Solving WiFi Connection Failure Problem in Android for Better Internet

Imagine that you return home after a long day’s work. You turn on Wi-Fi in your phone and nothing happens. Turning it off and on again and again yields no results. This is irritating but these kinds of Wi-Fi connection failure issues are something that every Android user faces.

There are various Wi-Fi connection problems in Android. Some of these problems can be fixed by turning off Wi-Fi and then turning it on in few minutes. But not every issue gets fixed with that ease. Hence, let us have a look at the common Wi-Fi issues that you often see in Android with the remedies to fix them.

1. Android not detecting the Wi-Fi Network despite modem being on

   There can be various reasons ranging from bug to some problem in modem or main server.
   If the problem is with the server of your service provider, nothing can be done. However, a list of possible problems and their solution is as follows:

   1. Difference in Wi-Fi Frequency Band:
      Wi-Fi comes in different frequency bands, depending on the device being used on Wi-Fi. There are different Wi-Fi standards namely 802.11a/b/g (using a frequency band of 2.4 GHz), 802.11n and 802.11ac (both using a frequency band of 5 GHz). If your device is packed with a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi Chip, it would not be able to detect a Wi-Fi Network that uses 5 GHz Frequency Band.
   2. Hidden Network:
      For extra security, some Wireless networks keep their Service Set Identifier (SSID) hidden. Here, the user is required to know the SSID and Password to access the network. While using such network, user never gets to see the name of the network while the device is scanning the available Wi-Fi networks.
   3. Ad-Hoc Network Connection:
      Wireless routers are not used to set up Ad-Hoc Wi-Fi networks. Such a connection in Windows PC can be set up via inbuilt Wi-Fi Chip. Hence, Android does not support such ad-hoc networks.

      To overcome this issue, there are two options. First, either the user should get a real router for creating the Wi-Fi network. And second, the user can enable ad-hoc network support on Android device. This can be done by rooting the phone to deal with wpa_supplicant file. The second option is not advisable as it does not guarantee if it changes some other settings on phone during setup.

2. Slow Wi-Fi Connection

   In a country like India, slow Wi-Fi is seen as a way of life while high-speed Wi-Fi is a luxury. Be it home or public hotspots, many times Wi-Fi disconnects on its own and annoys users to the core. Let us have a look at scenarios concerning slow Wi-Fi:

   1. Poor range:
      If a Wi-Fi router has older standards, the connection speed would depend on range. In simple words, if you use such router, the speed your Android phone experiences will be proportional to the direct visual contact between it (phone) and router. To sort this issue, phone should be as close to the router as possible.
      An Android app called Wi-Fi Solver can identify all Wi-Fi dead spots at home and recommend you spots where keeping your router would help you to get Wi-Fi signal everywhere in the house.
   2. Mass usage by various devices:
      There can be various smartphones, tablets, smart fridges or any kinds of IoT-based appliances in a house. Without the user knowing, they might be connected to the Wi-Fi network and using Wi-Fi for various programs running in the background. This slows down the connection speed. Shutting off the internet in these devices can improve the speed on your phone.

3. Fragile Wi-Fi Connection

   Wi-Fi can get disconnected frequently, all the time. These can be possible reasons:

   1. Wi-Fi Sleep Policy:
      In Android phones, there is a section called Wi-Fi Sleep Policy. Here settings determine the Wi-Fi connection when Android smartphone is in sleep mode. If the setting has been enabled, Wi-Fi Disconnecting issues can occur. User needs to disable this setting to keep uninterrupted Wi-Fi signal.
      This can be done by opening Wireless Networks and visiting the Advanced Section. There, it is possible to find an entry named Keep Wi-Fi On During Sleep. User needs to select “Always” option in that section. Then sleep mode of the phone would not disconnect Wi-Fi.
      In the newer version of Android, this option can be found in Wi-Fi > Settings.
   2. Router issues:
      As mentioned earlier, old router needs close range. Rebooting the modem and smartphone can be a remedy if taking smartphone close to the router does not yield results.

4. Obtaining IP Address Infinite Loop issues

   There is no confirmed reason regarding why this issue occurs in Android devices. Android apps like Wi-Fi Fixer can help users to fix the Obtaining IP Address infinite loop issue.
   Lastly, Wi-Fi related problems in the Android phone can also occur from issues surrounding Internet Service Provider (IPS) or Domain Name System (DNS).
   Choose the smartphone that you want to use with Wi-Fi. Share your Wi-Fi issues with us in comments and tell us how you resolve them.