Wi-Fi will not connect
My laptop will not connect to Wi-Fi but my phone connects fine.
Written by The CommonFixes team · fact checked by CommonFixes review desk
Last updated
Short answer
If other devices work, the router is fine and the fault is in your computer's wireless settings, its driver, or a saved password that no longer matches. The quickest thing to try first: forget the network and rejoin — Open Settings, Network and internet, Wi-Fi, Manage known networks, select your network and choose Forget. Then connect again and type the password carefully. Most people are done in about 15 minutes.
Full walkthrough below: 6 steps for Windows and Mac, rated easy.
Sounds like this
- •Cannot connect to this network
- •Endless connecting
- •Network list empty
Why it happens
If other devices work, the router is fine and the fault is in your computer's wireless settings, its driver, or a saved password that no longer matches.
Work through these in order
0% done- 1
Forget the network and rejoin
Open Settings, Network and internet, Wi-Fi, Manage known networks, select your network and choose Forget. Then connect again and type the password carefully.
- 2
Check the physical switch
Many laptops have a wireless key, often F2 or F12 with an aeroplane symbol. Make sure Airplane mode is off in the quick settings panel.
- 3
Restart both the router and the computer
Unplug the router for thirty seconds. While it restarts, restart the computer. Do this before anything more complicated.
- 4
Reset the network stack
Open Terminal as administrator and run these in order: netsh winsock reset, netsh int ip reset, ipconfig /flushdns. Restart afterwards.
- 5
Reinstall the wireless driver
In Device Manager expand Network adapters, right click the wireless adapter, choose Uninstall device, and restart. Windows reinstalls it automatically.
- 6
Try the five gigahertz and two point four gigahertz bands separately
Older laptops cannot see the five gigahertz network at all. If your router shows two names, try the other one.
If none of that worked
Use Settings, Network and internet, Advanced network settings, Network reset. It clears every network setting and usually cures stubborn cases.
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Who wrote this and how we checked it
The CommonFixes team
Writer and researcher
We are a small group of people who spend our days repairing laptops and desktops for family, friends and small offices. Every guide here starts with a problem someone actually brought to us, and we only write down the steps that put the machine right.
- Everyday repairs
- Windows and Mac
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CommonFixes review desk
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Before a guide goes live, a second person walks through it on a real machine and checks each instruction against the maker's own support pages. Anything we cannot confirm is removed rather than guessed at.
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This guide was last updated on 10 August 2026. If a step no longer matches what you see on screen, tell us on the contact page and we will test it again.
A gentle reminder: back up anything you cannot afford to lose before major repairs. If a step ever feels risky, stop and ask a technician. There is no shame in that.