5/3/2014 Why can' t I find a wireless network?

- Microsoft Windows Help

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/cant-find-wireless-network#1TC=windows-8 1/2
Why can't I find a wireless network? Windows 8.1, Windows RT 8.1
If your PC has a wireless (WiFi) network adapter, you'll see the wireless network icon when you click the Settings charm. Windows automatically detects wireless
networks that are in range.
To see a list of wireless networks
1. Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, and then tap Settings.
(If you're using a mouse, point to the upper-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer down, and then click Settings.)
2. Tap or click the wireless network icon ( ).
If Windows doesn't detect a network that you think is in range of your PC, it could be because of one of the following problems.
Pr oblems Possible solutions
The wireless switch on your PC is turned off. Many laptops and tablets have a wireless switch on their front or side. If your
laptop or tablet has a switch, make sure it's turned on. Some laptops also use a
function key combination to turn the switch on or off. Check the info that came
with your PC for details about locating the wireless switch.
Airplane mode is turned on. To turn off airplane mode
1. Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, and then tap Settings.
(If you're using a mouse, point to the upper-right corner of the screen,
move the mouse pointer down, and then click Settings.)
2. Tap or click the wireless network icon ( ).
3. Make sure Airplane mode is set to Off.
Your PC is too far from the wireless router or access point. Move your PC closer to the router or access point. If the PC is portable, try
moving it around to determine the range of the wireless signal and the best
place to use your PC.
If you can't get closer to the router or access point, consider buying and
installing an external antenna for your wireless network adapter to improve its
reception. Check the info that came with your wireless network adapter to see if
you can install an additional antenna.
Your router and the network adapter in your PC might not work together. To work, the network adapter in your PC must use a wireless standard that is
equal to or older than the routers wireless standard. For example, if the
network adapter in your PC uses the 802.11n wireless standard (also called
Wireless-N) but your router uses 802.11g (also called Wireless-G), you won't be
able to connect because the Wireless-G standard is an earlier version and
doesnt recognize Wireless-N. However, if the router uses Wireless-N but the
adapter in your PC uses Wireless-G, you should be able to connect if the router
is set to mixed mode, since Wireless-N works with some or all of the earlier
standards (802.11a, 802.11b, and 802.11g).
The wireless router or access point is turned off or isn't working properly. There are two things to try:
Make sure the router or access point is turned on and that the wireless
signal light is on.
Reset the router or access point by unplugging it, waiting at least 10
seconds, and then plugging it back in.
Warning
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5/3/2014 Why can' t I find a wireless network? - Microsoft Windows Help
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/cant-find-wireless-network#1TC=windows-8 2/2
Resetting the router or access point will temporarily disconnect
everyone from the network.
If you don't manage the access point or network, contact the network
administrator.
There's interference from other devices. Some home devices can cause interference between your PC and networks that
might be in range. For example, microwave ovens and some cordless phones
use particular frequencies (including 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) that are also used by
some network hardware.
There are two things you can try:
If any devices like these are near your PC, turn them off temporarily or
move them farther away.
Change the router or access point settings to use a different wireless
channel, or set the channel to be selected automatically if it's set to a fixed
channel number. Sometimes, one wireless channel works better than others.
Check the info that came with your access point or router for instructions
about setting the wireless signal channel.
The router or access point is busy. The router or access point might be too busy to respond to new requests if
there are several PCs or devices using it. If you have other PCs that are
connected to the network, try temporarily disconnecting them.
The network you're looking for isn't set to broadcast its network name. Your wireless router might not be set to broadcast its network ID (SSID).
Broadcasting the SSID makes the network visible to anyone within range of the
network. It also improves your network's security (see the following warning for
details). To turn on SSID broadcasting, refer to the documentation that came
with the wireless router or open the router settings webpage.
Warning
Typically, wireless networks broadcast their name, and your PC "listens"
for the name of the network that it wants to connect to. Because a
hidden network doesnt broadcast, your PC can't find it, so the network
has to find your PC. For this to happen, your PC must broadcast both
the name of the network it's looking for and its own name. In this
situation, other PCs "listening" for networks will know the name of your
PC as well as the network youre connected to, which increases the risk
of your PC being hacked.
Your network administrator has blocked the use of certain networks. If you're on a corporate network, your network admin might be using Group
Policy to control the use of wireless networks. If you think there are wireless
networks in range of your PC that aren't visible or that you can't connect to
because your network admin has blocked them, contact your network admin.
The wireless network adapter is in monitor mode. If you run a network monitoring app on your PC, the wireless network adapter
will be set to monitor mode, which prevents Windows from connecting to
wireless networks. To connect to a wireless network, close the network
monitoring app or follow the instructions in the app to exit monitor mode.
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