Wi-Fi Working on Other Devices but Not Working on Phone

Having trouble with your phone’s Wi-Fi while other devices work fine can be annoying. Sometimes, the Wi-Fi won’t connect to the router; other times, it connects, but you can’t access the internet. It’s just frustrating!

I tried to look at the problem and come up with quick fixes that should help solve it.

Here are a few reasons and fixes why your Wi-Fi works on other devices but not on your phone,

Before you try troubleshooting, you must restart your phone, forget the network fill in the password and then try connecting it to the wifi device. Also, connect your phone to another Wi-Fi device to rule out whether the problem lies within the phone or mobile.

1. Wi-Fi Turned Off

The first thing to check when facing connectivity issues on your phone is whether the Wi-Fi feature is enabled. All phones have a Wi-Fi on/off switch or an icon in the notification panel to control the wireless connection.

Sometimes accidentally pressing the button twice disables the Wi-FI, and you think you have enabled it.

Therefore, Ensure the Wi-Fi is turned on and actively searching for available networks.

2. Device Blocked

Routers have features that allow the network administrator to block specific devices from connecting to the Wi-Fi.

If your phone’s MAC address (a unique identifier for network devices) has been blocked on the router, you won’t be able to connect. You can check with the network administrator or router settings to see if this is true.

If you have accidentally blocked your device, you can unblock yourself by watching this video,

3. Too Many Devices Connected

Wi-Fi routers usually have a built-in limit on the number of devices that can simultaneously connect to them.

New connections might be blocked if the number of connected devices exceeds the router’s capacity. Try disconnecting some devices or increasing the Wi-Fi device limit on your router; follow these steps:

1. Access router settings by typing its IP address (e.g., 192.168.0.1) in your web browser.
2. Log in using the default username and password (found in the router’s manual or online).
3. Go to “Wireless” or “Wi-Fi” settings.
4. Look for options related to “Connected Devices” or “Device Limit.”
5. Increase the limit, either by entering a number or using a slider.
6. Save the changes and let the router restart.
7. Confirm the device limit has been increased in the wireless settings.

4. Airplane Mode Enabled:

Airplane mode disables all wireless connections on your phone, including Wi-Fi. Ensure that airplane mode is turned off to enable Wi-Fi connectivity.

5. Password Change

If you change the Wi-Fi password, your phone won’t be able to connect anymore until you enter the new correct password.

Even if your phone used to connect before the password changed, it will keep trying to connect but fail every time.

To fix this, you need to do three things: First, forget the Wi-Fi network from your phone. Then, type in the new password. And lastly, connect your phone to the Wi-Fi network again. That should do the trick!

6. Old Wi-Fi Hardware

Their internal chipsets also improve as mobile phones evolve and become more advanced. Therefore, older phones often have outdated Wi-Fi hardware, such as Wi-Fi 3 or 4, which may not be compatible with the modern standards used by newer routers.

Due to this incompatibility, older phones may face difficulty establishing stable Wi-Fi connections.

Upgrade your phone to a newer model with more up-to-date Wi-Fi technology to address this issue.

Alternatively, if you prefer to keep your older phone, consider using a router that supports older Wi-Fi standards to ensure better compatibility and a more stable connection.

7. Router Settings Changed/Disturbed:

Sometimes, changes made to the router settings, either intentionally or accidentally, can affect Wi-Fi connectivity. Resetting and reconfiguring the router to its default settings can help resolve any misconfiguration.

Resetting a router can be done in two ways Soft reset and Hard reset.

Soft Reset (Reboot):

1. Access the router’s administrative interface through a web browser using its IP address (e.g., 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1).
2. Log in using the router’s username and password.
3. Find the reboot or restart option under “System,” “Maintenance,” or “Administration.”
4. Click on the option, and the router will restart shortly.
5. A soft reset only restarts the router, preserving your settings.

Hard Reset (Factory Reset):

1. Locate the reset button on the router’s back or bottom (usually a small pinhole button)
2. Press and hold the reset button for 10-15 seconds using a paperclip or thin object.
3. Release the reset button, and the router will reset to its factory defaults.
4. After a hard reset, you must reconfigure the router’s settings, including Wi-Fi setup and other custom configurations.

Choose the appropriate method based on your needs: soft reset to quickly restart the router or hard reset to reset all settings to default.

8. Firmware Update:

If the router is undergoing a firmware update, it might temporarily disrupt Wi-Fi connectivity. Such updates typically take a few minutes, and Wi-Fi services should resume once the update is finished.