WLAN does not work: the most common causes & solutions

There are many reasons why your WLAN is not working. In this practical tip, we will give you a few sources of error and the corresponding solutions.

WLAN does not work: Am I online at all?

The first thing to try is to connect to another device using WiFi. This is how you find out whether the WLAN generally does not work or whether a specific device is causing problems. If possible, you should also connect a PC or laptop to the router using a LAN cable and then test your Internet connection. If you are still unable to connect to the Internet, you should first resolve this issue before connecting via WiFi.

Even with WLAN problems: Have you already switched the device off and on again?

As trivial as it sounds, many problems can be solved by simply switching them on and off. It is best to try it on your device first. If there are still problems connecting, restart your router.

Nothing works without a correct WiFi password

As a rule, you should protect your WLAN with a password. You must not only enter this correctly in the router, but also on your end devices to establish a connection. When assigning the password, you must also select an encryption type such as WEP, WPA or WPA2 in the router. If there are problems, it can be worthwhile to switch to a different standard - older devices, for example, often cannot cope with WPA2.

WLAN radio problems: do you have enough range?

Problems often arise, for example, from reinforced concrete in new buildings. This has a strong shielding effect and your WiFi signal is so weak after only one or two walls that a connection can no longer be established. The remedy is either a WLAN repeater or you reposition your router. It is best located centrally in your apartment or near the rooms in which you often stay.

Avoid WLAN interference

Interference sources such as other electrical devices can also block your WiFi network. You should then switch it off or better place it somewhere else. Especially in larger residential buildings, WLAN interference can also occur if too many users use the same radio channel. In this case, it helps if you move to another channel in the settings of your router. Switching from 2.4 GHz to 5 GHz (or vice versa) can also eliminate the interference, provided that the router and the hardware used play along.

Hardware buttons: Is your WLAN activated?

On laptops, it can happen that your WLAN must first be activated using a small switch. It is often quite small and inconspicuous. So if your network adapter is disabled (see picture), it may be worth looking for a switch.

Fix driver problems

Every now and then your drivers may have been corrupted by a third party program or by an incorrect installation. In this case, you have to visit the manufacturer's website of your WLAN adapter and download the drivers again. The easiest way to find out which WLAN adapter you have is in the device manager:

1. Type Device Manager into Windows Search and run the program.
2. Your WLAN module should now appear under Network adapters .
3. If necessary, you can also find new drivers by right-clicking on the adapter and clicking on Update driver software.

Assign SSID for WLAN

So that you can find your WLAN router at all, it must be assigned a name. You may have to activate this so-called SSID in the router settings.

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Protection mechanism blocks WLAN

If you are sure that the WiFi password is correct and your hardware is compatible, but the connection still does not work, it is probably due to a MAC filter. But what is that actually?

• The MAC address is 48-bit long and is assigned to each network adapter individually.
• To further increase security in your network, you can only enter the MAC addresses of your devices in your router.
• If you now have a new device and the MAC filter is active, no connection is established.
• You can easily solve the problem by switching off the MAC filter or entering the new MAC address.
• How to find out the address of various end devices can be found here for Windows, iPhone / iPad, Macintosh.
• Then enter the MAC in your router.

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