Why does Wi-Fi turn off? Unstable Internet operation over Wi-Fi: some tips to solve the problem.

Wireless technologies, including WI-FI, have long and deeply entered our lives. It is difficult to imagine a modern home in which people do not use several mobile devices connected to one access point. In this state of affairs, situations often arise when Wi-Fi turns off “in the most interesting place,” which causes a certain discomfort. The information presented in this article will help solve this problem.

The wireless connection can drop for a variety of reasons and under different conditions. Most often, Wi-Fi disappears when the laptop wakes from sleep mode. There are situations where communication is interrupted during work, and, in most cases, a reboot of the laptop or router is required to restore the connection.

There are several reasons why such failures occur:

Obstacles in the signal path or significant distance from the access point.
Possible interference in the router channel that includes the home wireless network.
Incorrect power plan settings (in the case of sleep mode).
Problems with the WI-FI router.

Reason 1: Remote access point and obstacles

It was not in vain that we started with this reason, since it is precisely this that often leads to the device being disconnected from the network. Walls, especially solid ones, act as obstacles in an apartment. If only two divisions (or even one) are displayed on the signal scale, this is our case. Under such conditions, temporary disconnects may occur with all the consequences - download interruptions, video stops, and others. The same behavior can be observed when moving a long distance from the router.

In this situation, you can do the following:

If possible, switch the network to 802.11n in the router settings. This will increase the coverage range as well as the data transfer speed. The problem is that not all devices can operate in this mode.
Purchase a device that can function as a repeater (repeater or simply “extender” of a WI-FI signal) and place it in an area of poor coverage.
Move closer to the router or replace it with a more powerful model.

Reason 2: Interference

Interference on the channel may be caused by neighboring wireless networks and some electrical appliances. If the signal from the router is unstable, they often lead to connection interruptions. There are two possible solutions:

Reason 3: Energy Saving Settings

If you have a powerful router, all the settings are made correctly, the signal is stable, but the laptop loses the network when exiting sleep mode, then the problem lies in the Windows power plan settings. The system simply turns off the adapter during sleep and forgets to turn it back on. To eliminate this problem, you need to perform a number of actions.

Let's go to "Control Panel". This can be done by calling the menu "Run" keyboard shortcut Win+R and entering the command
Next, we set the elements to be displayed in the form of small icons and select the appropriate applet.
Then follow the link "Setting up a power plan" opposite the activated mode.
Here we need a link with a name "Change advanced power settings".
In the window that opens, open one by one "Wireless adapter settings" And "Power Saving Mode". Select a value from the drop-down list "Maximum performance".
Additionally, you need to completely prohibit the system from turning off the adapter in order to avoid additional problems. This is done in "Device Manager".
Select our device in the branch "Network adapters" and move on to its properties.
Next, on the power management tab, uncheck the box next to the item that allows you to turn off the device to save energy, and click OK.
After the manipulations have been completed, the laptop should be rebooted.

These settings allow you to keep the wireless adapter always on. Don't worry, it consumes very little electricity.

Reason 4: Problems with the router

Such problems are quite easy to identify: communication is lost on all devices at once and only rebooting the router helps. This occurs due to exceeding the maximum load on it. There are two options: either reduce the load or purchase a more powerful device.

The same symptoms can be observed in cases where the provider forcibly resets the connection when there is increased load on the network, especially if 3G or 4G (mobile Internet) is used. It’s difficult to advise anything here, other than to minimize the operation of torrents, since they are the ones that create the maximum traffic.

Conclusion

As you can see, problems with turning off WI-FI on a laptop are not serious. All you need to do is make the necessary settings. If your network has a lot of traffic consumers, or a large number of premises, you need to think about buying a repeater or a more powerful router.

Now I want to talk about a situation where it is constant, or not very, but periodically. The situation, of course, is unpleasant; you constantly have to take some action, such as restarting the computer, etc. In this post I am now I’ll try to outline the main causes of problems and methods by which they can be eliminated or at least minimized :)

Laptops and WiFi.

The most common cause of WiFi connection disconnection, especially on laptops, is outdated drivers, or even completely unsuitable ones. This is especially common on new laptops that have a new operating system such as Windows 7 installed, and Drivers go to either Vista or XP. At first, the user does not pay attention to this, they say, it’s installed and okay, but Then it bites my elbows - WiFi constantly falls off.

The solution to this problem is to go to the website of the laptop manufacturer and download the latest driver versions. After this, they need to be installed accordingly. If the laptop manufacturer has not released the latest versions of drivers (although this is unlikely, it still happens), then you can go to the website of the WiFi adapter manufacturer.

Problems with access points.

Quite often, it’s not even the drivers that are to blame for WiFi failure, but the equipment you use. Do some magic with your access point- carefully inspect it, check the power supply, measure the output and input voltages - perhaps the problem is in the power adapter, look around the access point to see if there is any screen that can jam the signal.

If the situation does not change, and even a few meters from the WiFi access point it still periodically or constantly falls off, borrow a friend's laptop or netbook and try using it. If the problem persists, then the problem is clearly in the wireless access point. Try it if other measures don't help, you need to change the firmware to a more recent one.

Another possible cause is a weak signal. An external antenna will help here.

Some more tips to fix the problem.

If possible, place the access point higher, for example on a closet. This will have a very good effect on the quality of the signal.

You can enable an older WiFi standard. Sometimes this measure helps, and quite significantly.

Another recipe for fixing the problem is to switch to another channel. On many routers (almost all) it is set to Auto, but you can select a forced value from 1 to 14.

In addition to changing the channel, you can try to switch to another frequency itself, for example, the 802.11a standard.

The last resort is to try disabling encryption of transmitted data. This is done in the connection settings. But in this case it’s better not to even think about safety... The way of the lamer in a word.

Other causes of the problem.

Another problem with wireless radio communications, including WiFi, is extraneous sources of interference. This may include household appliances and equipment(such as refrigerators, electric shavers, TVs, radios, stereos, etc. Try turning them off and checking the quality of the signal and operation, then turn them back on, if the problem first went away and then reappeared, it means there is a problem with the devices. The solution here is this: either move the devices that create interference., either a router, or a laptop (well, or a computer).

Conclusion.

Don’t forget to also use popular search engines, because It is quite possible that someone has already encountered the same problem, like you, that is, when, and somehow solved it successfully. Good luck, and hopefully there will be fewer problems!

Let's consider today the problem when the Wi-Fi network is unstable, and when the connection to the Wi-Fi network is periodically interrupted, or the Internet connection is lost. It seems to me that this is even worse than when the Internet does not work at all. Because the problem is not clear, everything seems to work, but not as it should, the signal disappears, devices turn off, and other incomprehensible moments. It’s just that when something doesn’t work, it’s at least clear where to look for a solution, but in such a situation nothing is clear at all.

What causes an unstable Wi-Fi connection:

Periodic disconnections of devices from the Wi-Fi network. Or the Internet simply breaks for a while (), and everything starts working again. A very popular problem that causes a lot of inconvenience. For example, a laptop is connected to a Wi-Fi network, and the Internet is working. But periodically a yellow exclamation mark appears next to the connection icon, and the Internet disappears. Loading files gets stuck, etc. And, as a rule, the connection is restored after a while.
Devices do not connect to the Wi-Fi network the first time, or do not see the Wi-Fi network.
The Wi-Fi network completely disappears and appears.
Very low internet speed over wireless network (everything is fine via cable).
When the Wi-Fi connection only works close to the router.
The wireless network signal level is constantly changing.

This, of course, is not the entire list of problems that are associated with unstable operation of wireless networks. There may be many more. Very often, Wi-Fi works fine for a while, and then problems begin and go away again. You may also notice the appearance of problems, for example in the evenings, or at other times of the day.

If you have something similar, and you seem to have an Internet connection, but you can’t always use it ( use without any problems), then now we will try to fix everything.

Changing the wireless network channel when Wi-Fi is unstable

This is the first and most important tip that you should definitely try. We know that every Wi-Fi network operates on some channel. If there are many of these networks, then they begin to interfere with each other, and interference appears. As a result, Wi-Fi is unstable. Well, and various incomprehensible problems that I wrote about above, and which you have most likely already encountered.

You need to change the Wi-Fi network channel in the router settings. I wrote in detail about channels, about finding a free one and about changing on different models of routers in a separate instruction:

You can try setting some kind of static channel (if you have Auto), or vice versa, set Auto if a static channel was selected. In the article linked above, I wrote about finding the freest channel using the inSSIDer program. You can use it.

You just need to go to the router settings, go to the tab where you configure the wireless network, and in the Channel item change the channel. This is what it looks like on Tp-Link routers:

And on Asus routers:

After each channel change, do not forget save the settings and reboot the router. Be sure to try several options. It should help.

As for interference, household appliances can create it. Do not place the router near microwave ovens, cordless phones, etc.

The Internet is cut off via Wi-Fi: router firmware, and other tips

Almost always, such problems in the wireless network occur due to the router. Not rarely, this is due to the firmware. Therefore, I strongly recommend updating the firmware of your router. We have instructions on our website for all popular manufacturers. Here's an example:

It is also possible that the wireless network may be unstable due to some technical problems with the router. Something with the board itself, or the power adapter. By the way, it is power adapters that very often cause such problems. The router simply does not receive the necessary power and there are connection breaks, etc. Well, strong changes in the power supply can affect the operation of the router. If the Internet goes out after you put some kind of load on the router (online videos, games, torrents, connecting new devices, etc.), then this is usually due to an inexpensive (not powerful) router.

Need to eliminate problems on the ISP side. It may well be that the connection is broken on its end, and the router has nothing to do with it. It’s very easy to check, just connect the Internet directly to your computer and check its operation.

For many people, the connection breaks down in rooms where the Wi-Fi network signal is very poor. When, for example, only one division of the network signal remains on the device.

In such a situation, you need to increase the range of your Wi-Fi network. We have an article on this topic:. Or, install . After this, problems with Internet interruptions should disappear.

And if your devices at home find a lot of available networks that operate at a frequency of 2.4 GHz (as is most likely your network), and changing the channel, and even changing the router does not produce results, and the Wi-Fi network is very unstable, then this problem can be solved by purchasing a router that supports operation at a frequency of 5 GHz. This frequency is practically free. I just know a case where there were a lot of wireless networks in the house, and Wi-Fi was simply impossible to use until they switched to the 5 GHz frequency.

If the Internet disappears on only one laptop

And of course, it’s not uncommon for all devices to connect and work with a wireless network without any problems or connection breaks, but one device keeps disconnecting, losing connection, etc. It’s not hard to guess that most often this device is called a laptop and runs on Windows.

In such cases, it is imperative to update the wireless adapter driver. I wrote how to do this. It is possible that the problem may be in the hardware. And it appears very often after disassembling the laptop (cleaning dust). Why is that? During assembly, the antenna that is built into the laptop often suffers. These are the problems with working with Wi-Fi networks. Very often, after this the Internet only works near the router itself.

Update: changing Wi-Fi network properties

Open Network and Sharing Center and click on your Wi-Fi network. In the new window, click on the “Wireless Network Properties” button and check the box next to “Connect even if the network does not broadcast its name (SSID).” Click Ok.

If it doesn’t help, and Wi-Fi continues to fail, then in the same window, on the “Security” tab, you can click on the “Advanced settings” button and check the box next to “Enable compatibility mode for this network with the Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) )".

You can restart your computer. Thanks to Alexander for this advice. He suggested it in the comments to this article.

These are the tips: if you have interesting information on this topic, personal experience, then write in the comments. You can ask questions there, I will definitely answer!

In this article, I will try to answer a very popular question, which in most cases is difficult to even explain. People often write to me in the comments about some problem with Wi-Fi, I read the question several times, but I can’t understand anything. And to answer the question, I answer with several questions :) in order to understand what the problem is and clarify the necessary information. Let's talk today about the unstable operation of the Internet when connected via Wi-Fi.

Let's try to figure out what exactly this connection instability is, what the problem might be, and what can be done to solve problems with the wireless network.

There are times when the Internet does not work as it should. For example, you connected the Internet to your computer via a network cable. We bought and installed a wireless router, and began connecting to the Internet via Wi-Fi. And they began to notice that the Internet was somehow not working right, it was constantly cutting out, the speed was low, etc.

I’ll probably now highlight problems that can be attributed to unstable operation of the wireless network. This way, it will be easier for us to navigate the problem itself and a possible solution.

Frequent connection interruptions. For example, you connected a smartphone, and after a while it turns off by itself. Or a laptop that constantly disconnects and connects. I've seen cases where the connection was lost for a few seconds and was immediately restored. This is not always noticeable, but if you have Skype installed, its connection status is constantly changing. Or a yellow icon appears next to the connection icon. Here is another article on this issue: ““.
Low internet connection speed, or speed spikes when connected via Wi-Fi. It may be that, for example, during the day the speed is normal, but in the evening it drops significantly (if connected via cable, the speed is always stable).
Unstable Wi-Fi connection. This can include a large number of connection problems. For example, when a device connects to the network for the second or third time. Or, only in a certain place (for example, near the router, I already wrote about this problem ) .
When you notice some problems, but not always. For example, the Internet works fine for several days, and then strange problems with Wi-Fi begin again. Or, as I already wrote, everything is fine in the morning, but in the afternoon the connection is unstable.

This list can be continued, but I think the essence is clear. I would just like to exclude from this list popular problems that have their own characteristics and about which separate articles have already been written:

Error “ ” on computers, or when there is a connection on mobile devices, but .
Errors on mobile devices: , and " ".

Solving the problem with unstable Wi-Fi

I have some kind of universal solution. And there are no special settings with which you can adjust the stability of operation. You need to try and find a solution. I will give some tips that should help you in this difficult matter.

Reboot your router and laptop (smartphone, tablet, etc.).

This is the first thing to do. Just turn off the power from the router and turn it back on. Also, reboot the device that you are trying to connect to the network, or that is experiencing some problems.

You need to understand what the problem is.

Everything is simple here. We need to find the culprit. This could be either your router or the device itself (computer, smartphone, etc.). How to do it? Just try connecting other devices to your network (preferably those that run on the same operating system). If the problem persists, then most likely the problem is with the access point. And the problem must be looked for in it.

If another device connects and the Internet works stably, then most likely the problem is in the device itself (with which there were difficulties). I’m already confused myself :)

Make sure the Internet is working directly.

What does direct mean? This is when it is connected without a router. Network cable directly to the computer. Perhaps there are some problems on the provider's side. And you are already torturing your router and other equipment :)

Change the channel your wireless network is on.

It is necessary! If there is interference on the channel on which your Wi-Fi is operating (in the form of wireless, neighboring networks), then a variety of incomprehensible problems may arise in the operation of your Internet connection, which are even difficult to explain. Read the article about how to change the channel. This is probably the most important and effective advice.

We update the software on the router.

Afterword

If nothing works, write about your problem in the comments. Try to describe the problem in as much detail as possible. We'll figure it out together.

If you have anything to add to the article, I will be only grateful. Best wishes!

Also on the site:

Unstable Internet operation over Wi-Fi: some tips to solve the problem updated: April 23, 2014 by: admin

Gregory

01/23/2019 at 10:04 (2 months ago)

I started experimenting when WI-FI on modern smartphones periodically disappeared. On both. The modem needed to be rebooted. I started changing channels and WI-FI settings. Did not help. I thought it was the modem's fault. I bought another one for the experiment, the same one, used. Did not help. I started changing the settings again. Changed the standard b/g auto to only b, only g. I changed the transfer speed from automatic to maximum (54 Mbit/s). I even changed the transmitter power. Unsuccessfully.

Using the program Inssider 1.2.8.0331 (suitable for my XP on a laptop with a WI-FI adapter), I found out that somewhere close neighbors have a very powerful WI-FI, the signal of which is only slightly weaker than that of my weak old man “ one-horned Pirelli. The 5GHz band is completely free, but my Pirelli only works in the 2.4 GHz band. :(((Moreover, the neighbor’s router is turned on in automatic channel selection mode. I saw how it suddenly changed channel from 11 to the first. So I can’t maneuver by “escaping” to a free channel.

I tried to overcome the “one-hornedness” by purchasing a new “two-horned” router TL-WR841N, connecting its “WAN” input to the output of one of Pirelli’s “LANs”. Based on the laptop, I estimated that the “two-horned” signal was a little stronger. HIS WI-FI did not disappear, even when the neighbor’s WI-FI interfered with his channel. I seemed to have solved the problem, I thought about turning off Pirelli’s WI-FI and using two routers. Then I tried to experiment some more with old Pirelli (I can’t find anything better at an affordable price for DSL). I remembered that if you just remove the Bluetooth speaker from the smartphone, when the sound starts to stutter, the radio transmission most often stops, and the smartphone pauses. This is because the smartphone not only transmits a signal via Bluetooth, but also “communicates” with the speaker. The connection is disrupted - the smartphone goes into a stupor.

I thought that using WI-FI I could try to facilitate communication between the router and smartphones and laptops. After all, it not only transmits a signal, but also encrypts it using WPA. I decided to temporarily disable encryption. And, lo and behold, the WI-FI stopped interrupting altogether!!! Then I turned on simple ancient WEP encryption - also perfect! Insider 1.2.8.0331 showed that all competing networks use WPA, WPA-2, WPA-T, etc. encryption. Now I only have WEP. The moral of this story is this. If I'm set to WEP, my router doesn't even try to read the neighbor's WPA-encrypted signal. There is interference, it produces noise, but my native signal level on smartphones and laptops is sufficient. Changing the encryption helped the router add selectivity and tune out powerful interference. Even when the powerful neighbor’s WI-FI “sits” on my channel and simply “breathes down my back.” That's how I understood it. Maybe it will be useful to someone. Specifically, weak encryption is not a problem for me. The signal of the “one-horned” Pirelli sharply weakens as we move away from our apartment. And if someone pushes himself and connects to my network, he will have DSL speed, and the desire to interfere will immediately disappear. :)))

01/24/2019 at 00:00 (2 months ago)

Interesting experience, thanks!
But I still wouldn’t recommend setting the security type to WEP. The problem is not only that it is not safe. There may be problems connecting new devices to the Wi-Fi network.

Gregory

01/24/2019 at 01:11 (2 months ago)

I have MODERN smartphones Xiaomi Redmi 6 32/16 GB (Android 8), or, instead of one of them, Windofon (Windows mobile 8.1/10) Nokia Lumia 535.0 (2014). To be fair, the TL-WR841N router, which initially works with WPA encryption, has two WI-FI: encrypted and open, for a maximum of 32 guests. I immediately turned off the open WI-FI there, so that with my DSL I would not lose the Internet, losing its speed (512-1024 KB/s) to the speed of the oldest old switching modem (56KB/s) connected to the telephone line, popularly called the “donkey” " I remember my donkey, I even kept two living specimens. :))) In short, the TL-WR841N router has the opportunity to test the refusal of encryption as a way to overcome powerful interference.

For my Pirelli, I left only one non-standard setting: instead of “b/g mixed” - “g only”. But this is not important at all, and does not save you from interference.