Wireless wifi network in windows 8. How to enable Wi-Fi on a laptop

Perhaps again someone will say something like: "Serge, what are you, what articles for kindergarten!" 🙂

But no, everything is serious and useful. I agree that connecting to a wireless Wi-Fi network on Windows 8, as well as on the 7, should not cause any problems. But this is only at first glance. When everything is turned on and configured on a laptop (or router). Launch the laptop, connect, and you're done.

But, very often there are problems such as: lack of a wireless adapter (he that is, but the system does not see him), and accordingly, there is no Wireless network in the control panel. Or, “Limited” status after connecting. This is generally a sore subject of Windows 8, which has been covered in a separate article. But first things first.

So what this article is about: I'll tell you how to connect a computer with Windows 8, or Windows 8.1 to Wi-Fi. Ideally how it is done. Let's consider possible problems, errors and different (seemingly) connection statuses (which are displayed in the notification bar)... According to them (connection icons) you can identify the problem and fix it.

Of course, very often problems in connection, and in the work of the Internet, arise due to the fault of access points. (router, aka router)... I will try to highlight these points where necessary.

Windows 8: Wi-Fi connectivity, how it should ideally be

Now, let's look at the process of connecting to a wireless network from a laptop that runs on Windows 8. That rare case when the connection was established without any problems and errors 🙂

If everything is fine on your computer with the wireless module, it is there, the driver is installed, and Wi-Fi is on, then the connection status will look like this (network divisions with an asterisk):

This means that the laptop sees Wi-Fi networks to which it can connect.

Click on this icon, and we see a list of networks that the laptop found. Select the desired network and click on the button Connect... Enter the password from Wi-Fi (if the network is secure)... Click on the button Further.

You will be prompted to share the network. If your network is your home network, you can turn on sharing. If the network is in a cafe, store, etc., then it is better not to enable sharing.

If everything is connected and everything is fine, then the connection status will look like this (just an icon with the network signal strength):

Everything, you can use the Internet.

Windows 8 won't connect to Wi-Fi. The laptop does not see wireless networks

Now let's look at the possible problems that may arise when connecting to the Internet via a wireless network.

The most popular problem is when you decide to connect to Wi-Fi, but the status of the connection indicates that there are no available connections, or there is no hint of wireless networks at all.

With such problems, the connection status will most likely look like a computer with a red cross. Like this :

What could be the reasons for this problem:

The computer (laptop) does not have a Wi-Fi adapter at all. If you have a laptop, you probably have one. On a stationary computer, it is most likely not there. But, you can buy. For example, .
No driver installed on Wi-Fi. Although, as I noticed, Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 almost always automatically select a driver for Wi-Fi adapters. Compared to Windows 7.
The wireless connection can simply be turned off. This happens very often.

Also, do not exclude a breakdown of the same wireless adapter, or some system failures, viruses, etc.

Solutions to the above problems

If the problem is no wireless adapter, then we just buy the external one, as I wrote above.

If driver not installed on Wi-Fi, then you just need to install it. How to do this, I wrote in detail in the article. It is written on the example of Windows 7, but for the eight there will be no differences. You may have a question, how do you know if the driver is installed on the wireless adapter or not?

We'll find out now. Right-click on the internet connection icon, and select. Next, click on.

If there is no connection among the adapters Wireless network then this means that the driver is not installed (assuming you have an adapter in your computer)... Just download and install the driver.

It often happens that adapter Wireless network (the connection that is responsible for connecting to Wi-Fi networks), just disabled... It needs to be turned on.

How to check: as above, right-click on the connection icon on select in the list Network and Sharing Center... Click on the right Change adapter settings and look at the status of the Wireless network connection. If Disabled, then right-click on it and select Turn on.

Also, on the laptop case, there may be a mechanical switch, take a closer look.

Turn off and turn on wireless networks, you can also use a keyboard shortcut on a laptop. Press the Fn key + the network key together (as a rule, an antenna is drawn there)... On Asus laptops, this Fn + F2.

But, in Windows 8 (Windows 8.1), these keys are responsible for completely disabling the wireless connection. Enabling the mode "in the airplane".

If airplane mode is on, wireless networks will not work, including Wi-Fi. If this mode is enabled, the connection status will look like this (not connected - wireless disabled):

To turn it off, just click on this "airplane" and set the switch to Off

Other connection problems

When connecting, an error may still occur.

In this case, it is worth making sure that the password from the wireless network is correct. If you have forgotten it, you can view it on another computer, or in the settings of the router. I wrote about this in the article:.

Limited: yellow exclamation mark next to connection status in the notification bar

This is probably the most common Wi-Fi problem in Windows 8. After connecting, a yellow exclamation icon appears next to the icon on the notification bar. Internet does not work.

It's strange that Microsoft hasn't been able to fix this problem in one of the updates for such a long time.

There are many working tips for solving this problem in the article. If you have the same problem, then see the article and try different tips. First of all, try replacing the wireless adapter driver (the first way in the article, the link to which is above)... Judging by the comments to the article, the recommendations are working.

Afterword

I'm still working on Windows 7. Windows 8 I have installed as, for writing articles. To be able to check something, take screenshots, etc.

Perhaps I am not aware of all the problems that can arise on Windows 8 (Windows 8.1) when connecting and working with wireless networks. If you have any useful information on how to solve such problems, then you can share it in the comments.

Also, ask your questions. Let's figure it out together. Good luck!

Connecting Windows 8 to Wi-Fi: Ideally

First, let's look at the process of connecting to the Internet from a laptop running Windows 8 - the most common case in practice. That is, everything is fine with the corresponding module on the PC, it is available, the software is installed for it, Wi-Fi is on. In this case, the connection status will look like a gray division with an asterisk, which determines that the laptop sees available Wi-Fi points.

After clicking on this icon, a list of networks that the PC has found will open. We select the necessary one and connect (in case of protection, enter the password).

If everything went well, the connection status will take the form of a simple green icon with the signal strength.

Otherwise, you will need to manually connect to the desired Internet access point. To do this, you need to go to the path "Control Panel" - "Network and Internet" - "Network and Sharing Center" - "Create and configure a new connection or network" - "Connect to a wireless network manually." After specifying all the information requested below, you can create a wireless network on Windows 8, to which you will then connect.

Checking Wireless Status and Performing Diagnostics: Video

Connection problems

The most common problem is that there are no available points or nothing is said about their presence at all. In such cases, the connection status will take the form of a stationary monitor with a red cross.

This problem could be caused by the following:

the device is not equipped with Wi-Fi;
there is no driver for Wi-Fi;
the connection is simply disconnected, which is quite common.

It is also not worth excluding the possible breakdown of the same board, any system failures, virus attacks, etc. ...

Windows 8 Won't Connect to Wi-Fi: Video

Solution

In the absence of an adapter, you just need to buy it and connect it to your computer.

If there is no driver on Wi-Fi, just install it. True, it is worth saying that this is extremely rare, since the G8 automatically picks it up and installs it. You can check if the software for this Internet card is installed on your PC by right-clicking on the Internet connection icon and selecting "Network and Sharing Center" - "Change adapter settings". If there is no "Wireless Network" in the window that opens, then the driver has not been installed.

It may also happen that this adapter is simply disabled. In this case, you can connect to the World Wide Web by turning it on, and to check the new state, carry out the above sequence of actions.

In previous versions of Windows, a certain key combination was provided, by pressing which it is possible to connect to the wireless Internet. There is such a function in the G8 as well, but it is important to note that here this will lead not only to the device being connected to the network, but also to its transition to the Airplane mode.

Windows 8 does not see the Wi-Fi network: Video

Windows 8 is a new operating system for computers and laptops. Of course, the developers have created a more user-friendly interface and further simplified the system settings, however, users who are accustomed to previous versions of the OS, or have not encountered Windows settings at all, may encounter some difficulties. For example, one of the most common questions is how to set up a WiFi network on a Windows 8 laptop?

It's simple if you know what to do. This article will focus on how to set up a wireless network in Windows 8. Moreover, how to do it with the least amount of time and effort. So, to the point.

Wireless Setup in Windows 8: Video

How to set up wireless

First of all, you should install the drivers - software without which the computer will not be able to work normally. If you purchased a laptop from a store with Windows 8 preinstalled, then all the necessary drivers should already be installed. You can check this in the device manager.

To start it, you need to open the file explorer and find the "My Computer" icon. Click on it with the right mouse button and select "Properties". In the window that opens, you need to find the item "Device Manager" and run it. In addition, you can start the service through a search. To do this, move the cursor to the upper right corner, after which a pop-up menu will appear. Here you click on the search (the first in the list) and register "Device Manager".

If drivers are not installed on any device, then you will see undefined devices, which will be indicated by exclamation marks. Install the required drivers if necessary. As a rule, a disc with the necessary software is included with a laptop.

However, even if there is no such disk, then everything you need can be downloaded from the official website of the laptop manufacturer. The manufacturer tries to provide support to consumers, so there should be no problems with drivers and utilities.

Now you can go to settings and network connection.

How to connect a laptop to a wireless network

First of all, it's worth noting that on a Windows 8 laptop, setting up a WiFi network is extremely simple. To connect to the network, you just need to click on the wireless icon in the tray, as in the picture.

After that, a menu will appear in which you can enable or disable the WiFi adapter. After enabling, here you will see a list of available connections. Among them, you should select your network and click the "Connect" button. If required, you need to enter a password.

In order not to enter the password in the future, and the system will automatically connect to the desired network, check the "Connect automatically" checkbox.

Sometimes there are cases when when you click on the network icon in the pop-up menu in the tray, it is not possible to turn on WiFi. This indicates that the module is disabled. How do I enable it? It's simple. Open the search as described above, find and launch the "Network and Sharing Center".

In the window that opens, you need to find and open "Change adapter settings". Here you will find a shortcut to your wireless network connection. If it is gray, it means that the module is disabled. To enable it, you need to click on the shortcut with the right mouse button and click "Enable". This completes the WiFi connection setup on a laptop with Windows 8.

How to enable WiFi network on Windows 8 laptop: Video

How to create a wireless virtual home network

Due to the fact that nowadays many household appliances are equipped with a built-in WiFi adapter, which allows you to control appliances remotely, private virtual groups are very widespread. In addition, such groups allow you to combine several PCs, laptops, smartphones, tablets, and so on for data exchange, joint games and simple Internet use.

To organize such a group, routers are used, however, not everyone has such a device at hand, and not everyone knows how to configure it. Therefore, let's take a look at how to create a virtual WiFi network on a Windows 8 laptop.

The operating system developers have provided for such a function, due to which you can organize a private network in two ways:

With built-in tools.
Using a third party program.

It is worth noting that the built-in tools are more stable and provide more options. However, they are also more difficult to set up. Let's take a closer look at both methods.

How to organize a Wi-Fi access point using built-in tools

There are also two ways to organize a virtual team here:

By creating a new computer-to-computer connection.
I use the command line.

We will consider the second method, since it works more stably, suits absolutely everyone and is extremely simple. So what does it take?

Run the command line as administrator. To do this, press the key combination Windows + X on the keyboard. In the menu that appears, find and open the "Command line (administrator)".

A window will open in which you need to register the following commands:

Create a virtual network - netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode = allow ssid = My_virtual_WiFi key = 12345678 keyUsage = persistent. Here ssid is the name of the network, that is, instead of My virtual WiFi, you can enter any other name. The only rule is that you can use only Latin letters and numbers. Key is the key you need to connect to the network.
After you have created a virtual group, you need to start it. To do this, you need to register the command: netsh wlan start hostednetwork.
To stop the work of the group, you need to register: netsh wlan stop hostednetwork.

The network is created and ready to use. Now there is a new wireless connection in Network Center (in my case it is called Local Area Connection 3) and in Device Manager there is a new device called Microsoft Virtual WiFi Mini Port Adapter. It is worth noting that the first command is written on the computer only once, but the second command must be executed after each restart of the computer.

Create a Wireless Connection in Windows 8 Using the Command Line: Video

It remains to configure it. To do this, you need to start the Network Control Center. Press the key combination Windows + X again (by analogy, as we launched the command line) and open the control panel. Next, we follow this path: "Control Panel Network and Internet Center for Network and Sharing Control."

In the window that appears, you need to open the "Change advanced sharing settings". Turn on network discovery and turn off password protected sharing. After that, if you need to provide Internet access to all members of the group, go back to the Network Control Center and open "Change adapter settings".

In the window that appears, you need to find the connection through which the computer receives the Internet (in my case, this is a wireless network). Click on it with the right mouse button and open "Properties". Go to the "Access" tab and check the boxes, and in the line "home network connection" you need to select the virtual network we created (in my case, this is a local network connection 3). After that, click "OK" and close all windows.

Now you know how to create a virtual WiFi network on a Windows 8 laptop using built-in tools. As you can see, everything is extremely simple.

How to create a virtual group using third-party programs

In fact, there are many such applications. For example, Connectify is the most popular. It is free software that is easy to find and download on the Internet. All programs work according to the same principle, so the setting comes down to several points:

The name of the group.
Encryption type.
Connection key.
Choosing a connection for distributing the Internet.

After downloading and installing the program, you must launch it and fill in the necessary items (as a rule, these are the 4 above columns). Of course, different programs can have different settings and it is impossible to describe any universal method. As a rule, the program has an instruction that you just need to read and follow all the instructions.

I work as a specialist in the Techno-Master company.

More and more users prefer to access the Internet via a wireless network. In order to do this in Windows 8, you need to set certain settings. Let's take a look at exactly what needs to be done.

In order to configure the connection, first you need to turn on the adapter and make sure that you are within the range of the wireless network. Laptops and tablets have a dedicated key on the keyboard that when pressed will activate the adapter. In addition, there is a combination of buttons that launches this device. Usually, a special light on the case will tell you that the adapter is turned on in your device, which lights up at the same time.

After that, open the Network section. This can be done by a combination of Win + I or through the Charms Bar. In the window that opens, select the network that is available. Enter the password if necessary. If there is no need for passwords in the network settings, the device will connect to it automatically. If you have several types of connections at once, for example, Wi-Fi and Ethernet, you can prioritize them.

Solving Wi-Fi Problems in Windows 8

Sometimes users encounter certain errors that the system gives out when trying to connect via Wi-Fi. Let's consider the main ones and how to solve them. Initially, you should check whether the Wi-Fi router is connected to the network, whether it is working properly. If everything is correct here, then move on to the next item. And if not, then you can find instructions on how to properly connect the router. You need to make sure that the adapter is turned on in the device itself, tablet or laptop. For example, in the "Airplane" mode, it can automatically turn itself off.

You should also make sure that they are done correctly. To do this, you need to go to the Network Control Center. In it we go to the section Changing adapter parameters. We find the connection we need and select the State command. Click on the Details button, where the connection information is located.

Here you will need to pay attention to the description line, which must contain the adapter installed on the device. In addition, such a parameter as the Ipv4 address is important. In other words, it is the IP address of a computer on a Wi-Fi network. The default gateway will match the HCP server Ipv4. In the first case, the characteristic indicates the address of the access point, the second parameter is the access point itself. To edit the Wi-Fi settings, you need to go to the Status - Properties section. Here we select the Internet protocol version 4, and then click on Properties again. In the General tab, you can configure the connection configuration.

One of the common mistakes that can cause network failure is incorrect transfer of settings after the operating system has downloaded and installed an update. In this case, it doesn't hurt to check the encryption method. To do this, click on the network icon. Open your network window and look at its properties. Here you can change the type of encryption and security, as well as the security key. Also, the Wi-Fi connection may show an error due to antivirus. Try disabling the security program and reconnecting. And if the problem is really in it, then you will need to install another antivirus in the future. What antivirus programs are, you can find out.

A laptop, tablet, or other mobile device can have Wi-Fi problems for a variety of reasons. And in order to fix them, you first need to understand why this is happening. By the way, the simplest method, however, which does not always bring the desired effect, is a self-diagnosis tool. You can try to run it several times, as this tool does not always work the first time. If he did not correct the error, then you will have to look for it yourself or contact the specialists.

The Windows 8 operating system is the most recent version to date. It has the most user-friendly interface and also has the best stability. Setting up wireless networks is no exception. However, due to the fact that Windows 8 is new, many users who are accustomed to previous versions of operating systems experience some difficulties. This article will show you how to connect a WiFi network on a Windows 8 laptop.

WiFi connection on laptop: Video

How to connect a laptop to a wireless network

First you need to turn on the WiFi adapter. In Windows8, this is very easy to do. In the lower right corner (the so-called tray), you need to find the network icon - as in the picture.

After that, a pop-up menu will appear in which you can control the WiFi adapter, turning it on and off. In addition, in this menu you will see a list of available connections, from which you need to select the desired network and click the "Connect" button. If a password is required, the system will ask for it. After entering the key, click "Connect". This completes the connection.

How to enable WiFi network on Windows 8 laptop: Video

Setting up a wireless network

It should be noted that the connection does not always go so smoothly. How to connect to a WiFi network on a laptop with Windows 8 if, when you click on the corresponding icon in the tray, you get a pop-up menu, in which there is no way to turn on the wireless connection? In this case, follow these steps.

Move your cursor to the upper right corner. In the menu that appears, select search and run it. In the search box, enter "Network and Sharing Center" and start the service. In the window that appears, run "Change adapter parameters". Here you need to find a shortcut called "Wireless Network Connection".

If the label is gray, it means that the connection is turned off and should be turned on. To do this, right-click on the shortcut and select "Enable".

After a couple of seconds, the connection will change color, which indicates that it is ready to work. Now, again, click on the network icon in the tray and check if the WiFi enable function has appeared.

How to programmatically enable WiFi in Windows 8: Video

In addition, there may be other problems. And if you still fail to connect to a WiFi network on a laptop with OS Windows 8, then do not rush to call the wizard. First, try the following steps in order:

Check the access point is working. If the router is in your apartment, then see if it is turned on, if there is no access to it, then check the presence of a signal (for example, using a smartphone or tablet).
Check if the wireless adapter itself is turned on and if Airplane mode is turned off, which turns off any wireless equipment in the laptop. This mode is activated in the same place as WiFi.
Check for updated drivers for your wireless adapter on the laptop manufacturer's official website.

Now you know how to connect to a WiFi network from a laptop with Windows 8 operating system, as well as how to troubleshoot some possible connection problems. Now let's take a look at how to create a homegroup using a wireless router.

How to create and connect to a private WiFi group

As you already know, in order to organize a home network, you will need a WiFi router, which will be used as an access point. It is to it that all devices available in the range will be connected.

So, if you already have a router, plug it in and wait a bit. After the device has booted, you can connect to it. In this case, no password is required.

After connecting, you need to launch any browser and write in the address bar: 192.168.0.1. Depending on the router model, the address for entering the settings menu may differ - it is specified in the instructions for the device.

How to find out the IP address of a WiFi router: Video

After entering the address, press "Enter". Next, the system will ask you to enter your username and password. Initially, these are admin, admin, respectively.

So we got to the settings menu. Here you need to enter the "Basic settings Wireless Security settings" section. Here the network security is configured - the key is set, and the type of encryption is also selected. You can set the network name in the “Wireless settings” section.