Phone FixPhone will not connect to Wi-Fi
Check with a second device first. If nothing can use the Wi-Fi, the router is the problem; if only your phone fails, the phone is.
What you seeAuthentication error occurred / Saved, secured / Couldn't get IP address / Connected, no internet / Incorrect password
1. Which side is at fault?
Try another phone or a laptop on the same Wi-Fi.
- Nothing connects, or nothing has internet: restart the router. Unplug it, wait a minute, plug in, wait for the lights. If the internet light is red or off, the line is down: call the provider.
- Other devices are fine: the trouble is in your phone. Continue.
2. Quick steps on the phone
- Wi-Fi off and on. Flight mode on and off.
- Restart the phone.
- Move closer to the router for the test.
3. Forget the network and join again
This fixes most password and "Saved" loops.
- Android: Settings › Network & internet › Internet › the gear beside the network › Forget. Samsung: Settings › Connections › Wi-Fi › gear › Forget.
- iPhone: Settings › Wi-Fi › the (i) beside the network › Forget This Network.
Then choose the network and type the password again, carefully: it is case-sensitive, and 0/O and 1/l are easily confused. Tap the eye icon to see what you typed.
4. Match the message to the cause
| Message | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Authentication error / Incorrect password | Wrong password, or the router's security type does not suit the phone | Retype the password. In the router, use WPA2 or WPA2/WPA3 mixed |
| Saved, but will not connect | The router refused or ignored the phone | Forget and rejoin; restart the router; check the router's device limit and MAC filter |
| Obtaining IP address... / Couldn't get IP address | The router did not hand out an address | Restart the router; forget and rejoin |
| Connected, no internet | The link to the router is fine; the internet beyond it is not | Restart the router; check the line; turn off VPN and Private DNS on the phone |
| Sign in to network | A hotel, cafe or office login page is waiting | Open the browser and visit any plain website to bring up the sign-in page |
5. Phone settings that interfere
- Random MAC address. Routers with a MAC filter, and college or office networks that register devices, may refuse the made-up address a phone shows by default. In the network's settings choose Use device MAC (Android: Privacy) or turn off Private Wi-Fi Address (iPhone), for that network only.
- VPN and Private DNS off to test.
- Battery saver can drop Wi-Fi when the screen is off.
- Date and time set automatically.
- Android "Switch to mobile data automatically" (or Wi-Fi Assist on iPhone: Settings › Mobile Service, at the bottom) moves the phone off weak Wi-Fi. Turn it off if the phone keeps leaving your Wi-Fi.
6. Reset network settings
Android: Settings › System › Reset options › Reset Wi-Fi, mobile & Bluetooth. iPhone: Settings › General › Transfer or Reset iPhone › Reset › Reset Network Settings. All saved Wi-Fi passwords are forgotten, so have yours ready.
7. Router settings worth checking
Log in to the router from a device that still connects (the address and login are on its sticker).
- Band. 5 GHz is fast but short-ranged; 2.4 GHz reaches further. An older phone may see only 2.4 GHz. Give the two bands different names so that you can choose.
- Security. WPA2-PSK (AES), or WPA2/WPA3 mixed. Avoid WEP and "WPA3 only" with older phones.
- Channel. Auto.
- Device limit and MAC filter. Some routers cap the number of devices, or allow only listed ones.
- Firmware. Install the update if the router offers one.
8. Wi-Fi keeps disconnecting
- Weak signal: move the router to a central, open, high spot, or add a mesh unit or repeater.
- Too many neighbours on 2.4 GHz: use 5 GHz near the router.
- Forget other saved networks nearby that the phone keeps hopping to.
- Update the phone's system.
- If it drops only on your home Wi-Fi and nowhere else, restart or replace the ageing router.
9. The Wi-Fi switch will not turn on
A Wi-Fi toggle that is greyed out or switches itself off, with Bluetooth also failing, points to a hardware fault in the phone's wireless chip, sometimes after overheating or water. Restart, update, reset network settings; if it persists, service centre.
Why does my phone say "Connected, no internet" when the laptop works?
The phone's VPN, Private DNS, a wrong date, or a stuck address is the cause. Forget the network, rejoin, and switch those settings off.
Should I use 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz?
5 GHz when you are in the same or next room as the router; 2.4 GHz further away.
For Android phones and iPhones. Written in November 2026 for Android 13 to 15 and iOS 17 and 18. Phone makers rename menus; use the search box in Settings if a name differs. Back up before any reset. This is an independent guide, not connected with Google, Apple, Samsung or any phone maker or operator.