Is your laptop unable to connect to the Wi-Fi network even in a location that offers one? Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) is universally recognized as the best method by which mobile phones and computers connect to the internet without a physical connection with the router. Here we discuss the causes and How to Fix “My Laptop Can’t Detect Wi-Fi but My Phone Can” issue. Please read on!
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I assume you know that establishing a connection to a wireless network involves the cooperation of multiple device parts. Wi-Fi is a networking technology that allows electronic devices to communicate with the internet wirelessly. If you have an active wireless internet connection, any internet-enabled device should connect automatically, so long as you have the network’s password. However, you may encounter situations where your device does not recognize a Wi-Fi network because, unlike mobile devices, laptops require several hardware and software settings configurations before connecting to the internet. If you are in this situation, worry not; here are eight solutions on How to Fix “My Laptop Can’t Detect Wi-Fi but My Phone Can” issue.
But before that, let’s first understand its causes by reading on.
Causes of “My Laptop Can’t Detect Wi-Fi but My Phone Can”
The following are some potential causes of the “My Laptop Can’t Detect Wi-Fi but My Phone Can” problem that you should consider before rummaging through your drawers for an Ethernet cable or calling the repair shop:
- The computer you’re using is in Airplane Mode.
- Issues with your virus protection software.
- The Wi-Fifeature on your laptop is currently disabled.
- Your laptop is unable to connect to Wi-Fi due to technical issues.
- The Wireless Adapter is turned off.
- Malfunctioning Network configuration.
- Expired drivers and incorrect date/timestamps.
Now that you know the root cause of the “My Laptop Can’t Detect Wi-Fi but My Phone Can” issue, let’s learn how a laptop connects to the Wi-Fi for us to fix the problem. Read on!
How a Laptop Connects To Wi-Fi
A laptop’s ability to establish an online connection results from the interplay between its hardware and software. While all modern laptops have wireless networking capabilities, how these cards are placed varies widely. Your device may have a replaceable Wi-Fi card, while others have the entire assembly soldered directly to the motherboard.
Your PC’s “network drivers” will allow it to communicate with the card and connect to the Wi-Fi network. The drivers enable Windows to instruct the network card to connect to, send, and receive data over the wireless network established by a wireless access point (WAP) such as a wireless router.
Because of this, Windows laptops have greater software transparency compared to Android, iOS, and macOS due to the uniformity of their interface with wireless chips.
Therefore, we will focus on How to Fix “My Laptop Can’t Detect Wi-Fi but My Phone Can” on Windows laptops.
A Complete Guide on How to Fix “My Laptop Can’t Detect Wi-Fi but My Phone Can” issue
Have you started your laptop only to realize you can’t connect to the internet? Have you exhausted every possible option, and it’s still not working? What you should do to fix it is as follows:
Solution 1: Restart Your Router and Laptop.
The very first thing you must try is to restart your computer and network router. If you use many devices to access the internet over a single router, you may experience lag due to IP conflicts. Please do this:
Step 1: Turn off your modem and router.
Step 2: Wait for a few seconds, and then turn them on again.
If the issue continues, move to the next solution.
Solution 2: Turn Off Airplane Mode
If you have Airplane Mode activated on your laptop, you cannot connect to a wireless network. Deactivating it entails:
Step 1: Click on the” Start” button and then select” Settings.”
Step 2: Proceed to “Network & Internet” and select “Airplane Mode” from the left-hand pane.
Step 3: Click on the “toggle for Airplane mode” to switch it off.
Step 4: Check the” Wireless devices” box and ensure”Wi-Fi is turned ON.”
If it is about something other than the Airplane mode, move to the next.
Solution 3: Forget And Reconnect To The Network.
If you want to use this approach, first make sure you know the Wi-Fi password:
Step 1: Press the” Win + I”combination on your keyboard to launch the “Settings” menu.
Step 2: Navigate to “Network & Internet.”
Step 3: Select “Wi-Fi,” and then tap on “Manage known networks.”
Step 4: Tap on “Forget” after choosing the Wi-Fi network you intend to use.
Step 5: Finally, reconnect to the network.
Solution 4: Run the Internet Troubleshooter.
Thankfully, Windows has a program that can fix your internet connection issues. Do this if you’re running Windows 10:
Step 1: Click on the “Start” button and select “Update & Security,” then select “Troubleshoot.”
Step 2: Select “Additional troubleshooter” from the menu.
Step 3: Choose “Internet Connections” followed by “Run the troubleshooter.”
Step 4: Follow the instructions displayed on the screen.
Step 5: Alternately, navigate to “Network Adapter” from (step 2 above) and choose “Run the troubleshooter.”
If the “My Laptop Can’t Detect Wi-Fi but My Phone Can” issue is not yet solved, follow the following methods.
Solution 5: Reset The Wireless Adapter.
Here’s the procedure:
Step 1: Click on the “Start” button.
Step 2: Enter “Network status” in the search bar and select “Network status option.”
Step 3: Select the “Network troubleshooter” option. (In case of a connectivity issue, the Windows network troubleshooter will perform quick tests on your computer’s network devices and reset your hardware).
Step 4: To act manually, select “Wi-Fi” and then “Change adapter options.”
Step 5: There will be several network adapters in the next window that launches.
Step 6: Select “Wi-Fi” from the context menu and hit “Disable.”
Step 7: Right-click “Wi-Fi” again, and then select “Enable” after the adaptor is disabled.
Step 8: If you opt, return to “Network troubleshooter” and select “Network reset” from the window’s bottom menu. (All network adapters will be automatically uninstalled and then re-installed).
Step 9: Otherwise, select “Reset Now.”
Solution 6: Change Network Adapter Bandwidth.
Your bandwidth setting may be one of the reasons why your laptop cannot discover your Wi-Fi, but your phone can. It usually happens when set to “auto,” but the value is too low for your Wi-Fi to be detected and connected. To proceed:
Step 1: Press the “Windows key + X” combination on your keyboard simultaneously.
Step 2: Tap on the” Device Manager” option.
Step 3: Find and choose the arrow next to the” Network Adapters” option.
Step 4: Navigate to “Wireless Network Adapter” and double-click on it.
Step 5: Select the “Advanced tab” by clicking on it.
Step 6: From the “Property” menu, choose “11n Channel Width for 2.4GHz” and change the current value to “20Mhz only“.
Solution 7: Enable WLAN AutoConfig.
WLAN AutoConfig is the software that sets up and disconnects from wireless networks. If it suddenly stops working, you should expect to have severe problems with your network. To enable the WLAN AutoConfig, do this:
Step 1: Click on the “Start” button.
Step 2: Type “Services” on the search bar and select the “Best match” option.
Step 3: Right-click “WLAN AutoConfig” in the Services window and choose “Properties.”
Step 4: Click “Start” if the service state is “Stopped.”
Step 5: Set “Automatic” as the startup type.
Step 6: To save the changes, click “Apply” and “OK.”
Solution 8: Disable Antivirus temporarily.
Despite advancements in multi-threat and detection capabilities inside many antivirus programs, specific network protection and firewall security measures can prevent your laptop from connecting to Wi-Fi. Turning off the antivirus software temporarily or setting up an exception will fix the problem.
With that, I hope your “My Laptop Can’t Detect Wi-Fi, but My Phone Can” issue is now resolved.
Conclusion
Having everything in your house connected to Wi-Fi except your laptop is highly frustrating. In this article, we have shared eight solutions on How to Fix “My Laptop Can’t Detect Wi-Fi, but My Phone Can” issue. For whatever reason, you can connect your laptop to your Wi-Fi network by utilizing those solutions. Now you no longer have to worry about the “My Laptop Can’t Detect Wi-Fi but My Phone Can” problem.
