Wireless button on laptop. How to turn on Wi-Fi on a laptop. How to enable wireless communication on a laptop through the "Network and Sharing Center"

To connect the Internet on a laptop via a wireless network, you need not only a WiFi module, but also a working access point. To do this, you will need to buy a router at home, and to access the Internet, sitting somewhere in a cafe, it will be enough to turn on Wi-Fi on a laptop and enter a password for the desired network: installing an access point is the task of the owners of the establishment.

A WiFi module is installed in almost all modern laptops, and it's easy to check if your device has such a function. This will require:

Open the "Control Panel";
Launch "Device Manager" (you can use the search bar);
Expand the "Network adapters" block.

An existing device with the word “Wireless” in the name means that your laptop supports wireless internet.

Enabling Wi-Fi on a laptop using the keyboard

Most often, "Wi-Fi" can be turned on with hot keys, usually two, pressed simultaneously. Different laptop manufacturers may change their combination, but the main Fn key, as a rule, is always there. The second key required to turn it on has a special WiFi icon and is located on the keyboard in the F1-F12 function row.

For more information on how to enable Wi-Fi on a laptop of a particular brand, see the following table.

In devices of the previous generation, "Wi-Fi" is enabled by a special slider on the laptop case, but the network icon remains the same.

How to enable Wi-Fi on Windows 10

On laptops with a "top ten", "Wi-Fi" can be enabled either in the system parameters or using the notification area, and the second method is more convenient and faster:

1. On the taskbar, open system notifications.

2. Click the Networking tab.

3. Turn on WiFi by clicking on the corresponding thumbnail.

To enable Wi-Fi on Windows 10 using the options menu, you must:

1. Open "Parameters" and select the "Network and Internet" block.

2. Click on the WiFi menu and enable the slider for the wireless network status.

After these steps, the laptop will start searching for all available wireless networks. If it is already in memory, it will connect automatically; if the access point for your device is new and protected (you will see a lock icon), you need to select it and enter the password to connect to the Internet.

WiFi connection on Windows 7 and 8

For laptops on previous versions of Windows, the wi-fi software activation algorithm is different.

1. Go to "Control Panel" - "Network and Internet", or right-click on the computer icon in the notification bar next to the clock.

2. Select "Network and Sharing Center".

3. Click on the "Change adapter settings" menu.

4. Use the right mouse button to turn on the wireless network.

When the "Wi-Fi" module starts working, you need to select an access point (the list will open by clicking on the WiFi icon in the notification area) and, entering the password if necessary, connect to it.

If the Internet via "Wi-Fi" does not turn on

If Internet access on a laptop still does not appear after all of the above, connect the network cable to the computer directly, open Device Manager through the Control Panel, select the Network Adapters tab, find your Wifi module in the list and try to update the driver. After that, disconnect the internet cable and restart the laptop.

If you still cannot turn on the Internet after that, there may be problems on the side of the provider, or incorrect settings of the router, or the "wi-fi" module is faulty. The cost of repairs in the service center ranges from 1,000 to 2,000 rubles, but you can also get by with an external WiFi module - on Aliexpress such devices cost about 150 rubles.

Laptop owners usually use a wireless connection to access the Internet, since there is a Wi-Fi adapter on all laptop models without exception. However, in order to use it, sometimes you have to figure out how to turn on wifi on a laptop.

Hotkeys or hardware switch

The first step is to physically turn on the Wi-Fi adapter. On different laptop models, this procedure is slightly different, but its meaning is the same: you need to find a hardware switch or use the function keys. Let's look at a few examples:

You can go on with the options for enabling Wi-Fi for a long time, giving ways for MSI, Acer, Samsung and other brands. Even different series of the same manufacturer have different ways to activate the wireless module from each other, therefore:

Examine the laptop case for a hardware switch or Wi-Fi power button.
Examine the keyboard - one of the keys in the F1-F12 row should be marked with a wireless icon. If you press it together with the Fn button, the adapter turns on or off.

If you have a laptop of the Sony Vaio series, then there may not be a hardware key or an Fn button on its keyboard. For Wi-Fi to work in this case, a special VAIO Smart Network utility is required, which can be found on the manufacturer's official website.

Fn button does not work

What if the Fn button doesn't work? How do you enable the adapter in this case? First you need to figure out why the key is not working. Fn runs under BIOS control and has its own utility, without which the key does not function. Therefore, if the button does not work, first you need to find on the manufacturer's website a utility for enabling hot keys for a specific laptop model (the name should contain the word “HotKey”).

If the installation of the utility did not help or the key is physically damaged, then you will have to use an alternative method to turn on the adapter. On Windows 8 and Windows 10, to enable the adapter, simply click on the Wi-Fi icon in the notification bar and move the Wireless network slider to the active position. If the adapter drivers are installed correctly, then the icon must be present.

In Windows 7, there is no such function, but you can try to enable the wireless connection through the window for changing adapter settings (described below). If this method did not help, then you will have to look for an external keyboard with a working Fn key and then no longer turn off the Wi-Fi module.

Setting up Wi-Fi on different versions of Windows

You will figure out the physical inclusion of the module quickly enough. Sometimes this completes the Wi-Fi setup: the system performs the rest of the necessary actions on its own, displaying a list of available wireless points. But sometimes you have to establish a connection manually.

Regardless of the Windows version, first you need to check that the Wi-Fi module drivers are installed without errors:

To be sure, it is better to go to the official website of the laptop manufacturer and find the latest version of the wireless module driver for your model. In addition, right-click on the adapter and select "Enable" (if it is stopped).

Windows XP

In theory, Windows XP should have stopped using a long time ago, but on some older Dell models and other laptops, the legendary system still continues to perform its functions. Wi-Fi in Windows XP is configured as follows:

There should be a "Wireless Network Connection" icon in the Explorer window. Its presence demonstrates that the Wi-Fi module is working correctly. Right click on the icon and select Enable. Further:

If the list of available points does not contain the network that your router distributes, click "Refresh List". Then select the desired point by name and click "Connect". If the network is password protected, you will be prompted to enter an access code, after which the connection will be established.

Windows 7

On Windows 7, the procedure for connecting to a wireless network has changed slightly, becoming a little easier. Now all available networks are displayed after clicking on the Wi-Fi icon in the system tray. But if there is no icon, then:

Go to the Network Sharing Center.
Click "Change adapter settings".
Find a wireless connection and make sure it's turned on.

After turning on the wireless connection, the Wi-Fi icon will appear in the tray. Click on it to see a list of available points, select a network and click "Connect".

Windows 8

On Windows 8, the procedure for connecting to Wi-Fi remains the same, but the Airplane mode has been added, with which you need to be able to work. If the adapter driver is installed and the wireless connection is working correctly, then you will see the Wi-Fi icon in the notification panel, when you click on it, a list of available networks appears.

If there is no icon, follow the same steps as on Windows 7 - open the "Change adapter settings" window and turn on the wireless connection. If there is no wireless connection itself, check the drivers and the status of the module - everything should be turned on and installed.

If the adapter is turned on, the drivers are installed, but no available networks are found, check that the Airplane mode icon is not displayed in the notification bar. If there is one, you need to disable this mode. To do this, click on the icon and move the slider to the "Disabled" state.

Windows 10

On Windows 10, everything remains the same with minor changes, so you can quickly figure out how to connect your laptop to Wi-Fi:

Click on the wireless icon in the tray.
Select the desired network.
Click "Connect" and enter your password.

If the access point is not displayed, try adjusting the network settings. Click on the link of the same name - the "Network and Internet" section of the Windows 10 settings will open.

There are two tabs you are interested in here:

Wi-Fi - Make sure the wireless network is turned on.
Airplane mode - make sure the mode is disabled.

You can go to the section for changing the adapter parameters and enable the wireless connection. Simply put, on Windows 10, you have several equivalent options - you just need to choose the one that is more convenient for you.

Sometimes, some laptop users have a problem in which wi-fi stops working. Moreover, it is not detected and the wi-fi icon takes the form of an antenna with a cross. In this case, if you run the diagnostics of problems, the error “Wireless is disabled” is detected.

In this article, we will explain how to fix this problem and enable wireless communication. It's worth noting that the method works not only on Windows 7, but also on Windows 10.

What does “Wireless off” mean?

This error indicates that the network adapter installed inside the laptop and responsible for the operation of the wireless network, that is, Wi-Fi, is disabled.

There are several ways to enable it.

First, look on the keyboard, where the F1-F12 buttons are, for the key with the antenna image. Usually this is F2, but there may be others. It looks like this.

Keyboard shortcut to turn on Wi-Fi

Now try to click on it 1 time. See if Wi-Fi networks have begun to be detected. If not, then press the Fn button and do not release it, the button with the image of the antenna.

Check again if Wi-Fi networks are displayed. If displayed, it means the wireless network is enabled.

We go to the control panel

Network and Sharing Center

Adapter parameters

There, at the top left, select “Change adapter settings” and check that the wireless connection is not in the “Disabled” state. If so, enable it by right-clicking on it and selecting “Enable”.

Enabling wireless connection in the control panel

On some older laptop models, somewhere on the case there is a separate button or switch, pressing which turns on the wireless network. Examine your laptop carefully for such a button. If there is, click on it or move it to the opposite state.

Separate wireless activation button in some laptops

Another way to activate wireless in Windows 7 is through the windows mobility center. It is located in the control panel.

Mobility Center

Airplane mode is available in Windows 8.1 and Windows 10. When activated, the wireless connection is turned off and cannot be turned on while this mode is activated.

To disable it, go to the settings through the notification icon in the lower right corner of the screen and select “All parameters” in it.

Network and Internet settings in Windows 10

In the menu on the left, select "Airplane mode" and see that it is disabled. We also activate the checkbox “wireless network connection”.

Turning on wireless in windows 10

If, after all the above steps, you still did not manage to turn on the wireless connection, most likely you need to try reinstalling the Wi-Fi driver and check the functionality of the wi-fi module that is in the laptop.

Problems with connecting to a wireless network from a laptop often arise even among experienced users, and beginners do not know at all how to approach the settings. Therefore, we decided to consider this issue in more detail. In the article we will figure it outhow to turn on Wi-Fi on a laptop, at the same time we will provide a connection algorithm for different types of operating systems. We will also find out what the main problems users face and how to solve them.

How to turn on Wi-Fi on a laptop

First of all, let's figure out how to activate the wi-fi module on the device. Without this, you will not be able to use wireless communication and set up a connection. Usually, the inclusion depends on the laptop model and varies slightly in each case. In the process, certain function keys are involved.

For ASUS laptop, this is FN + F.
If your gadget is called Acer or Packard bell, then you need to press FN + F3.
Gadget from HP includes a WiFi module with a dedicated touch button, denoted by the antenna icon or FN + F12. Some models from this manufacturer have a simple button with an antenna to activate the wireless connection.
Lenovo - FN + F5 if there is no dedicated button.
Samsung - FN + F9 or FN + F12, depending on the model.

We have listed the most common equipment manufacturers. If your laptop is manufactured by another company, then the required combination can be specified in the instructions for the gadget or on the company's website. Usually this is the FN function key, which is found on all modern laptops and an additional one from the F1-F12 series.

If the button for turning on is highlighted, then you can look for it in a separate block or even at the ends of the case. Usually it is indicated by the corresponding icon associated with the signal distribution.

Wi-Fi settings depending on the OS

Now let's talk about those inclusion methods that are intrasystem. Simply how to enable the wireless network connection in the operating system. We will analyze the two most common ones; by analogy, you can make settings on other versions of Windows.

Windows 10

How to turn on Wi-Fi on a laptopif everything is in order with the settings, the answer to this question is no less important than the inclusion of the module. So, we bring to your attention a step-by-step algorithm for the tenth version of the operating system.

That's all. As a result, the laptop will make a connection and you will be provided with Internet access.

Windows 7

We also consider the setting for this version, provided that the system is equipped with the necessary drivers and has a network adapter. That is, all the nuances are technically observed and the WiFi module is turned on.

In the case of this version of the OS, everything is much simpler. You can simply click on the Internet connection icon in the lower right corner and select the desired network from the list of available wireless connections. Enter the password and wait for the connection to be activated. That's all.

What to do if you can't connect

Often there are situations in which the above algorithms are not connected to the network. In this case, two options are available:

WiFi adapter is disabled;
required drivers are missing.

Don't be scared. In both cases, the issue is not as dire as it seems, and everything is completely solvable.

The seventh version of the operating system

For the seventh version of Windows, the verification algorithm will be as follows.

The absence of an entry or the presence of a yellow mark near the inscription means there are problems with the drivers for the adapter. In this situation, you will have to reinstall them from the disk provided with the laptop or the manufacturer's official website. In any case, the process is simple, it is enough to download the necessary programs and reboot the computer, the system itself will distribute the software to the required place and activate it.

If there is a yellow icon, then click on it and in the menu that opens, click the "Activate" command. Then right-click on the adapter and in the "Properties" section, select "Power management" and in the option to disable the adapter in power saving mode, uncheck the box, if there is one.

Enable the adapter in "Network Connections", here find the wireless connection and click the "Enable" command next to it. On this, all the problems in Windows 7 that the user can solve on their own have been fixed, and if the problem persists, then the matter is in the technical component and it is better to contact a professional.

The tenth version of Windows

If you have "Ten", then, solving the issuehow to connect Wi-Fi on a laptop, you should also rule out problems with the adapter and drivers.

If there are no icons for connecting to Wi-Fi on the taskbar, then the adapter is disabled. To be able to connect to the Internet, the first must be turned on.

If there is no “Wireless Network” icon at all, then go to the first section of our article and read how to enable WiFi in hardware.

To check the driver, right-click on an empty space in the taskbar and select the "Parameters" section in the context menu. Then in the main section, select "Devices" and go to "Device Manager". We open the "Network adapters" block and look for an entry with the word Wireless. If the icon is supplemented with an exclamation mark, then the driver is not working correctly and needs to be reinstalled. If, after downloading new drivers, the problem persists, then it is also worth contacting a professional.