Wi-Fi does not work on a laptop: solve it in three clicks. How to set up wifi on a laptop How to enable Wi-Fi reception on a laptop

19.01.2024

Today it is difficult to imagine a modern apartment, or even more so an office, that is not equipped with the appropriate set of office equipment: computers, laptops, tablets, mobile phones. And where all these devices are available, there should naturally be the Internet. He has firmly entered our lives, occupying one of the most prominent places there. On the Internet we study, work, have fun, relax, and communicate. Therefore, providing comfortable access to the World Wide Web for yourself and your loved ones is a problem that sooner or later every person has to solve. Fortunately, now we have a reliable assistant that allows us to carry out the most effective and simple solution to this issue without any additional intellectual and financial costs. We are, of course, talking about Wi-Fi technology.

But in order to use the “over-the-air” Internet, you need to know where to find and how to turn on Wi-Fi on your computer. We tried to present the answers to these questions in this article.

What is WiFi?

Wireless Internet technology has become part of our everyday life. We habitually identify Wi-Fi with a convenient, reliable and fast Internet connection, which we encounter at home, at work, in public places - in airports, cafes, shopping centers.

Answer the question “what is Wi-Fi?” the simplest way is this: this is a network protocol, with the participation of which communication is carried out between an “access point” and a “client”, or an “access point” and several “clients”, packet data is exchanged on a local network or via the World Wide Web.

Currently, the abbreviation Wi-Fi means nothing and is not officially deciphered in any way, but when creating this protocol, the developers “gave it a name” by analogy with Hi-Fi (High Fidelity). It stood for “Wireless Fidelity” - wireless precision.

Benefits of use

Of course, the “over-the-air” Internet is not an ideal technology. You can give several examples of the difficulties that may arise when using it. One of the most widely known is the so-called “noisy” connection. Many household appliances (for example, microwave ovens) emit in the range used by this protocol, and alternative connection devices (for example, Bluetooth) operate. Interference can also be caused by walls and ceilings. All this negatively affects the speed and quality of access.

At the same time, there are no less positive aspects from using it at home and in the office. We list just a few and the most obvious of them:

Low cost of wireless networks and installation of several access points that will provide stable coverage throughout the entire territory. At the same time, there are no cables, extension cords or adapters that constantly get tangled and clutter up the space. An “aerial” connection is indispensable in rooms of historical value, as well as in rooms with obstructive architectural features;

This protocol provides full access to the Internet to any device - be it a mobile phone, tablet, laptop or desktop computer - without being tied to a specific location. Access to the global information space through this protocol is an opportunity to comfortably use the Internet while lying on your favorite sofa;

Wi-Fi allows you to synchronously use a large number of active connections. Having established a wireless connection, you don’t have to worry about how many computers and mobile devices will be accessing the Internet at the same time.

What types of Wi-Fi modules are there for a computer?

All popular devices now come with adapters by default. They can be connected to the Internet out of the box, but what about those who have a desktop computer? The answer to this question is obvious - you need to purchase an additional Wi-Fi receiver, install, connect and configure it.

We'll talk more about how to install Wi-Fi on a computer below. Now we propose to decide what types of receivers there are, what is their difference, specificity and advantages.

There are two types of “air” adapters: external and internal. External ones are the most commonly used and easier to operate. The external receiver looks like a miniature USB drive (flash drive). It connects to a USB connector on the front or back of the computer, either directly or via a USB cable.

The internal adapter is slightly larger and you will need to open the computer case to install it. Therefore, buy an internal receiver only if you are confident that you can figure out how to install it on the motherboard yourself. When installing an internal module, you must first disconnect the antenna from it, insert the board into the corresponding port on the motherboard (the PCI interface is most often used for this) and return the antenna to its place.

Further manipulations for installing and turning on wireless adapters are the same and do not depend on the modification and method of connection to the computer.

How to install drivers?

Any Wi-Fi receiver is supplied with a disk from the manufacturer, which contains the drivers necessary for full operation of the device. In addition to drivers for a specific device, the disk may also contain drivers for other adapter models, so during installation you need to be careful and not miss choosing the device for which you are installing drivers.

Otherwise, the driver installation procedure is standardized and provided with an intuitive interface with detailed tips from the “Found New Hardware Wizard.” Just carefully read the messages that will appear on the screen and click the appropriate “Next”, “OK” and “Done” buttons.

Most adapters are automatically recognized by current computers and can work even without installing drivers from the bundled disk. Just connect the device to the desired connector and wait a few seconds. As a rule, after this a message will appear in the tray stating that new equipment has been found, identified and installed, which is ready for use. However, universal drivers cannot completely replace specialized software. Therefore, we advise you not to neglect installing drivers, even if everything seems to work flawlessly at first glance.

The driver disk for your Wi-Fi receiver model may also contain a special utility from the developers, which is designed to facilitate the process of setting up Internet access. Moreover, this utility will allow you to further control your Internet connection, monitor the speed and volume of data transfer.

How to set up Wi-Fi in WIN XP?

In this guide, we will assume that your home “Access Point” and Internet distribution device are already configured.

So, to establish an “air” connection on a computer running Win XP, you need to do the following:

Open the Start menu;

Select “Network Neighborhood”;

In the “Network Connections” window, find the “Wireless Network Connection” icon;

Right-click on the icon and click “Properties” in the list;

In the “General” tab, find the “Internet Protocol TCP/IP” item;

Click the “Properties” button.

If the use of specific IP and DNS addresses is critical for your provider, then in the window that opens, select the “Use the following IP address” radio button. If these parameters are configured in automatic mode, then do not touch anything.

When manually setting up IP, you will need to fill in the following fields:

IP address: 192.168.0.2 (You should check this parameter with your provider, the value may be different);

Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0;

In the “Default Gateway” line you should enter the address of your router or modem, usually 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1. But to avoid mistakes, it is better to check the documentation of your device;

Click on the “Use the following DNS server addresses” switch and fill in both fields: primary and secondary DNS server. Information about the DNS servers used by the provider can be found on the official website of the telecommunications company or by calling technical support;

Without closing this window, select the “Wireless Networks” tab at the top and check the “Use windows to configure the network” checkbox. Next, click the “Wireless Networks” button. Here you will see a list of all available connections. Select the connection that is configured on your dispenser and click the “Connect” button. Now, in order to connect to the Internet, all you have to do is enter the username and password you know.

How to set up Wi-Fi in WIN7?

There are two ways to set up an air connection in Win7 OS: automatically and manually. The second option may be useful if the network you plan to connect to is hidden from the general list for security reasons, but you know the name and password to connect your computer to it. Let's look at both methods step by step.

Installing Wi-Fi in Win7 OS automatically

When the operating system is loaded, you can see the “Wireless Network Connection” icon in the lower right corner of the screen. Click on it. This will open a list of air connections available to you. you need to select from the list the one that is configured in your modem or router.

Installing Wi-Fi in Win7 OS manually

To configure the connection manually, select “Network” in the system tray, then “Network and Sharing Center”. Click “Set up a new connection or network.” In the next step, check the “Connect a wireless connection manually” option and click the “Next” button.

In the next dialog, fill in all the appropriate fields: specify the network name, encryption type and security level. In most cases, the default settings can be left unchanged - use AES and WPA2. In the “Security Key” field, you must enter the connection password. For greater security, check the “Hide characters” checkbox so that the password cannot be read over your shoulder.

The final touch - if you plan to use this connection as the main one in the future, then check the “Start this connection automatically” checkbox. Then click the "OK" button.

Installing the device in Windows 8

To connect a wireless connection in Win8, do the following:

Click on the Wi-Fi icon in the system tree on the taskbar or call Settings Charm through the Charms Bar (similar to pressing the win+I combination). The Wi-Fi panel will appear on the right side of the screen;

you will see the entire list of wireless networks available for connection. Select the one that is configured for you and click the “Connect” button;

The next step is to check the network connection conditions. The system will check the requirements of the selected network and prompt you to enter the necessary data;

After checking the network requirements, the system will prompt you to enter a password. Enter the security key you know and click the “Next” button;

If the password is entered correctly, you will see the message “Connection complete”, which means the connection to the Internet has been established.

How do I turn off my device?

To turn off Wi-Fi or edit previously entered data, you should select the wireless networks icon in the tray (relevant for Win7 and Win8) and in the drop-down list of all available connections, select the one that you configured earlier. To disable, use the “Disable” button, and to edit, right-click and select “Properties”. In the “Connection” and “Security” tabs, you can either disable the device or make changes to the password, encryption type, or security level.

For Win XP you need to do the following:

Start Menu;

Network Neighborhood icon;

"Wireless connection";

In the list that opens, select the established connection and click the “Disconnect” button.

Often, users who have purchased a laptop or netbook encounter difficulties when turning on and setting up wifi. The procedure itself is quite simple, but in some cases there are various snags and unforeseen difficulties. In this article we will look at both the standard connection and options for solving such problems.

Usually, to turn on wifi, it is enough to perform 2-3 simple operations. Which ones exactly depend on the model and manufacturer of the laptop. Here are the options for enabling a wifi network on beeches from the most popular manufacturers:

— On an ASUS laptop, you need to press the combination of the FN and F2 buttons.

— On Acer and Packard bell, hold down the FN button and press F3 at the same time.

— On HP laptops, wi-fi is activated by touch button with a symbolic image of an antenna, and on some models by the FN and F12 key combination. There are also models that have a regular button with an antenna design for this purpose.

— To turn on wi-fi on Lenovo, hold FN and press F5. There are models that have a special connection switch for wireless networks.

— On Samsung laptops, to turn on wi-fi, you need to hold down the FN button and press either F9 or F12, depending on the model.

To connect Wi-Fi, laptops of different models and different manufacturers can use their own original key combination. A detailed description for a specific model should be found in the user manual that came with the laptop. The FN button is found on almost all models of modern laptops. With its help, you can connect various functions and connect the beech with other devices. If the laptop does not have an FN button, then a special button or switch is used to turn on the wireless network. As a rule, it is indicated by one of these drawings.

If you don’t find it on the keyboard, examine the ends of the laptop; perhaps the switch is on the side. Also, take a close look at the bottom of your laptop. There are models in which the switch is located on the bottom cover. Moreover, manufacturers make this button barely noticeable. It practically merges with the body and may not be visible at first glance. It may be signed Wireles or Wlan. Have you turned on wifi using the required button or combination, but it doesn’t work? You should set up Wi-Fi on your laptop.

How to set up wifi on a laptop

Before setting up, you need to check the availability and connection of drivers. Checking drivers Checking the driver is to find out whether they are on your device at all and whether it is currently in use. So, in the Control Panel, select the Device Manager item, which can be hidden inside the Hardware and Sound item.

A window opens in which we find Network adapters. There must be two items: Ethernet and Wi-Fi. One of them should have the word “Wireless” in its name. This is your adapter.

If there is no entry for the wi-fi adapter, or there is an icon with an exclamation mark on a yellow background next to it, this means that you have a problem with the drivers. If there is no entry, it means that the drivers are not installed and you will have to install them from the disk that came with the laptop. Or find it on the manufacturer's website. Without them, wi-fi will not work. If there is an entry, but there is a yellow exclamation mark next to it, right-click on this item.

In the window that appears, select “Engage”. The reason for connection difficulties may lie in the fact that the adapter is set to a power saving mode. To disable it, right-click on it, then Properties - Power Management, now you need to uncheck the box “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save energy.”

Now the driver is fine. Enabling the adapterwi— fi . To do this, through the Control Panel? Network and Internet, go to Network Connections. Here we find Wireless network connection. This is the wi-fi adapter. Right-click to open the dialog box and select “Enable”. Connect to an access point. All that remains is to connect the laptop to the access point. Make sure the access point is active. Find the wi-fi icon in the lower right corner of the screen on the taskbar. When clicked, a network management window will open, select the desired network, click “Connection”.

If the network is password protected, the system will ask you to enter it. Only after entering the required password will you be able to use the Internet. If the network is open, the connection will occur automatically. That's all. Enabling and setting up Wifi on a laptop completed.

Many people already use a wireless network, because it is convenient, especially if you have such autonomous devices at home as and a smartphone. And if you are already among those who purchased and connected a router, all you have to do is find out how to turn on Wi-Fi on your laptop and start using wireless Internet.

Connecting Wi-Fi using the hardware method

Almost all laptops have a button or switch for Wi-Fi. They can be located either on the top of the case near the keyboard keys, or on the side of the laptop.

If you don't find a button or switch on your device, you can connect Wi-Fi using the keyboard. On one of the keys from F1 to F12 there is a drawing in the form of an antenna or laptop with “waves” emanating from it. You need to press the desired button in combination with the Fn key.

Where to turn on Wi-Fi on HP laptop: The network is turned on using the touch button with an image of an antenna, and on some models - by pressing the Fn and F12 key combination. But there are also HP models that have a regular button with an antenna design.

How to turn on Wi-Fi on an Asus laptop: on computers from this manufacturer you need to press a combination of the Fn and F2 buttons. On Acer and Packard bell, you need to hold down the Fn key and simultaneously press F3. To turn on Wi-Fi on Lenovo, press F5 together with Fn. There are also models that have a special switch for connecting to wireless networks.

On Samsung laptops To activate Wi-Fi, you need to hold the Fn button and simultaneously press either F9 or F12 (depending on the specific model).

If you use an adapter, then you don’t need to know how to turn on Wi-Fi on your laptop, since it is always enabled by hardware. But to be completely sure, you can check the operation of the adapter using the Fn key combination with the one that shows the wireless network, as we described above.

Connecting Wi-Fi using programs

If, after turning on a button, switch, or keyboard shortcut for Wi-Fi on your laptop, you still do not have a network, the wireless adapter is probably turned off by software, that is, disabled in the OS settings. You can connect it in two ways:

If the device still does not start or an error is displayed, download the drivers for the adapter from the official website and install them, then try steps 1 or 2 again.

If your laptop comes with Windows installed from the factory, you will need to run the laptop manufacturer's wireless network management software. They are included with almost every computer, and they are called “wireless assistant” or “Wi-Fi manager”, and are located in the “Start” - “Programs” menu. Sometimes, without running this utility, no effort to connect to the network will work.

Reading time: 6 minutes. Views 213 Published 07/21/2018

Problems with connecting to a wireless network from a laptop often arise even for experienced users, and beginners do not even know how to approach the settings. Therefore, we decided to consider this issue in more detail. In the article we will figure it outhow to turn on Wi-Fi on a laptop, and we will provide a connection algorithm for different types of operating systems. We will also find out what main problems users face and how to solve them.

How to turn on Wi-Fi on a laptop

First of all, let's figure out how to activate the Wi-Fi module on the device. Without this, you will not be able to use wireless communication or set up a connection. Typically, activation depends on the laptop model and varies slightly in each specific case. The process involves certain function keys.

For an ASUS laptop this is FN+F.
If your gadget is called Acer or Packard bell, then you need to press FN+F3.
Gadget from HP includes the WiFi module with a dedicated touch button, indicated by an antenna icon or FN+F12. A number of models from this manufacturer have a simple button with an antenna to activate a wireless connection.
Lenovo - FN+F5, if there is no dedicated button.
Samsung - FN+F9 or FN+F12, depending on the model.

We have listed the most common equipment manufacturers. If your laptop was produced by another company, then the required combination can be clarified in the instructions for the gadget or on the company’s website. Usually this is the FN function key, which is found on all modern laptops and an additional one from the F1-F12 series.

If the power button is dedicated, then you can look for it in a separate block or even at the ends of the case. Usually it is indicated by the corresponding icon associated with the distribution of the signal.

Wi-Fi settings depending on OS

Now let's talk about those inclusion methods that are intra-system. Simply, how to enable a connection to a wireless network in the operating system. We will analyze the two most common ones; by analogy, you can make settings on other versions of Windows.

Windows 10

How to turn on Wi-Fi on a laptop, if everything is in order with the settings, the answer to this question is no less important than enabling the module. So, we bring to your attention a step-by-step algorithm for the tenth version of the operating system.

That's all. As a result, the laptop will connect and you will be provided with Internet access.

Windows 7

We also consider setting up for this version provided that the system is equipped with the necessary drivers and has a network adapter. That is, technically all the nuances have been met and the WiFi module is enabled.

In the case of this version of the OS, everything is much simpler. You can simply click on the Internet connection icon in the lower right corner and select the desired network from the list of available wireless connections. Enter the password and wait for the connection to activate. That's all.

What to do if you can't connect

Situations often arise in which, when performing the above algorithms, the connection to the network is not achieved. In this case, two options are available:

WiFi adapter is disabled;
the necessary drivers are missing.

Don't be afraid. In both cases, the issue is not as terrible as it seems and everything is completely solvable.

Seventh version of the operating system

For the seventh version of Windows, the verification algorithm will be as follows.

The absence of an entry or the presence of a yellow sign next to the inscription means there are problems with the drivers for the adapter. In this situation, you will have to reinstall them from the disk provided with the laptop or the manufacturer’s official website. In any case, the process is simple, just download the necessary programs and reboot the computer, the system itself will distribute the software to the required location and activate it.

If there is a yellow icon, then click on it and in the menu that opens, click the “Engage” command. Then right-click on the adapter and in the “Properties” section, select “Power Management” and in the option to turn off the adapter in power saving mode, uncheck the box, if any.

Enable the adapter in “Network Connections”, find the wireless connection here and click “Enable” next to it. At this point, all the problems in Windows 7 that the user can solve on their own have been fixed, and if the problem remains, it means that the problem is a technical issue and it is better to contact a professional.

Tenth version of Windows

If you have “Ten”, then, solving the issuehow to connect Wi-Fi on a laptop, problems with the adapter and drivers should also be ruled out.

If the icon for connecting to Wi-Fi is not found on the taskbar, then the adapter is disabled. To be able to connect to the Internet, the first one must be turned on.

If there is no “Wireless Network” icon at all, then go to the first section of our article and read how to enable WiFi using hardware.

To check the drivers, you need to right-click on an empty space on the taskbar and select the “Settings” section in the context menu. Then in the main section, select “Devices” and go to “Device Manager”. Expand the “Network adapters” block and look for the entry with the word Wireless. If the icon is accompanied by an exclamation mark, it means that the driver is not working correctly and needs to be reinstalled. If after downloading new drivers the problem is not solved, then you should also contact a professional.

Often, users who have purchased a laptop or netbook encounter difficulties when turning on and setting up wifi. The procedure itself is quite simple, but in some cases there are various snags and unforeseen difficulties, and sometimes it is also necessary configure the router Before you start, connect Wi-Fi to your laptop. In this article we will look at both the standard connection and options for solving such problems.
How to turn on wifi on a laptop
Usually, to turn on wifi, it is enough to perform 2-3 simple operations. Which ones exactly depend on the model and manufacturer of the laptop. Here are the options for enabling a wifi network on beeches from the most popular manufacturers:

On an ASUS laptop, you need to press the combination of the FN and F2 buttons.

On Acer and Packard bell, hold down the FN button and press F3 at the same time.

On HP laptops, wi-fi is activated by touch button with a symbolic image of an antenna, and on some models by the FN and F12 key combination. There are also models that have a regular button with an antenna design for this purpose.

To turn on wi-fi on Lenovo, hold FN and press F5. There are models that have a special connection switch for wireless networks.

On Samsung laptops, to turn on wi-fi, you need to hold down the FN button and press either F9 or F12, depending on the model.

To connect Wi-Fi, laptops of different models and different manufacturers can use their own original key combination. A detailed description for a specific model should be found in the user manual that came with the laptop. The FN button is found on almost all models of modern laptops. With its help, you can connect various functions and connect the beech with other devices. If the laptop does not have an FN button, then a special button or switch is used to turn on the wireless network. As a rule, it is indicated by one of these drawings.

If you don’t find it on the keyboard, examine the ends of the laptop; perhaps the switch is on the side. Also, take a close look at the bottom of your laptop. There are models in which the switch is located on the bottom cover. Moreover, manufacturers make this button barely noticeable. It practically merges with the body and may not be visible at first glance. It may be signed Wireles or Wlan. Have you turned on wifi using the required button or combination, but it doesn’t work? You should set up Wi-Fi on your laptop.
Example of a hidden WiFi switch

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Attention: It is worth saying that such switches can be located in the most unexpected places, even on the back cover of the laptop. So if your WiFi does not work, carefully inspect your laptop for a switch.
How to set up wifi on a Windows 7 laptop
Before setting up, you need to check the availability and connection of drivers. Checking drivers Checking the driver is to find out whether they are on your device at all and whether it is currently in use. So, in Control panels select an item device Manager, which can be hidden inside the item Equipment and sound.

A window opens in which we find Network adapters. There must be two items: Ethernet and Wi-Fi. One of them should have the word “Wireless” in its name. This is your adapter.

If there is no entry for the wi-fi adapter, or there is an icon with an exclamation mark on a yellow background next to it, this means that you have a problem with the drivers. If there is no entry, it means that the drivers are not installed and you will have to install them from the disk that came with the laptop. Or find it on the manufacturer's website. Without them, wi-fi will not work. If there is an entry, but there is a yellow exclamation mark next to it, right-click on this item. In the window that appears, select “Engage”. The reason for connection difficulties may lie in the fact that the adapter is set to a power saving mode. To disable it, right-click on it, then Properties - Power Management, now you need to uncheck the box “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save energy.”

Now the driver is fine. Enabling the adapterwi- fi . To do this through Control Panel→ Network and Internet go to Network connections. Here we find Wireless network connection. This is the wi-fi adapter. Right-click to open the dialog box and select “Enable”. Connect to an access point. All that remains is to connect the laptop to the access point. Make sure the access point is active. Find the wi-fi icon in the lower right corner of the screen on the taskbar. When clicked, a network management window will open, select the desired network, click “Connection”.

If the network is protected by a password, the system will ask you to enter it (if you have forgotten the password for your network, you can find it in several ways). Only after entering the required password will you be able to use the Internet. If the network is open, the connection will occur automatically. That's all. Enabling and setting up Wifi on a laptop completed. If you have set up Wi-Fi once, you won’t need to do this anymore, since they will automatically be saved in the laptop’s memory. You will only need to turn it on with the appropriate button or key combination. Remember that connecting wirelessly takes a lot of power from your device, so the battery will be used quite intensively. Pleasant and simple connections without incident!