I came looking for solutions for my chromebook wifi dropping and failing to connect to same?

anner08
anner08 Member Posts: 3 New User
edited November 2023 in 2020 Archives
I have seen similar requests for help in relation to chromebook dropping wifi and failing to connect. My chromebook just recently started to drop wifi and is currently completely failing to connect. The only difference I can see in usage is that it is not plugged in. Does anyone have a solution please? I would say that I have this acer chromebook at most 6 months.

Answers

  • StevenGen
    StevenGen ACE Posts: 12,155 Trailblazer
    Look up "chromebook wifi dropping" and see the solution as this problem has been solved in allot of posts.
  • anner08
    anner08 Member Posts: 3 New User
    Looked it up alright, can't say there were many solutions between 2013 and 2020! Well, certainly not from the makers. As it is I'm still trolling away, thanks for nothing!
  • Sjenest
    Sjenest Member Posts: 25 Enthusiast WiFi Icon
    Hi anner08,

     
    WiFi connectivity issues can be very complex to properly diagnose - because of that, I never accept any statement such as "meaning this is not an issue with the router", until detailed testing is completed and documented.
     
    Knowing the exact configuration of your WiFi system is critical, before it can be safely eliminated. Similar problems to yours, have been caused by wifi extenders, improperly configured routers, or even physically defective or damaged Chromebook components.
     
    The error message "out of range" can be misleading - it only means that the system can't reconnect to a network that it thinks it should be able to. That could be caused by something as simple as a dual-band router that has a weak 5 GHz signal in certain areas of your home. Or, one of the antenna cables in your Chromebook is damaged. 
     
    Please work through the following troubleshooting process. This is the compilation from years of WiFi troubleshooting here, as well as support from the ChromeOS developers:
     
    -----------------------------------
     
    Before you do anything else, make sure you are running the latest version of ChromeOS. You can check the versions for your model and ChromeOS channel here:
     
    The only way to properly determine if your connectivity problem is caused by your Chromebook or your router is to test the Chromebook at other locations. If it can't connect anywhere, the problem is in your Chromebook and you will need to contact the manufacturer or a repair shop.
     
    If you are using a managed device from a school or company, it may be restricted to only certain networks. Contact your administrator if that is the case.
     
    Does the owner's profile on your Chromebook connect, but not the others? If so, enable the WiFi option "Other users of this device can use this network."
     
    If you are having problems re-connecting to your WiFi after your Chromebook wakes from sleep, try this:
    ​Go to settings > advanced  > privacy & security > keep wifi on during sleep. Enable that option. It seems to help some users. Also, make your network "preferred" 
     
    If you can connect to the WiFi network, but you can't get any internet content, you are probably dealing with a captive portal WiFi system. Let us know if that is the situation, and we can give you some techniques that will help you sign in to the portal.

    Hit LIKE if you agree.

    Thanks :)

  • MikeS_inFL
    MikeS_inFL Member Posts: 10

    Tinkerer
    I've got a similar problem.  Everything will be working just fine for a week or so, then it just drops the connection.  If I cycle the power on the Chromebook, the wifi connects just fine for another few days.  Any time I change anything on the router or the chromebook, it will reconnect.  It's impossible to localize the trouble because it goes away to fast.

    For the first 4 or 5 months I owned this Spin13, it worked great.  Sometime after Chrome 78 I started having trouble.  With Chrome 79 it would happen much more frequently.  After Chrome 80 came out, the trouble is occurring about 8 or 9 days between failure.  Waiting for ChromeOS 81 now, maybe it will change again.

    I don't believe the trouble is only the laptop, I think ChromeOS is contributing to the problem somehow.  I've got no proof, just anecdotal evidence.
    But, no other device on the wifi net in my house is acting like this.  I've got 2 Chromeboxes, 2 micro Windows desktop boxes, and a Windows laptop plus several Android tablets and phones.  The Spin13 is the ONLY device having trouble.
  • anner08
    anner08 Member Posts: 3 New User
    I just got this one back on line, it refused to connect at all for the past while, in fact from my last request for help till about an hour ago. I  just went into google chrome settings and turned off all feedback and other retrieval sources to google chrome and it just seems to be working now. I'm not saying that this is a fix, just that this is the first time any thing has helped, don't know how long this will last!

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