Troubleshoot Wi-Fi connection problems. Wi-Fi without Internet access: the yellow exclamation mark in the tray is lit. Recommendations for solving the error

Question from a user

Good afternoon.

Tell me what can be done - a yellow exclamation mark often appears on my laptop, indicating Wi-Fi without access to the Internet.

After a while it disappears, but constantly waiting for the network gets boring. I'm thinking of buying a cable to connect the laptop to the router directly (but then there will be no mobility) ...

Alexandra.

Good afternoon everyone.

The described problem with accessing the Internet via Wi-Fi is not that uncommon (I think that most Wi-Fi users have encountered it more than once, and will continue to encounter it...). It occurs for many reasons, and I will analyze the most basic of them in this article (so to speak, I will give recommendations for restoring the network). So...

How to restore Internet access via Wi-Fi

The appearance of the error is shown in the screenshot below - a yellow exclamation mark lights up in the tray on the Wi-Fi icon; if you move the mouse pointer over it, you will see a characteristic message. Also, users often find out that something is wrong with the network when they try to open some web page - and instead see a message in the browser stating that the resource is unavailable (and this happens with all sites).

An example of an error: when you hover over the Wi-Fi icon, Windows reports that the connection is without Internet access...

Now about the decision...

Try rebooting your router and laptop

Oh... For many problems with your computer, it is recommended to restart it. And this time is no exception either (this error often occurs after the computer wakes up from sleep mode (hibernation). The fact is that after waking up from hibernation, Windows “thinks” that it is working with the old IP address, but the router has already given it a new one - and in As a result of this lack of agreement, connection problems are observed) ...

To reboot the router, you can use a special button on the device’s case, or simply disconnect its power supply from the network for a while.

I note that in case of many connection problems, such a forced reboot helps to quickly restore network functionality...

Important!

By the way, I highly recommend checking whether there is Internet on other devices using this Wi-Fi network - on a tablet, phone, etc. This will help you understand whether the problem is in the laptop (with Windows), or a problem with the router or provider.

Diagnose problems

Windows (at least 10) has very smart network diagnostics, which many people underestimate. Meanwhile, by running it, you can correct the lion's share of errors, and at least roughly know “where to dig”...

And so, right-click on the Wi-Fi connection icon and select (see screenshot below).

Next, the wizard will start: it will automatically check all the parameters, correct errors, restart the adapter (if necessary), and at the end of its work it will give you a message: that everything is in order and I have fixed the network, or indicate some kind of problem.

For example, in my case, the diagnostic result is “The DNS server is not responding.” This error occurs most often when there are problems with your Internet provider, or there is a break in the communication channel. For example, if you cut the network cable at the entrance (or simply remove the Internet cable from your router), you will see the same error...

Remark!

The article will tell you what to do if DNS servers do not respond (Internet failure and sites do not open) -

Check that your network cable is ok

This advice follows from the previous point. First, take a look at the router itself: if everything is in order with it, one way or another, the LEDs on it should be lit and blinking (try disconnecting the Internet cable from the router, and then connecting it again - the number of lit/blinking LEDs should change, provided that everything is in order with the network cable) .

In addition, check the Internet cable from your PC to the entrance area. It is not at all uncommon for the cable to be chewed by pets or local “ghouls” to cut the cable in the entrance.

Is there a problem with your Internet provider?

Many users are in no hurry to call the provider, meanwhile, at the other end they can very quickly tell you whether everything is in order (which means you can quickly figure out whether it’s worth continuing to look for problems at home).

By the way, problems on the provider’s side are not that uncommon. You can find out about major interruptions on the provider's forums (or official websites. By the way, in these cases it is difficult to reach him by phone - they usually hang up).

Also, the provider may change the settings, forgetting to notify you (or you ignored the notification).

Try registering DNS Google or Yandex. Check your network connection settings.

Often, when the Internet is not available due to a failure of the DNS servers (in this case, most often, applications such as Skype, torrents, etc. work, but the pages do not open in the browser).

In this case, try registering DNS servers from Google or Yandex. Their stability will be higher than the DNS of many providers in our country, which means access to the Internet will be more stable...

To register DNS, you need to open the properties of the wireless connection. I'll look at it in order...

First you need to open a list of all network connections on your PC. To do this you need:

• press Win+R;
• enter ncpa.cpl ;
• press Enter.

How to view network connections in Windows 7/8/10

By the way, you may have more than one connection (as in my case), but several (you need to select the wireless option, if the English name is "Wireless...") .

After that, open properties "IP version 4 (TCP/IPv4)" . See screenshot below.

Next, you need to move one slider to the “Obtain an IP address automatically” mode (check this network connection setting!); the other one, related to DNS, set to the “Use the following addresses of DNS servers” mode - and register DNS from Google 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 (or from Yandex 77.88.8.8). See the screenshot below.

Save the settings and check the network functionality.

Check your router settings

Wi-Fi without an Internet connection often occurs due to a faulty router settings. Or, alternatively, your Internet service provider may have changed the settings required to access the network. For example, not long ago I was faced with the fact that my provider changed the login for accessing the Internet via the PPPoE protocol (the sad thing is that no one notified about this... Therefore, in the previous steps, I recommended asking the provider if everything is in order...) .

In general, setting up a router is a separate and large topic. Therefore, in this step I will provide a couple of links to my articles on this topic. I recommend checking it out.

How to connect and configure a new Wi-Fi router yourself - instructions with pictures -

How to enter the router settings, and what to do if the settings do not open -

Test your network without antivirus or firewall

Well, the last thing I recommend is to temporarily disable your antivirus and firewall. This, of course, happens infrequently, but still, it happens that for security reasons and care for the user, they block the network (Especially, the Norton IS antivirus used to sin with this when setting the maximum level of protection. Apparently, they restricted the user from everything where it was hypothetically possible to pick up an infected file).

Most modern antiviruses can be disabled via their tray icon. For example, with Avast antivirus - this is done simply: just select the item "Manage Avast Screens" - and then specify the time for which the antivirus will be disabled. Everything is simple and fast...

To disable the firewall built into Windows, first go to control Panel . Next you need to open the section " System and safety" , then “Windows Defender Firewall” (see screenshot below).

Then click on the menu on the left "Turn the firewall on or off...".

Set all sliders to mode and save the settings.

After checking and setting up the Wi-Fi connection, it is recommended to turn on both the antivirus and firewall (and adjust them accordingly if they were causing Wi-Fi instability. For example, you can reduce the security level they provide from maximum to medium) .

Additions on the topic are welcome (constructive criticism too).

A common problem is when, after successfully connecting to a Wi-Fi network, the connection icon on your Android smartphone or tablet is gray. And it should be blue.

Everything seems to be fine, but the gray icon means you need to sign in to your Google Play account. After entering personal data (username and password), an error appears in your Google account stating that it is impossible to connect to the server. And on a phone or tablet, Google Play is needed to download a program or game.

Users note that when they try to connect the tablet to a Wi-Fi network, a gray icon appears. Then the user tries to log into Google Play, indicates the login and password in the previously created Google account, but the system displays a message indicating that it is impossible to log in. Some people click Next. This opens the settings page for connecting to Wi-Fi networks. There you will notice that the Wi-Fi signal strength icon is gray instead of blue. At the same time, all sites open normally in the browser, but Google Play does not work.

I read somewhere that this problem sometimes occurs due to incorrect time and date settings. It seems like such a small thing. I decided to find out for myself. I go into the settings and see that the time is shown correctly, but the date is not. The year is set correctly, but the day and month are incorrect. After I changed this data to the current date, the Wi-Fi icon turned blue and Google Play started working. Some Android users experience problems logging into the Google Play Market after installing the Freedom application. Therefore, delete it if you have not already done so.

What to do if the Wi-Fi icon is gray on your phone or tablet and you can’t log into Google Play?

Time and date settings may vary depending on the Android OS version and your device manufacturer. However, in any case, the date and time are set in the settings. Enter the panel where the clock, battery charge, and other information are located. Select "Settings". Then go to the “Date and Time” tab and check the settings. Be sure to set the correct date and time, including time zone. After setting the correct settings, the icon turns blue. I immediately opened Google Play and downloaded several games.

This is a simple solution to an unusual problem.

Sometimes smartphones have problems connecting to the Internet via Wi-Fi. Instead of the usual blue Wi-Fi icon, a gray one is displayed. Browsers display the error “The connection cannot be established.”

More likely The password on your Wi-Fi router has been changed- this is the most common case, but there are other reasons why the Wi-Fi icon on the screen turns gray. Read about it below.

Why iconWi-Fi gray on the phone

There are several reasons why your mobile phone displays a gray Wi-Fi icon, and several solutions. Let's try to talk about a few of them.

• The date on your phone may be incorrect; check if the year, month and time are set correctly. Update the time.

• Check that the password is correct.

• You may be having problems with your hosts file. As a result, an error occurs. To fix it, find the folder system/etc/hosts. Then, click the “Rights R/W” button and edit the text. You will need to remove all suspicious lines in the text. And just resave it. You can access it only with the help of “advanced” file managers, such as Ghost Commander or Root Explorer.

• There may be viruses on your phone. Install an antivirus system, choosing the one that best suits you on your phone.

• Absence, not very good connection, or a fully loaded server. In this case, you will need to check how well the server is working, whether there are any problems with its operation, and whether the connection is working well. The easiest way to troubleshoot problems is to simply reboot the device (turn it off and on again).

• If you finally decide and install programs such as LuckyPatcher or Freedom, just run them and in a couple of minutes the icon Wi-Fi will be back to normal and its usual blue color.

If everything went well, your Google Play will work without interruptions again, and the Wi-Fi icon will return to its normal color.

Wi-Fi does not work on iPhone: possible problems.

Some iPhone owners complain that they are having problems with the Wi-Fi module. The device stops “seeing” the network or cannot connect to it at all, and the Wi-Fi enable slider turns gray. There may be several reasons for such problems. Let's separate them into two separate groups: hardware and software.

Hardware problems

The malfunction may be caused by simple moisture getting on the Wi-Fi unit. Water can short-circuit all contacts of the module, which is why it stops working.

No less often, users drop their iPhone, after which the Wi-Fi module also ceases to function fully. In this case, the device can accept the connection, but will work extremely unstable.

Software problems

Sometimes it happens that an inexperienced user himself becomes the reason for the lack of wireless communication in the phone. The “scientific poking” method in the “Network Settings” section has its sad consequences. In this case, the instructions should help you.

Updating a previous version of iOS does not always go smoothly. Due to low-quality firmware, the iPhone may experience various glitches and errors, including those related to Wi-Fi operation. In this case, the instructions should help you.

Other problems

This may include problems related to your router. You can check this by connecting your phone to another router. Manufacturing defects.

To avoid these and other problems with your iPhone, you should treat it with care.

In rare cases, the Wi-Fi network setting on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch may be greyed out or grayed out. If you go to the Settings -> Wi-Fi menu, the toggle switch will be turned off without the ability to activate the wireless connection.

If this happens, the iOS device does not allow you to use the Wi-Fi interface. In iOS 7.1, the message “Wi-Fi unavailable” may appear in Control Center. How to solve an unpleasant problem? First of all, check that the Airplane Mode toggle switch is in the Off position by going to the main section of iPhone and iPad. After that:

1. Install the latest version of iOS

The first thing to do in such a situation is to check that the current version of the operating system is installed on the device. With each update, Apple eliminates system errors and makes the OS more stable. After upgrading to the latest OS, the problem may resolve itself. Go to the Settings menu -> General -> Update. Here you should see the message “The latest software has been installed.” If your device does not have access to the Internet, connect the gadget to your computer and check for updates in iTunes.

2. Do a hard reset

To solve the problem with the inactive Wi-Fi indicator, a hard reboot of the device will help, as a result of which temporary data is reset. To do a Hard Reset, you need to simultaneously press and hold the top “Power” button and the “Home” button. You need to hold them together until the Apple logo appears on the display.

There is a problem on Android devices when, after connecting to a wireless network, the Wi-Fi icon is gray instead of blue and the Internet does not work in Google Play and other programs. Websites usually open, but there are also cases when there is a connection, but the Internet does not work at all, even in the browser. Moreover, on Android, not everyone immediately notices this gray Wi-Fi network icon; most likely everyone faces a problem when they simply I can't log into Google Play Store, the error “No connection” or “Check your connection and try again” appears.

And in the browser, when you try to open a website, the error “The clock is behind” (NET::ERR_CERT_DATE_INVALID) may appear.

As for the Wi-Fi connection icon itself, on Android devices without any proprietary skins, it can actually be gray instead of blue. It looks something like this:

But basically, the wireless network connection icon does not change. Even if such a problem appears. I checked it on Lenovo and Meizu M2 Note. It was not possible to access Google Play, YouTube, etc., but the Wi-Fi connection icon itself did not change in any way. It's always gray there :)

Gray Wi-Fi icon on Android and Google Play not working. How to fix?

I myself have encountered this problem several times and have seen a lot of information on the Internet on this topic. So now let’s look at the most popular reasons and solutions that can cause such problems with Wi-Fi on Android.

First of all, I advise you to try method number 6! As it turns out, installing Dr.Web antivirus immediately solves the problem with the gray Wi-Fi icon.

1 Time. Date of. Timezone. These parameters need to be checked first. If the date or time on your phone or tablet is incorrectly configured, Wi-Fi will be gray and Play MrKet will not work. This is checked, we change the date on the phone, and the Market cannot access the Internet.

Therefore, go to the settings of your device, to the tab where the time is set, and check whether the settings there are correct. You can check the box next to the item for automatically setting the date and time, or, conversely, uncheck it and set everything manually. Also, be sure to check your time zone settings.

If you had incorrect parameters there, then after configuration everything should work.

2 Freedom. If you are familiar with an application such as Freedom, or LuckyPatcher, you have it installed, or you installed it and uninstalled it, then you need to open Freedom (if necessary, install again), wait a few minutes, and press the button Stop.

Problem: On an Android device, the Wi-Fi icon is gray instead of blue. The Internet works, sites open, but the Play Market (Google Play) does not work. Also, there may be a situation when Wi-Fi is connected, but there is no Internet, and again the Wi-Fi icon is gray. Read below to learn how to fix such problems and their types on Android.

Causes and solutions to the problem with the wrong color of the WiFi icon

Reason 1: The wrong date is set on the device

People often confuse day and month and can, for example, set 2014.02.07 instead of 2014.07.02. Solution: set the correct current date. We recommend going to the section Settings, Options, date and time:

and check the box Automatic date and time detection:

Reason 2: A dubious Android application like Freedom or an ad blocker is installed on the device

Remove all unwanted applications that claim to block ads, promise to speed up a slow phone, or allow you to use paid programs and games for free.

Reason 3. The hosts file has been changed

If on a rooted device the user or software has changed the system hosts file, there may be no Internet, the Play Market may not work, or the “no internet” icon may be displayed (In English, Android sounds like “Connected. No internet”). If you have root rights, check the file /system/etc/hosts and, if necessary, remove extra lines from it (leave only 127.0.0.1 localhost)

Additional solution to gray Wi-Fi icon problem

If all else fails, we recommend installing DrWEB antivirus for Android. If the Internet does not work on your phone, you can use it on your computer, then download it to your phone and install it. Reviews on the forums indicate that to fix the problem of the “gray Wi-Fi icon”, sometimes it’s enough just to launch Doctor Web and the icon will turn blue.