How to Fix WiFi That Keeps Disconnecting

Difficulty: Easy to Medium

Time needed: 10-20 minutes

What you'll need: Access to your router and device settings

Step 1: Move closer to your router

WiFi signals weaken with distance and obstacles. If you're far from the router, try moving closer. If the disconnects stop, the issue is signal strength, not a technical problem.

Step 2: Restart your router

Unplug your router from power, wait 30 seconds, then plug it back in. Wait 2 minutes for it to fully restart. This clears temporary glitches and refreshes connections.

Step 3: Change the WiFi channel

Too many networks on the same channel causes interference. Log into your router's settings (usually by typing 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1 in your browser). Find the Wireless or WiFi settings and change the channel. For 2.4GHz, try channels 1, 6, or 11. For 5GHz, try any available channel.

Step 4: Update your router firmware

While in your router's settings, look for a Firmware Update or Software Update section. Install any available updates. Outdated firmware is a common cause of connectivity drops.

Step 5: Disable power-saving for your WiFi adapter

Windows: Open Device Manager, expand Network adapters, right-click your WiFi adapter, select Properties > Power Management. Uncheck Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power
Mac: Go to System Settings > Battery > Options and disable Wake for network access adjustments

Step 6: Reset TCP/IP and flush DNS

Windows: Open Command Prompt as Administrator and run these commands one at a time: netsh winsock reset, then netsh int ip reset, then ipconfig /flushdns. Restart your computer.
Mac: Open Terminal and run: sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder

If that didn't work

Your router may be overloaded if too many devices are connected. Check how many devices are on your network in the router settings. If you have 15+ devices, consider upgrading to a mesh WiFi system.

Pro tip

If your home is larger than 1,500 sq ft, a single router may not provide adequate coverage. A mesh WiFi system (like Google Wifi, Eero, or TP-Link Deco) blankets your entire home in a strong, consistent signal.