Often, after the long-awaited purchase of a new laptop, connecting a router for WiFi distribution, or simply completely reinstalling all the device software, the computer, for some unknown reason, cannot connect to the Wi-Fi network. Every second person finds himself in a situation where the laptop does not connect to the Internet via WiFi, and this, to put it mildly, causes dissatisfaction. The laptop simply refuses to see all kinds of Internet networks, and the special icon itself, which is located on the bottom notification panel of the device, along with the usual little white stripes shows an exclamation mark (connection is limited) or, even worse, a red cross (the personal computer does not see networks at all).
Why won't WiFi connect on my laptop?
There are incredibly many reasons for this behavior of your laptop. In most cases, the problem lies in the fact that the special WiFi module cannot be turned on. In this case, the laptop will work and detect all networks, but during connection it will write that the operating system, unfortunately, was unable to connect to this network. How to solve the problem if the laptop sees WiFi, but does not connect? The first step is to make sure that all the necessary drivers are installed on the so-called network adapter.
Oddly enough, this most often happens with laptops running the Windows 7 operating system. As noted earlier, there are many reasons why your laptop cannot connect to a wireless network. Since there are so many reasons, it means there are also a lot of ways to still get a personal computer to connect to the Internet. Is your laptop not connecting to WiFi? Windows may have nothing to do with it!
The laptop is not always at fault!
The problem can be not only in the PC, but also, as practice shows, in the router itself (in other words, the network access point). If the laptop does not connect to the Internet, then first of all you should determine what the problem is: in the PC or in the router. How to do it? There are several ways to confirm or refute the fact that the problem is with the router, the easiest of which is the help of a neighbor. Just visit your neighbor. Ask for the network password to test your laptop. If he can connect, then everything is fine with him, and the problem is hidden in the router. If the laptop does not connect to WiFi and writes the same thing as at home, then the problem is in the laptop.
Most likely difficulties
The most common problems with connecting a laptop or netbook to a wireless network are the following.
- WiFi does not turn on on a personal computer. This is one of those problems that is easiest to solve, so if you find yourself in this situation, there is no need to worry - everything will work out!
- The device does not detect the network of your personal router, although it sees neighbors and others. This problem is not solved as easily as the first one, but still the main thing is what? The main thing is that it is resolved!
- The personal computer sees all networks, but cannot connect to any of them, and writes: “Could not connect.” It is possible to solve this problem, because it is the most common. Of course, it’s not a fact that you can fix everything yourself, but it’s worth a try, especially since there won’t be any complicated steps.
- The PC quickly connects to WiFi networks, but under no circumstances opens Internet pages in browsers. The problem is also more than common; you can solve it yourself, but, unfortunately, not always. You may have to call a professional to fix it.
Enable WiFi on a laptop
Unfortunately, not all laptop models have default settings, which is why the laptop does not connect to the Internet via WiFi. In some situations you still have to perform various actions, so that the laptop connects to one or another wireless network and no longer disturbs its owner. This method can really help, but only for those users who have not reinstalled the Windows operating system on their computer. If you have already done this, the advice may not help. But it's worth a try!
Key combination, special switch
There are laptop models in which, in order to enable the ability to connect to a wireless network, you need to press the required key combination on the keyboard. In such PCs, the first mandatory button is Fn, and the second is a special hardware key located somewhere from F1 to F12. Most often, these keys are F2, F6 and F10 - this depends on the manufacturer of the personal computer, as well as its model.
If your laptop is not one of those discussed above, then on your laptop model the network is turned on using a small switch. The switch can be located anywhere on your PC - on the back, bottom, side. Finding it will not be so easy, but then you just need to move the slider from “Off” to the opposite side “On”. Attention: special keys will not work if you have reinstalled the operating system. However, try it anyway - it was not. This will solve your problems regarding WiFi not connecting on your laptop.
Turn your laptop's wireless capabilities on or off
It is very important to know that after you have turned on the wireless network adapter using special keys, you may also need to turn it on “from within”, that is, in the laptop operating system itself. There are only 2 options: Windows 7 and Windows 8.
Enabling WiFi in Windows 7
If for some reason your personal laptop does not connect to WiFi, you will have to try to fix it yourself. First of all, go to the PC control panel, select “Network Management” there, then find the “Change network adapter settings” button.
For faster execution, you need to press the Win + R key and then enter the simple command ncpa.cpl. Pay attention to the network icon; if it simply isn’t there, skip this point. If, however, there is a wireless network icon that is disabled (that is, gray), right-click on the object and select “Enable network” or simply “Enable” in the drop-down menu.
Enabling WiFi in Windows 8
Here everything is a little more complicated. If you don't understand why your laptop won't connect to WiFi, this option is worth trying.
In the right panel, select “Options”, then click on “Change...”, after which you need to find the “Wireless Network” button. Make sure the button is turned on; if not, turn it on yourself.
Now we perform all the same steps as in the Windows 7 operating system. Simply put, you must completely make sure that the special wireless connection enabled on your computer.
Also, regardless of the OS version, you may need to turn to a program that specializes in wireless networks and WiFi connections. Almost all manufacturing companies have their own programs, the name of which contains the word “Wireless” or “WiFi”.
Drivers
Another reason why a laptop does not connect to WiFi, writes: “Connection limited” or something like that, is hated PC drivers. This happens especially often after the operating system has been reinstalled on a personal computer. You may have been able to reinstall Windows yourself, but you were unable to install the drivers from the official website of the company that created your laptop.
There are also situations when, automatically, after installing a new OS, the computer itself installs the necessary drivers, but the PC itself has never done anything correctly. Even if you installed the drivers using some program, you will still need to go to the company’s official website and download all the necessary drivers there. Only after installing them will you be able to connect to the WiFi network, if that was the case, of course.
Router
It was already mentioned above that the problem may not be in the computer, but in the router itself, which emits the signal. You can check the health of the router in several ways:
Connection limited
Such an inscription quite often pops up on laptop screens, the owners of which do not understand why WiFi on the laptop does not connect. Solving such a problem will not take much time, but you will still have to follow the instructions exactly according to the instructions, otherwise you can get into trouble.
When a person finds himself in a similar situation, panic begins: what to do if WiFi on the laptop does not connect, “Limited” is written, and nothing is clear at all? Don't worry, everything can be fixed. Another thing is that not everything is done independently, but this is not such a big problem.
If you select a network from the list of available ones, then enter the password correctly (if you have one, of course), then wait for the connection... and then a message pops up that everything is connected. But on the network icon some strange exclamation mark icon appears in a yellow triangle. Hover your mouse over this sign and the system will tell you that the connection is limited. No Internet resources will work. What to do if the laptop does not connect to WiFi, or rather, it connects, but there is no Internet?
Providers have certain problems. Reinstalling the OS
The situation is that the problem may not be in the router or even in the laptop. If the connection is limited, one of the options to solve the problem is to call the technical support of the provider. Specialists will try to solve this problem within a day, perhaps a little more, but after that such problems will not arise.
If in technical support They claim that it’s not their problem, but yours, which means it’s true. In this case, when the laptop does not connect to the WiFi network (or rather, it connects, but does not work), you can repeat some of the tips that are a little higher. However, the easiest way would be to call a private specialist who, for 200-300 rubles, will completely reinstall Windows for you to any kind you want. He will also install all the necessary drivers for everything to work, and if you wish, he can install a good antivirus.
Many more find themselves in a situation where nothing is actually broken, but only a small glitch has occurred in the router. Don’t worry, you won’t have to reconnect anything, you will simply need to completely disconnect the router from cables and wires for 5-10 minutes so that it can “rest” a little. After that, reconnect everything: internet cable and power. And after a couple of minutes, the laptop will automatically connect to the network (if this does not happen, do it yourself), and everything will work perfectly without interruptions.
There is also a situation when there are no problems with anything, but suddenly WiFi stops working. What to do in this case? Either call support or reboot the router. Or the problem may still be in the laptop. There will be nothing complicated in the steps: you just need to first disconnect from the network, and after a couple of minutes connect to it again by entering the password. Everything should work, there should be no more such complaints. We hope you got the answer to the question why your laptop won't connect to WiFi.
Internet connection problems most often occur when the cable is disconnected or the router or modem is not working properly. First try running the Network Troubleshooter to see if it can diagnose and resolve the problem.
Open the Network Troubleshooter by quickly sliding your finger to the center from the right edge of the screen and clicking on the Search panel (if you are using a mouse, point to the top right corner of the screen, move down and click on the Search panel, type "search and fix" in the search field, and then click Identify and resolve network problems.
If launch troubleshooting tools did not help solve the problem, follow these steps:
Make sure all cables are connected. Check, for example, that the broadband modem is connected directly or via a router to a working telephone socket or cable connection.
Unplug the power cable from the modem and router.
When all the lights on the devices go off, wait at least 10 seconds and then reconnect your modem and router.
Some modems have a battery that prevents the display from turning off. In the case of such a modem, press and quickly release the reset button. If you cannot find the reset button, remove the battery.
If you are setting up your computer for the first time, make sure that the router is fully compatible with the Windows operating system. Due to new Windows networking features, some older network routers are not fully compatible and may cause problems.
Make sure that the router and the network card in the computer will communicate with each other. To be complicit, the network card in the computer must support a Wi-Fi standard equal to or higher than the standard of the wireless router. For example, if the network card in your computer uses wireless 802.11n (also called Wireless-N) and your router uses wireless 802.11g (also called Wireless-G), there will be no access because Wireless-G is old version and does not recognize the Wireless-N standard.
However, if the router uses the Wireless-N standard and the card in the computer uses the Wireless-G standard, the connection should be possible if the router is set to mixed mode, since the Wireless-N standard cooperates with some or all of the previous 802.11 a, 802.11 b standards and 802.11g).
If this does not resolve the issue, try the steps in the following sections or in the section Why can't I connect to the network?
I can't connect to the Internet via broadband connection
Why is my connection limited?
This means that the computer has successfully connected to the router, but the correct IP address has not been assigned, so you cannot access the Internet. This may also mean that the correct IP address has been assigned, but the computer is not connected to the Internet.
If you are connecting to your home network, try rebooting your router. If you are connecting to a domain network or a public network, contact support for that network.
Note Note: Computers running Windows RT 8.1 or Windows 8.1 cannot be joined to a domain. Joining a domain is only supported for computers running Windows 8.1 Pro or Windows 8.1 Enterprise.
I can't connect via remote access
- Make sure you select the correct number, including the required access numbers (for example, 9), and that the number is not busy.
- Make sure the telephone jack is working. To check this, connect your phone and make sure there is a dial tone.
- Make sure the telephone cable is connected to the line jack on the modem and not the phone jack.
- Make sure that the telephone cable is not damaged by connecting the telephone to the telephone jack on the modem. If the signal is heard, the telephone cable is working.
- If you are using the call waiting feature, try disabling it and then try connecting again.
- If you have not used the Websites for a long time, your Internet service provider may have interrupted your connection. Try connecting again.
- If someone picked up the phone during an online call, the connection could be automatically disconnected. Try connecting again.
- Most telephone modems only communicate with analog telephone lines. Make sure you are using an analog telephone line. If you have a digital phone line, make sure your computer has a digital modem.
- Make sure the modem is working properly. For getting additional information, refer to the modem documentation or visit the manufacturer's Web site.
- Contact your telephone company to check the quality of your telephone line.
- If your computer has two network connections, the network software, you must select the connection used for network traffic. The network software selects the best performing connection.
Transferring data without using cables literally not so long ago seemed like something out of science fiction, but today a wireless WiFi network at home, at work or in the nearest cafe no longer surprises anyone. But even with such a connection, some problems may occur. Connection error is a phenomenon that occurs quite often. Let's look at the most common problems and the simplest methods for eliminating them.
Wireless network connection: no connection. What is the reason?
As for the most common reasons, they can be divided into two main types: hardware problems (non-working hardware) and software errors.
In the first case, as is already clear, you need to carry out a full diagnosis of the equipment, and then make a decision on repairing or replacing it (this applies to network cards, routers, mobile devices, and external or internal Wi-Fi modules). In the second case, there are several situations where there is no wireless network connection (no connection). Among the main ones are the following:
- disabled module or ;
- incorrectly entered password;
- router problems;
- incorrect connection settings;
- missing, incorrectly installed or outdated network device drivers;
- lack of an established network;
- exposure to viruses.
Problems with viruses, for obvious reasons, will not be considered, since any user must take care of protecting their system on their own. We will partially touch on the absence of a network, if for some reason it was installed in the system, but then disappeared (this, unfortunately, also happens). Finally, we will not dwell on the fact that the user might have forgotten or entered incorrectly WiFi password-networks, and problems from providers. These situations are not so significant in our case.
Wireless network connection: no connection. What to do in the simplest case?
First, let's look at the simplest situation. Let's say that at some point the wireless network connection is lost. The reason may be a short-term software glitch. What do most users usually do in such cases? They simply reboot the system (after all, everything worked before).
If this does not help, and the time of signal loss is known at least approximately, one of the options for solving the problem that a connection error appears when trying to connect to an existing network can be to simply roll back the system to its previous state through the corresponding section of the “Control Panel”. But, as practice shows, the problem is usually much deeper.
Diagnostics of connection using the system
If for some reason the wireless network Wi-Fi connection disappears, you can find out the reason using Windows tools. If you call up the menu by right-clicking on the network icon in the system tray, you can use the troubleshooting tool in it.
The system will independently carry out the analysis and then produce the appropriate result. Please note: this tool does not fix anything, but only helps determine the essence of the problem.
Checking Wi-Fi module activity
Many experts cite user inattention or negligence as one of the most common reasons for lack of communication.
For the most part, this applies to owners of laptops that do not have a special switch to activate the built-in Wi-Fi module, and turn it on or off by using a combination of a key with a special Fn button. It is clear that even when typing using the so-called hot keys, it was possible to easily and completely accidentally turn off the adapter. Therefore, first you need to make sure that it is in active mode.
Resetting your router
Sometimes the reason that there is no wireless network connection (no connection) can be a short-term malfunction of the router. This situation is most often observed with inexpensive routers of the TP-Link series.
And in this case, it is recommended to use the simplest reset method. You can do two things: either completely turn off the power for about 10 seconds, or press the special reset button on back side device and hold it for 30 seconds.
Identifying Network Settings
Now, if it is not detected, let's look at the basic network settings. To view them, you should enter the network and sharing management section from the “Control Panel” or from the click menu on the network connection icon and use the section for changing parameters
Here you need to find the TCP/IPv4 protocol (if IPv6 is not used) and click the properties button. As a rule, most providers provide services for automatically determining parameters, which should be recorded in the settings. It is worth paying attention to the fact that the use of a proxy server for local addresses must be deactivated (unless otherwise provided). Otherwise, you just need to enter all the parameter values in accordance with the settings provided by the provider when connecting.
Correcting connection parameters on the router
If after this the connection problem remains, it may be due to the settings of the router itself.
Just in case, it’s worth entering the router’s settings menu through any web browser by entering the appropriate address (192.168.0.1 or 1.1), and then in the wireless connection section (usually Wireless) make sure that it is active (Enabled).
Troubleshooting driver problems
Another network problem may be that the network card drivers are missing, incorrectly installed, or outdated in the system. You can make sure that the device is not working in the “Device Manager”, which can be called either from the “Control Panel”, or from the computer administration section, or from the “Run” menu using the devmgmt.msc command.
A non-working device will be marked with a yellow marker. This is a direct indication that something is wrong with the driver. But it also happens that it is not displayed among problem devices. This is only due to the fact that the system installs the most suitable driver for it, considering it optimal.
In any case, it will have to be reinstalled or updated. This can be done directly from several menus. It is recommended to first completely remove the old driver, and only then install a new one, but not to choose from what the system offers, but to find the latest software for this device on the Internet in advance.
To avoid doing such things, it is better to install a program like Driver Booster, which will find and install the latest drivers for absolutely all devices. It is clear that to do this, you will have to go with your laptop to the same cafe where there is a connection, and there use the WiFi password to enter the network (after all, there is no connection at home). The update process will take a maximum of 10-15 minutes, after which a reboot will follow.
Reset settings from the command line
If the network is still detected, you can still try the following steps. We call the command line with administrator rights (cmd in the “Run” console), after which we enter the command proxycfg -d, and after pressing the enter key, two more - net stop wuauserv and net start wuauserv (after each - also “Enter”). These simple steps can also help.
If the network is not detected at all...
Finally, the last problem, when it is absent It is quite possible that due to some reasons, including the impact of viruses, the previously created network was simply deleted.
In this case, you need to go to the section for managing shared networks and make sure that the wireless network appears in the list of available connections. If there is none, you will have to create it again by selecting the appropriate item. It will take a minimum of time.
If there is a network, but all the above methods for fixing the problem do not help, you can simply try to delete it entirely, then create it again and make the appropriate TCP/IP protocol settings.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it remains to add that these are only the main, most common problems and methods for solving them, which any user can use to resolve failures. Various types of commands that allow for complete testing of IP connections or assigned MAC addresses, pinging, etc., were not specifically considered here, since they may seem quite complicated for ordinary users to understand. In other cases, even the simplest remedies will help. However, this in no way applies to cases where the equipment fails. No software methods will help here, no matter how hard you try.
Have you ever seen a situation where your laptop does not connect to the Wi-Fi network? Then you have come to the right address. The purpose of the article is to understand the most common connection errors, identify the malfunction and correctly reconfigure the equipment.
Most often, the problem is faced by users who have reinstalled the system, updated drivers and software, or installed third-party applications such as a firewall, antivirus, and something like “Anti-malware” (a utility for cleaning a PC from spyware). Yes, there are other situations, but first things first.
We want to analyze the following situations:
- no connection (red cross on the wireless network icon);
- the laptop does not see a specific network;
- the network is visible, but connection is limited or impossible;
- The connection is successful, but the sites do not load.
Turn on the Wi-Fi module
If you think that the wireless network is turned on by default, then you are mistaken. Some manufacturers, in order to reduce power consumption, programmatically turn off the function. Let's say right away that further actions will only be successful on a “clean” system that was originally installed by the manufacturer. Those. all drivers, programs and utilities operate as normal and have not been modified to similar products with the same functionality.
Let's start with the basics - a hardware switch (which is now only found on older models) and a keyboard shortcut.
In the first case, we look for a special lever on the ends of the case or side walls, next to which there is a “Wi-Fi” icon (antenna with schematic waves). Switch to the active position and the problem is solved.
On modern models there is a separate button on the keyboard (usually an additional one), or activation occurs with a key combination Fn And F1-F12(look for the one with an antenna or an airplane on it). Press both and watch what is happening in the lower right corner of the monitor. 
It's not so simple with function keys. All programs and components from the manufacturer must be installed on the system, otherwise the button simply will not work. Driver packs and unofficial builds like Zver and Ovgorsky will not help.
You can try the following. Go to the official website of the laptop manufacturer and download the necessary components with the following name:
- Lenovo – Energy Management;
- ASUS – ATKACPI driver and hotkey-related utilities;
- HP - HP UEFI Support Environment, HP Software Framework.
There are also special forums where you can clarify the necessary software.
Launching a wireless network on different versions of Windows
If the laptop does not connect to Wi-Fi, then the module may be disabled by software. For Windows 7,8 and 10, the inclusion algorithm is different, so we will consider all options.
Windows 7
In this OS you need to go to the “Network Control Center...”. Right-click on the network icon and select the desired menu item. 
The second way is to press the combination Win+R on the keyboard and enter the command “ ncpa.cpl" This method is even simpler. 
Here we need the wireless network icon. He must be gray(inactive). Right-click on it and select the “Enable” command. 
By the way, the icon may not appear. In this case, you need to reinstall the driver, but more on that below.
Windows 8
“Eight”, although not a bad OS, has its own shortcomings. It's difficult to adapt after Win7. To activate Wi-Fi, you need to go to the settings and make sure that the network is really turned on. 
Windows 10
There should be no problems with the latest OS from Microsoft. To begin, click on the network connection icon (as in Win7) in the lower right corner of the monitor. Then make sure that “Wi-Fi” is activated, but “Airplane” mode is not. 
The second option is through the parameters, which is more typical for Win8. Go to “Settings”, then “Network and Internet”, and then “Wi-Fi”. 
Additionally, if the standard options do not help, read the official instructions on the Microsoft website.
For all versions
The options described above are not a panacea. Additionally, try running proprietary utilities from the laptop manufacturer, which should be included. In the vast majority of cases, you can find “Wi-Fi” or “Wireless” in the name. The interface will allow you to quickly switch the adapter to the active position. The program is located in the "Start - All Programs" path.
And a little more about drivers. If Windows has just been installed, and all drivers were installed automatically or in a “driver pack” from a disk/flash drive, then additionally take a look at the official website of the laptop and download the necessary components. In 90% of cases this will solve the problem.
Wi-Fi is on, but I can't see the network
The first problem was sorted out, but it turned into another: you cannot connect to your home network - it is not visible. The lion's share similar cases– there are no necessary drivers. The system is new, the viruses worked, the children played pranks and accidentally deleted it - it doesn’t matter. The problem needs to be solved. There are 4 approximate scenarios:
- after installing the system, everything “tightened up” automatically;
- you install individual components that are not immediately identified;
- use of driver packs;
- something was undecided, and you did not attach importance to it.
In all cases, Wi-Fi may not work, although the manager says “the device is working normally.” In the latter, the system may not even know about the device, although it physically exists and works correctly. In all cases, only the official website of the manufacturer can save you. Look for your laptop model and download for the desired OS.
To find out the current version of the “firewood”, press the Win+R combination and enter the command “ devmgmt.msc» 
You will be taken to Device Manager. Here we look for the “network adapters” subgroup, open it and look at devices that have “Wi-Fi” or “Wireless” in their names. Right-click on the item and open Properties. 
In this section we look for the “Driver” tab. Please note Special attention to the highlighted lines in the screenshot. 
If the supplier is Microsoft (and not Intel, as in in this case) and the update date is very different from the current one - go to the official website for new ones.
It's funny, but in Windows 10 the situation may be the opposite: fresh “firewood” is deliberately replaced by the system with obviously more outdated ones. In this case, it is worth “rolling back” the version to the previous one, and then prohibiting all updates.
Finally, you may have to re-enable the wireless module.
Additional reasons and their solutions
The situation can be resolved in more unconventional ways. The most common case is a change in network settings, or the inability to choose a certain standard and Wi-Fi channel. Try this:
- change the channel on the router, selecting a specific one, not “auto”;
- adjust the frequency and network type according to the router specifications;
- make sure that the password does not contain Cyrillic;
- try changing the region to USA.
The laptop is connected, but the sites still do not open
If you have connected everything that is required, checked the connection, but the pages do not load, then there is a problem with the router settings. To get started, you should do the following:
- see if the Internet works on the PC (if available);
- connect your smartphone/tablet/console/TV and other devices with wireless access.
Below is a more detailed picture. It is quite possible that the router settings have been reset to factory settings, so you will have to manually (if there is no disk with the provider settings) return the required configuration. I would like to say right away that you should look for information exclusively from the provider, who will describe the procedure in detail and step by step, based on your specific router model.
But if only Internet pages do not open, but Skype and some other programs work properly, then we dig deeper:
- look at the register;
- getting rid of viruses;
- we clean the static routes of the router;
- check the “Hosts” file.
Registry
Press the familiar Win+R combination and enter the command “ regedit" And then we follow this section.
We are looking for a file called " AppInit_DLLs" Its value must be zero (empty column). If there is any value, right-click and reset it to zero. Next, go to the root directory and do the same steps along the path below.
Reboot and see the result.
Viruses
Everything is simple here. Install a good antivirus and additionally “trailer” Dr.Web CureIt latest version. We check and try to find something. Does not work? Then try Anti-Malware from Malwarebytes. It has a slightly different algorithm for searching for modified files and false paths routing, but there is an effect, and quite noticeable.
Cleaning routes
To update the static routes of the router, you should call the command “ CMD"via Win+R. A command prompt will open. Here you should write the value “ route -f"(the space before "-f" is required). Press Enter and reboot the router. 
If you previously prescribed something manually, you will have to repeat the operation again.
Hosts
Another “root of evil” in the system, which is poorly monitored by users, installing various software, not paying attention to additional checkboxes and ticks. It can be treated simply. We follow the following path on our laptop.
Open the document " hosts"(using notepad) and scroll down the document. It should end with lines like this. 
We don’t need everything that is written below, unless you first manually entered the addresses of gateways and servers for specific tasks, or installed “broken” software (which is very bad). Clear, save and reboot.
Results
Yes, there are many more ways to revive Wi-Fi and make it work, but we have looked at those that a beginner who has not previously encountered the downside of their system can handle. Why call a specialist if you can do everything yourself in a few clicks. Be careful.