Is your iPhone no longer able to connect to your home Wi-Fi network?
Regardless of the device you use, the Wi-Fi connection problem is a known issue. Wireless technology has indeed changed the way people connect their devices. However, it is never perfect, because wireless equipment and Wi-Fi enabled devices have limits. Your iPhone and the wireless router is not an exception.
On the other hand, these limitations have been considered by manufacturers and have found to be manageable. There are workarounds and fixes for Wi-Fi connectivity issues like this. You just need to know where to look and pinpoint the cause of this problem.
You don’t have to worry, because that is what we will do for you today. Our guide will help you fix your iPhone that will not connect to a known Wi-Fi network. We have provided a number of fixes from the most basic to the most advanced procedures. This way, you won’t compromise both your iPhone and Wi-Fi equipment.
Let’s get started!
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Check Your Connectivity
- Check iPhone Settings
- Disable Wi-Fi in Location Services
- Refresh iPhone’s Wi-Fi Connection
- Restart All Devices
- Update iOS and Router Firmware
- Reset Network Settings
- Contact Apple Support
How to Fix iPhone Will Not Connect To A Known Wi-Fi Network: 8 Ways
1. Check Your Connectivity.
Wi-Fi has an optimal range where you can connect your device. A standard Wi-Fi signal can reach up to a 50-meter radius in an open space. But since you have a lot of walls, doors, and furniture in the house, it degrades the signal quality by 25% or more. Therefore, to connect your Wi-Fi successfully, make sure you are not situated beyond 10 to 15 meters away from your Wi-Fi router.
However, if you are connected to your Wi-Fi but cannot connect to the internet, you need to check the cables between your Wi-Fi router and modem. If you are using a hybrid modem-Wi-Fi router, make sure that the Wi-Fi and Internet LED light indicators are in green status.
Another great advice, which we often try when troubleshooting issues like this is to use other devices such as a computer or other smartphones to check the internet connection. It also helps to do a speed test to check the quality of your internet connection.
If you find that all of your devices are connected via Wi-Fi and still cannot access the internet, then you need to contact your internet service provider (Verizon, Xfinity, AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, etc.). It’s possible that they may have blocked your internet access if you failed to pay the bills on time.
2. Check iPhone Settings.
Before contacting your internet service provider or checking your Wi-Fi router or modem, you must check your iPhone first. You need to make sure that your iPhone does not have connection conflicts in the settings. You can check all of these settings by accessing the Control Center feature of your iPhone.
Here are the settings that you need to check in the Control Center:
- Make sure that the Airplane mode feature is disabled. if enabled, tap the Airplane mode icon to disable it.
- Make sure that the Wi-Fi feature is enabled. If disabled, tap the Wi-Fi signal icon to enable it.
- Make sure that the Bluetooth feature is disabled. If enabled, tap the Bluetooth icon to disable it.
Another setting you need to disable is the Wi-Fi Assist feature on your iPhone. Disabling this feature means that your iPhone will not automatically switch to cellular data when your Wi-Fi is not working. To do it, just go to the Settings on your iPhone and then tap Cellular option. Then tap on Mobile Data and then toggle the Wi-Fi Assist button to disable it.
In addition, you need to disable the Bluetooth on your iPhone when you are using Wi-Fi because both of them are using the same frequency. This means that signal interference can happen when you use it simultaneously. After removing the conflicts, you should be able to connect your iPhone to the internet via Wi-Fi.
3. Disable Wi-Fi in Location Services.
There is a workaround you can try so your iPhone can work properly for now. Trying to turn off the ‘Location Services’ feature won’t disable Wi-Fi completely, but only those location services that are being used for particular wireless networking. However this may help you fix the problem and get connected to a known Wi-Fi again, so just give it a try.
Here’s how you can disable Wi-Fi Network in ‘Location Services’ feature:
- Go ahead and open the Settings of your iPhone.
- Then, tap on the Privacy option and then tap on Location Services.
- Now, scroll down and tap on the System Services option.
- Finally, toggle the Network & Wireless button to disable it.
On previous iPhone models, you will be seeing Wi-Fi Network instead of ‘Network & Wireless’. Again, this method may work as a temporary workaround for other users but it might not work on yours. Make sure you enable it back on if you still cannot connect to your Wi-Fi network.
4. Refresh iPhone’s Wi-Fi Connection.
Sometimes your Wi-Fi connection tends to get overworked when it runs for a long time. This can cause intermittent connection or sometimes disconnection. In the worst case, it would not function correctly. To fix this issue, you need to refresh your Wi-Fi connection on your iPhone.
To do it, just simply go to your iPhone’s Control Center, tap the Wi-Fi icon to disable it. Wait for a minute and tap on it to enable it again. To be sure that you have the updated settings after disabling and enabling the Wi-Fi again, you need to forget the Wi-Fi settings and rebuild the connection profile again.
Here’s how you can do it:
- First, open the Settings of your iPhone and tap on the Wi-Fi option.
- Then, tap the ( i ) button next to the Wi-Fi network name that you want to forget.
- Now, tap Forget This Network option and tap Forget to confirm the process.
- Next, wait for the Wi-Fi name to appear on the list again and connect to it.
- Finally, type in the correct Wi-Fi password to connect.
If you are seeing the incorrect password message, that means that someone changed the Wi-Fi password. To set it up again, you will need to call the manufacturer of your Wi-Fi router for support. When you have the correct Wi-Fi profile settings on your iPhone, you should be able to connect via Wi-Fi.
5. Restart All Devices.
When refreshing the connection does not work, you will need to refresh your network devices. In this process, you will need to restart all devices in the correct order that includes your modem, Wi-Fi router, and iPhone. This is to make sure that each device can properly sync with the other at the right time.
Here’s how you can do it:
- Go ahead and turn off your internet modem and Wi-Fi router using the power button. If you can’t locate it, you can just unplug it from the power source.
- Then, turn off your iPhone by going to the Settings and then tap on General.
- Now, tap on the Shut Down option and drag the Slide to Power Off button to the turn off direction.
- Next, turn back on the internet modem first and wait for the Internet LED light to have blinking green status.
- After that, turn back on your Wi-Fi router and wait for the Wi-Fi LED light to have a blinking green status. You can skip this method if you are using a hybrid modem/Wi-Fi router.
- Finally, turn back on your iPhone and wait until it fully starts up. Connect back to the internet by enabling the Wi-Fi icon on the Control Center.
By doing this process, you have unloaded some tasks from your Wi-Fi device and iPhone. Try and connect your iPhone back to your Wi-Fi network to see if it works.
6. Update iOS and Router Firmware.
It can be very frustrating when you still cannot connect to your Wi-Fi especially if you know you have the correct settings. This is not your fault because bugs and glitches could be the cause of all this. Network devices and smartphones are both constantly being developed for improvement. Along with it, there are bug fixes that are available on the latest update.
Here’s how to make sure you have the latest bug fixes on your iPhone:
- Go ahead and make sure you back up the data on your iPhone. Also, make sure that your Mac is running on the latest version.
- Since you cannot connect to the internet via Wi-Fi, connect your iPhone to your Mac using the lightning USB cable.
- Then, find your iPhone on your Mac and click on the General or Settings tab.
- Now, click on the Check for Update option and click on Download and Update.
- Finally, provide the passcode if applicable to complete the update process.
Now that you have updated your iPhone to the latest version, you need to update your Wi-Fi router’s firmware as well. To do this, you will need to check the manual of your router. If you cannot find it, you will need to call the manufacturer for support. Once all the updates are done, your Wi-Fi connection should work correctly.
7. Reset Network Settings.
What will you do if all of your devices work on Wi-Fi but your iPhone won’t still connect? There might be an untraceable conflict or corrupted settings in your iPhone that is causing this issue. To fix this, you will need to rebuild those settings by resetting it to the default factory state.
Here’s how you can do it:
- Go ahead and open the Settings of your iPhone.
- Then, tap the General option and then tap Reset.
- Next, tap the Reset Network Settings option.
- Finally, provide the passcode of your device if applicable.
If after this method, you still cannot connect back to your Wi-Fi, repeat this method. But instead of resetting the network settings, choose the Erase All Content and Settings option which will factory reset your iPhone back to how you first got it. Do take note that you need to make a backup of your iPhone before you go through with this option! Otherwise, you’ll lose all your important contacts and data. After you’ve reset, try to connect back to your Wi-Fi. You can restore your data later using the backup you’ve made.
8. Contact Apple Support.
If still, the problem persists, you will need the help of the experts. Apple-certified technicians can validate if your iPhone has a defective hardware or not. You can visit them at your nearest Apple Store to avail their services. If you are not sure about your warranty options, be sure to check it beforehand which could save you a lot of money.
But if you don’t have an Apple Store in your area, check out the available Apple Support in your country. You can opt to book a repair appointment using the internet instead. However, you will need to send them your iPhone through a courier. Don’t worry, you will be able to monitor the repair progress online.
And this wraps up our guide on how to fix your iPhone that will not connect to a known Wi-Fi network. Thank you for your trust and for continuously supporting our website. If you have questions related to this topic, please feel free to leave a comment below.
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