My phone won't connect to Wi-Fi even though the password is correct—what should I do?

You've entered the correct Wi-Fi password, but your phone stubbornly refuses to connect? The indicator light spins endlessly, you see the error "Authentication" or "Saved, WPA/WPA2 security," and there's still no internet connection? This problem is familiar to many—according to statistics, one in five users has encountered such a failure at least once. The causes could lie in the smartphone's settings, the router's settings, or even interference from neighboring networks.

In this article we will look at all possible reasons, which prevent the phone from connecting to Wi-Fi even with the correct password, from the banal to the rare. You will receive step-by-step instructions For Android And iPhone, a table with error codes and their meanings, and router diagnostic tips. Don't rush to reset the settings to factory defaults: in 90% of cases, the problem can be resolved within 5 minutes without drastic measures.

1. Restarting devices is the first step in diagnostics

Start with the simplest: reboot both your phone and your routerThis helps in 30-40% of cases when the failure is caused by a temporary IP address conflict or an overloaded network settings cache. Android Press and hold the power button and select "Restart" iPhone - use a combination Volume Up + Side Button (for models without Home button).

The router is rebooted by the button Power on the rear panel or via the web interface (tab System Tools → RebootIf the problem persists after rebooting, check if other devices (laptop, tablet) can connect to the same network. If so, the problem is with the phone; if not, the problem is with the router or ISP.

Restart your phone|Restart your router|Check the connections of other devices|Make sure Wi-Fi is turned on on your phone-->

Attention! If after rebooting the router the indicator Wi-Fi If the indicator light doesn't turn on or blinks red, this indicates a hardware failure. In this case, you need to checking the power supply or repairing the device.

2. Check the correctness of the password and encryption type

Even if you are sure that the password is correct, double-check itCommon mistakes:

• 🔹 Letter case: passwords Password And password - different.
• 🔹 Twin symbols: 1 And l, 0 And O.
• 🔹 Spaces: sometimes they are added accidentally when copying.
• 🔹 Old Password: perhaps someone changed it in the router settings.

Make sure the network encryption type matches the supported phone. For example, iPhone 6s and older do not work with WPA3 - only with WPA2To check the encryption type:

1. Connect to the router via cable or from another device.
2. Open the web interface (usually 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1).
3. Go to Wireless → Security and look at the field Encryption.

3. Reset network settings on your phone

If your phone has previously connected to this network but is now showing an error, reset network settings This procedure often helps. This procedure deletes all saved Wi-Fi networks, VPNs, and mobile data settings.

For Android:

1. Open Settings → System → Reset.
2. Select Reset Wi-Fi, mobile network, and Bluetooth settings.
3. Confirm the action.

For iPhone:

1. Go to Settings → General → Transfer or reset iPhone.
2. Click Reset → Reset network settings.

After the reset, try connecting again. If the problem persists, proceed to the next steps.

What to do if resetting doesn't help?

If resetting network settings does not solve the problem, check:

1. MAC filtering in the router (your phone may be blacklisted).

2. Connected devices limit (the router may have a limitation, for example, 10 devices).

3. Network operating mode (if the router only works in the 5 GHz range, and the phone only supports 2.4 GHz).

4. Changing router settings

Sometimes the problem lies in incorrect router settings. Here's what you can change:

After making changes, save the settings and reboot the router. If you're unsure which settings to change, try resetting the router to factory settings (button Reset for 10 seconds).

TP-Link|ASUS|Xiaomi|Keenetic|D-Link|Other-->

5. Problems with IP addresses and DHCP

An IP address conflict or a DHCP server failure on the router may be blocking the connection. If the phone receives an IP address like 169.254.x.x (and not 192.168.x.x), this is a sign of a problem.

How to fix:

• 📱 On the phone: Set a static IP manually (in the Wi-Fi network settings, select “Advanced” → “IP settings” → “Static”). Use an address of the form 192.168.1.100 (the last digit is any from 100 to 254).
• 📡 On the router: Check if DHCP is enabled (LAN → DHCP Server). The IP range should be, for example, 192.168.1.100–192.168.1.199.

Attention! If there's already a device on the network with the same static IP, the conflict will persist. Before assigning an address, check the occupied IP addresses through the router's web interface (DHCP → Client List).

6. Updating firmware and software

Outdated router firmware or phone operating system may contain errors that prevent the connection. For example, in Android 10–11 there was a problem with authorization in networks with WPA3, fixed only in updates.

For router:

1. Check the current firmware version in System Tools → Firmware Upgrade.
2. Download the latest version from the manufacturer's website (for example, TP-Link or ASUS).
3. Update via web interface (do not turn off power during the process!).

For phone:

• 📱 Android: Settings → System → Software Update.
• 🍎 iPhone: Settings → General → Software Update.

7. Hardware problems and interference

If none of the methods helped, the reason may be:

• 📶 Weak signalCheck your Wi-Fi signal strength in your settings. If it's below 2-3 bars, try moving closer to the router or using a repeater.
• 🔌 Antenna malfunctions: On a router or phone (for example, after a fall).
• 🔋 Router overheating: If it is hot, turn it off for 10-15 minutes.
• 🚫 Interference from other devices: Microwaves, wireless headphones, or nearby networks on the same channel.

To check for interference, use apps like Wi-Fi Analyzer (Android) or NetSpot (iOS). They will show the channel load and help you choose the freest one.

8. When to contact a specialist

If you've tried everything and your phone still won't connect to Wi-Fi, you may need to:

• 🔧 Router repair: For example, if the Wi-Fi module burned out after a power surge.
• 📱 Phone diagnostics: Antenna or network controller failure (often after a fall or exposure to moisture).
• 📡 Equipment replacement: If the router is outdated (for example, TP-Link TL-WR740N 2012 release) and does not support modern standards.

Wi-Fi module repairs start at 1,500 rubles, and router replacements start at 2,000 rubles (budget models). Before visiting the service center, back up your data!

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my phone say "Saved, WPA/WPA2 protected" but won't connect?

This error means that the phone cannot authenticate. Reasons:

• Incorrect password (even if you are sure it is correct, check it again).
• Incompatible encryption type (for example, the router is configured to WPA3, and the phone only supports WPA2).
• MAC filtering is enabled and your phone is blacklisted.

Solution: Change the encryption type to WPA2-PSK or disable MAC filtering in your router settings.

My phone connects to Wi-Fi, but the internet isn't working. What should I do?

In this case, the problem isn't with authentication, but with routing. Check:

1. Does the internet work on other devices?
2. Are the DNS servers specified correctly (try 8.8.8.8 And 8.8.4.4 from Google).
3. Does your antivirus or VPN block access to the network?

If the Internet does not work on any device, reboot the router and check the connection to the provider (indicator WAN should be green).

Is it possible to connect to Wi-Fi without a password if it is saved on another device?

Yes, there are several ways:

• 📱 Android: Use the function Wi-Fi Direct or apps like WiFi Key Recovery (root rights required).
• 🍎 iPhone: Bring another device with iOS 11+ and Bluetooth enabled near it - a pop-up window will appear asking you to share the password.
• 🖥️ Windows: Look at the password in Control Panel → Network and Sharing Center → Wireless Network → Properties → Security.

Important: These methods only work if you have access to a device that is already connected to the network.

Why won't my iPhone connect to Wi-Fi after updating iOS?

iOS updates sometimes introduce changes to the network stack. Common causes include:

• 🔄 Reset network settings was not completed after the update.
• 🔒 New safety requirements: iOS may block networks with outdated encryption (WEP or TKIP).
• 📡 Incompatibility with the router: For example, iPhone 12 May not connect to routers with firmware older than 2019.

Solution: Update your router firmware or reset your iPhone's network settings.

How do I know if my phone supports 5GHz?

List of phones that support 5 GHz:

• 📱 Android: Almost all models after 2016 (for example, Samsung Galaxy S7, Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 and newer).
• 🍎 iPhone: All models starting from iPhone 5 (2012).

To check on your device:

1. Open the list of Wi-Fi networks.
2. If you see two networks with the same name (for example, MyWiFi And MyWiFi_5G), your phone supports 5 GHz.