Top 10 Wi-Fi connectivity issues in Windows 10 and their solutions

It's really frustrating if Windows 10 Wi-Fi doesn't work.

The use of modern computers is largely due to being able to connect to the Internet, so if you can't connect to the Internet, you'll quickly lose productivity.

Here are the top 10 Wi-Fi problems you often encounter when using Windows 10 and how to solve them.

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1. Wi-Fi is connected but I can't connect to the internet

Sometimes Windows indicates that you have a secure connection to the Internet, but you cannot access the web.

This issue is usually caused by a problem with the TCP / IP stack, IP address, or DNS client resolver cache.

First, let's run the network troubleshooting tool provided by Windows.

Go to "Settings"-> "Update and Security"-> "Troubleshooting"-> "Internet Connection" to reach network troubleshooting.

If that doesn't work, open a "command prompt" and enter the following command. Press the "Enter" key after entering each command.

If that doesn't work, check out this past article.

2. Can't connect to Wi-Fi

If you see the message "Windows 10 cannot connect to this network" while trying to establish a network connection, there may be a problem with your network adapter.

The best solution is to uninstall the network adapter driver so that Windows can automatically reinstall it.

The procedure for that process is as follows:

1. Press "Windows key + X" and click "Device Manager"
2. Right-click on the network adapter and select "Uninstall"
3. Click "Remove driver software for this device" when prompted
4. Windows will automatically reinstall the driver when you restart the device

3. Wi-Fi does not have a valid IP configuration

If you see the message "No valid IP configuration for Wi-Fi", first try entering the four network commands mentioned above.

If that doesn't work and Wi-Fi still doesn't work on Windows 10, here are two steps to take.

Change network name and password

Some users have reported that simply changing the network name and password solved the problem.

The exact procedure depends on the router, but the general procedure is as follows:

1. Connect to the router using an Ethernet cable
2. Enter the router's IP address in your browser
3. Log in to the device portal and show the correct field

Be sure to use the appropriate type of Wi-Fi security when changing this information.

Set the channel band of the Wi-Fi network

To briefly explain the technical story, routers use different channels (the range of frequencies required to send and receive data) when sending signals and data over a network.

If there are too many routers that use the same channel nearby, the signal may be disturbed.

In that case, log in to your router's portal and find your channel settings. If possible, set it to "Automatic".

If you don't have automatic settings, try a few channels to see if the problem goes away.

4. I don't know the Wi-Fi password

Whenever you buy a new router (or your ISP issues a new one), be sure to change the default name and password on your network. This is important from a security standpoint.

But what if I forget the password I set?

You can reset the router, but there is a slightly easier solution. It is to find the Wi-Fi password stored in Windows 10.

The procedure is as follows.

1. Right-click on the "Network" icon on the taskbar
2. Select "Open Network and Internet Settings"
3. In a new window, click Change Adapter Options
4. Right-click on the Wi-Fi connection and select "Status"
5. Click "Wireless Properties"
6. Click the Security tab
7. Check "Display password characters"

5. There is a problem with the Wi-Fi driver

The instructions on how to remove and reinstall the Wi-Fi driver are mentioned above, but if you have problems with the Wi-Fi driver in Windows 10, you may try other things.

It is to update the Windows 10 driver or revert to the previous version.

Follow the steps below to update the Wi-Fi driver.

1. Right-click on "Start Menu"
2. Click "Device Manager"
3. Select "Network Adapter" from the drop-down menu
4. Right-click on the adapter you want to update and select Properties
5. Click the "Driver" tab
6. Select "Update Driver" or "Undo Driver"

If Windows cannot automatically find the updated driver, you can find it on the manufacturer's site.

6. Wi-Fi network not found

If your device running Windows can't find your Wi-Fi network, first check out some basic solutions.

If both answers are "YES", then try updating or reinstalling the network adapter driver.

The procedure is as described above.

Finally, try changing the area of ​​the Wi-Fi adapter by following the steps below.

1. Press "Windows key + R"
2. Type "devmgmt.msc" and press "Enter"
3. Expand the Network Adapters tab
4. Right-click on the name of your network adapter
5. Select "Properties"
6. Click the "Details" tab
7. Highlight "Countries and Regions"
8. Enter according to your location

Note: Not all network adapters have access to the Country & Region properties.

7. I want to delete a Wi-Fi network that I no longer use

When you renew your router or dispose of an old network that you used to connect to but aren't using now, you need to remove the Wi-Fi network that you no longer use from your device.

Here are the steps to remove a Wi-Fi network that you no longer use in Windows 10.

1. Open the "Start Menu" and click "Settings"
2. Click "Network and Internet"
3. Select "Wi-Fi" from the menu on the left side of the screen
4. Click "Manage Known Networks"
5. Highlight the network name you want to delete
6. Click "Delete"

8. Windows 10 keeps interrupting Wi-Fi connection

If Windows 10 repeatedly interrupts your Wi-Fi connection without warning (and you are certain that your router is okay), it may be due to the power management settings of your network adapter.

If you have given Windows permission to turn off the adapter to save power, you will need to revoke that permission. To do this, you need to return to Device Manager again.

1. Right-click on the Start Menu and select Device Manager
2. Expand the list of "Network Adapters"
3. Right click on your network adapter
4. Select "Properties"
5. Click the "Power Management" tab
6. Uncheck "Allow the computer to turn off this device"

9. Firewall interferes with network connection

Windows has a firewall app. To protect users from malicious content, we allow or block traffic.

However, it can block access to the web throughout your computer.

Of course, this is not the default behavior. You may have accidentally changed the settings without your knowledge, or the malicious app may have overwritten existing rules.

Thankfully, whatever the cause, this is easy to fix.

The following steps are valid for both Windows-provided firewall apps and running third-party firewall apps.

1. Open the Start Menu and type Command Prompt
2. Right-click on the link and select "Run as administrator"
3. Type "netsh advfirewall set allprofiles state off" and press Enter
4. Test if your internet access is working

To turn the firewall back on, return to the command prompt and type netsh advfirewall set allprofiles state on.

10. Antivirus is blocking network connection

Like firewalls, antivirus can also cause connectivity issues.

You can see the antivirus apps installed on your device by visiting the Windows Defender Security Center under All Apps in the Start menu.

Once you've opened the app, expand the left panel and click Virus and Threat Prevention to see which apps are active and provide shortcuts to the app's interface.

Go to the interface of the running app and temporarily disable the service.

If you still have problems with your Windows 10 Wi-Fi connection

In this article, we've covered the top 10 most common Wi-Fi problems in Windows 10 and solutions that are worth trying.

Of course, there will be many issues not covered here.

If you want to know more about Wi-Fi issues, check out our past articles on how to fix Android Wi-Fi authentication errors and why your home network is slowing down.

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Original Article: Got a Windows 10 Wi-Fi Problem? Here's How to Fix It by MakeUseOf