Error «windows was unable to connect» while connecting with any Wi-Fi networks

Original title: Wireless connection problem

I´m trying to connect to my network which has a full signal. When i click «connect» it shows me the error «widows was unable to connect». This happens with any wifi network i want to connect to. I started having this problem about a week ago. I know my router is ok because im connected through it on another computer.

Please help me. Thank you.

you can find the network connections this way.

Log to the Network and sharing center . On the upper left side Click onChange adapter setting.

As for disabling IPv6.

Quote from the link in Praseetha K post.

Type any one of the following values to configure the IPv6 protocol, and then clickOK :

Type 0 to enable all IPv6 components.

Note The value «0» is the default setting.

Type 0xffffffff to disable all IPv6 components, except the IPv6 loopback interface. This value also configures Windows Vista to use Internet Protocol

I.e., you type 0xffffffff and disable all the components.

Jack-MVP Windows Networking. WWW.EZLAN.NET

Jack MVP, Microsoft Windows Desktop Experience-Networking.

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Go over these steps and tell us where the breaking point is.

Check the Device Manager for valid Wireless card entry.

If there is No valid entry, delete any Bogus Entry, and re-install the Wireless card’s Drivers.

Check the Network connections to make sure that you have a Wireless Network Connection Icon/Entry, and that the Properties of the Icon (right click on the Icon) are correctly configured with TCP/IPv4 protocol in the Network Connections Properties.

Make sure that if there is a vendor’s Wireless Utility the utility is Not Running together with the Windows native Wireless utility.

Make sure that No Firewall is preventing/blocking the Wireless components to get to the Network.

Working TCP/IP stack should look this way.

Right click on the Wire card Network Connection, choose Status, Details, and see if it got an IP and the rest of the settings.

Description is the card manufacturing data.

Physical address is the card’s MAC number.

The xx should be a number from 0 to 255 (all xx same number).

yy should be from 0 to 255

zz should be from 0 to 255 (all zz the same number.

The lease date should be valid to the current time.

*Note 1. IP that starts with 169.xxx.xxx.xxx is not valid functional IP.

*Note 2. There might be an IPv6 entries too. However, they are not functional for Internet traffic or LAN. They are needed for Win 7 special HomeGroup configuration.

If everything above is OK you have to be able to connect to the Router. A Window that says Connected does not means that your are really connected. Connecting to the Router means that you can enter the Router’s core IP into an address bar of a browse, be able to connect, see, and configure the Router’s menus. If it does not connecting to the Router log from any computer that can connect to Wireless Router with a Wire, disable the Wireless Security, (make sure that the Wireless broadcast SSID) is On, and try to connect with No Wireless security.

I really checked and configured every thing and it does Not work.

Software Firewall application that is Not configured to allow local traffic (between the computer and the Router is a possible issue too.
some 3rd party Software Firewalls keep blocking aspects of Local Traffic even it they are turned Off (disabled). If possible configure the Firewall correctly, or totally uninstall it to allow clean flow of local network traffic. If the 3rd party software is uninstalled or disables, make sure that Windows native Firewall is On .

Jack-MVP Windows Networking. WWW.EZLAN.NET

Jack MVP, Microsoft Windows Desktop Experience-Networking.

unable to connect to wireless network windows 7, wi

W ndows 7 ultimate 64 working fine for 2 weeks, network ok with a Dlink dir 628, my wife’s macbook air connects ok, now my Dell Inspiron e1705 does not detect any available networks, in network and sharing center did everything even setup a new connection, manualy but does not work, i unistall and reinstal the adapter (dell 1390 WLAN mini-card) that was working fine (and did connect to the wireless network for the last two weeks), any suggestion? eas:

• Programs you are having problems with
• Error messages
• Recent changes you made to your computer
• What you have already tried to fix the problem

Remember — This is a public forum so never post private information such as email or phone numbers!

Welcome to Microsoft Answers Forum!

To troubleshoot the issue better, please provide us the more information.

a) Have you made any recent changes on the computer?

Step 1:

Firstly I would suggest you to turn on network discovery and check whether it helps to fix the issue. To do so, please follow the steps below:

1. Open Advanced sharing settings by clicking the Start button, and then clicking Control Panel. In the search box, type network, click Network and Sharing Center, and then, in the navigation pane, click Change advanced sharing settings.

2. Click the chevron to expand the current network profile.

3. Click Turn on network discovery, and then click Save changes. If you’re prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

Step 2:

Also please verify with the WLAN service is started and set to automatic, if the WLAN service is stopped, I would suggest you to start the service and put it to automatic.

Please follow the steps to start the WLAN service.

a) Click on Start, type in services.msc
b) Select WLAN Autoconfig from the list, Right click properties
c) Change the startup type to Automatic
d) Click on Start button
e) Click on Apply , Ok.
f) Restart the computer and verify if it works.

If the issue persists, then I would suggest you to download the latest network adaptor drivers from the manufacturer’s website and install the same on the computer and check whether it helps you to fix the issue.

Step 3:

Also I would suggest you to run a network diagnostic tool and check hope that will fix your issue.

To perform this troubleshooting problem, please follow the steps below.

a) Click on Start > Control Panel.

b) Click on Network and Internet, and then click on Network and Sharing center.

c) Under Network and Sharing centre, click on Troubleshoot Problem.

For additional information on how to troubleshoot common network problems, please refer to the links below:

I hope this information helps. Please get back to us if you have any more questions about this issue.

«Windows was unable to connect to this network»

My MacBook, using bootcamp, cannot connect to my wireless router. The settings on the router are all default, and I used to be able to connect to the same router using the same laptop before I had to reformat the bootcamp install. I can connect on my Mac OSX partition, but not on the windows. The network is protected, but I cannot even get to the stage where I am allowed to enter the security code. Windows says «Getting information from 2WIRE980» then skips straight over to «Windows was unable to connect to this network».

I do not think that the problem is with my router. I can connect wired and wirelessly using other devices, e.g. my Desktop PC and my iPhone. I just cannot connect under Windows 7 on my laptop.

My Sister’s Acer laptop cannot connect either, and it is running Win7. However, My mother’s netbook with Win7 Starter CAN connect.

Replies (4) 

Follow these steps in order and check if it helps.

1. Double-click on the wireless icon in the windows system tray (normally in the bottom right hand corner). A Wireless Network Connection Status window will pop up.

2. Click on the Properties button in the Wireless Network Connection Status window. A Wireless Network Connection Properties window will pop up.

3. Click on the Wireless Networks tab in the Wireless Network Connection Properties window.

4. Click on the Add… button to enter in the information about the wireless network with the shared authentication. A Wireless network properties window will pop up.

1. Enter the Network Name (SSID). This is the name of the network you tried to connect to before getting the message that Windows cannot connect.

2. Set the Network Authentication to Shared.

3. Uncheck the box that says “The key is provided for me automatically.”

4. If there is a key enter it in the Network Key and Confirm Network Key boxes.

5. Press the OK button.

5. Now either Windows will automatically connect to this newly configured wireless network or you can rescan and connect manually.

Step 2: Use the network troubleshooter and see if it helps.

Refer this link to do the same.

Additionally you may refer the following links as well for further steps.

Divya R – Microsoft Support.

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Fix “Windows Can’t Connect To This Network” Error

One of these methods should help

“Windows 10 can’t connect to this network” is one of the issues you could face while trying to connect your Windows machine to a network. As you can see, except for telling you you can’t connect to the network, the error doesn’t say much about why the issue has occurred and what you can do about it.

If you’ve found yourself in the situation for the first time, you’re probably clueless and have no idea what to do. Luckily, there are a few ways to get around the issue and successfully connect to your chosen network on your PC.

Forget The Network & Reconnect To It

When there’s an issue on your computer, you’re usually asked to reboot your machine and that’ll hopefully fix it for you. The same can be done for your network connection as well. You can try forgetting the network and then re-connecting to it to see if it then connects without any issues.

Although it’s one of the most basic things to do, it may just work out for you, and there’s no harm in doing it.

• Find the network icon in your system tray, right-click on it, and select Open Network & Internet settings.

• Click on the option that says Wi-Fi in the left sidebar to view your wireless adapters.

• On the following screen, click on Manage known networks on the right-hand side pane to view your networks.

• You’ll see a list of all the networks you’ve ever connected to from your PC. Click on the one you’re having trouble connecting to and select the Forget button for it.

• The network will be removed from the list.
• To reconnect to it, scan for it as you would normally and click on it.

Toggle The Airplane Mode On & Off

On smartphones like iPhone and Android, when you face the “windows 10 can’t connect to this network” issue, one of the things you’re asked to do is toggle the airplane mode and see if that fixes the problem for you. It works in many cases as it helps your device fully disconnect from any networks, and you can then turn it off and manually connect to your chosen network.

You can use the same method on your Windows PC as well.

• Click on the notification-like icon at the bottom-right corner to open the Windows Action center.

• You’ll see several tiles you can enable and disable for your machine. Click on the one that says Airplane mode to turn it on.

• The tile will turn full blue meaning the airplane mode has been enabled on your PC.
• Wait for about a minute and then click on the same tile again. This time, it’ll disable the airplane mode.

• Reconnect to your network and you should be able to do it without an issue.

Uninstall The Drivers For Your Network Adapter

Your Windows computer recognizes your network adapter because you have its drivers installed on your machine. If there’s an issue with the drivers, it can cause issues like “Windows can’t connect to this network”.

One of the ways to resolve the driver-related issues is to uninstall the device and the drivers. Your machine will then automatically install the proper and required drivers for your device.

• Search for Device Manager using Cortana search and launch it.

• Expand the Network adapters menu by clicking on it. Then, select your wireless adapter from the list, right-click on it, and select Uninstall device.

• Tick-mark the box that says Delete the driver software for this device and click on Uninstall. It’ll remove the device as well as the drivers for it from your computer.

• Reboot your computer.
• Your computer will automatically find and install the required drivers for your adapter.

Run Commands In CMD To Fix The Issue

The “Can’t connect to network” issue you’re facing on your Windows 10 could be due to an IP related issue as well. In that case, Microsoft recommends you use a command to release your IP and flush the DNS cache.

These commands can be run from the Command Prompt utility on your computer. You don’t need to configure them or anything like that; all you need to do is copy and paste them into your CMD window.

• Search for Command Prompt using the Cortana search and click on the Run as administrator option.

• Type the following commands into the Command Prompt window one by one hitting Enter after each line.

netsh winsock reset
netsh int ip reset
ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew
ipconfig /flushdns

• Reboot your computer and your issue should likely be fixed.

Reset Your Network Settings

Sometimes an improper configuration in your network settings can lead to errors like “Windows 10 can’t connect to this network”. The best way to resolve the issue, without getting into much details, is to reset your network settings.

It brings your settings back to the factory defaults, and you can always reconfigure them when needed.

• Launch the Settings app using Cortana search on your PC.

• Click on the option that says Network & Internet.

• Select Status from the left sidebar on your screen.

• Scroll down in the right-hand side pane and click on the option that says Network reset. It should be at the very bottom of your screen.

• Click on the Reset now button to reset your settings.

Disable IPv6 On Your PC

You can try disabling IP version 6 on your computer and see if it helps fix the connection issue on your machine. Most computers can work just fine with IPv4 and you shouldn’t have any issues at all, unless you work on something that specifically requires IPv6.

• Right-click on the network icon in your system tray and select Open Network & Internet settings.

• Click on Change adapter options on the following screen.

• Find your wireless adapter, right-click on it, and select Properties.

• You’ll see several options you can enable and disable for your adapter. Untick the box that says Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6) to disable IPv6. Then click on OK at the bottom.

Use The Network Troubleshooter

If you have still not been able to figure out the issue yet, you might want to take help of the built-in network troubleshooter to find and fix the underlying problem on your computer.

• Launch the Settings app on your PC.

• Click on Update & Security.

• Select Troubleshoot from the left sidebar.

• Find Network Adapter in the list, click on it, and choose Run the troubleshooter.

• The troubleshooter will find and help fix the issue on your machine.

The “Windows can’t connect to this network” issue basically paralyzes you as it won’t let you connect to the Internet, and that means you can’t access your sites, emails, and anything else that requires an active Internet connection.

If you were able to fix the issue using any of the above methods, please let us know your experience in the comments below.

Mahesh has been obsessed with technology since he got his first gadget a decade or so ago. Over the last few years, he’s written a number of tech articles on various online publications including but not limited to MakeTechEasier and Android AppStorm. Read Mahesh’s Full Bio