears, your phone will automatically switch to mobile data so that you don't experience any "glitches".

Here is what you need to do:

• Go to Settings > Wi-Fi. 
• Tap on MORE in the top right corner. Choose Smart network switch. Make sure it's ON. 

Android Wi-Fi Problem Fix: Try to use Smart Network Switch.

Android Wi-Fi Problem Fix No.5: Use A Wi-Fi App (WiFi Analyzer)

Sometimes the problem may be a little bit more complex and you might need a more specialized Wi-Fi app to help you solve it and analyze your Wi-Fi connection in more detail. 

I suggest you install the following app: 

• Wi-Fi Analyzer (click to download it from Google Play or Amazon Appstore).

If you are more into Amazon and use app from the Amazon Appstore, you might want to try these alternatives:

• Wifi Analyzer
• Wi-Fi Analytics

Wi-Fi Analyzer lets you analyze your Wi-Fi connection in more depth to detect possible problem.

On the screenshot below you can see the channel graph and signal meter.  

Android Wi-Fi Problem Solution: Use a Wi-Fi app for analyzing your connection in detail.

As you can see the signal strength isn't the best, which may be the reason why I sometimes experience Wi-Fi problems on my Android phone. 

Besides that the app also gives you a lot of other useful settings like open network indicator, available channels at different frequencies and so on.