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Wi-Fi connection drops frequently

You're having problems with your Wi-Fi? The Wi-Fi connection keeps dropping? ✔ Here's how to solve your connection problems.

The Wi-Fi connection from a notebook, smartphone, or other wireless device to the FRITZ!Box drops frequently.

Simply proceed as described below. After each measure, check whether the problem is solved.

Note:All instructions on configuration and settings given in this guide refer to the latest FRITZ!OS for the FRITZ!Box.

1 Checking the event log of the FRITZ!Box

  1. Click "System" in the FRITZ!Box user interface.
  2. Click "Event Log" in the "System" menu.
  3. Check whether events also took place before the time when the error occurred, or whether only events are shown that took place after the error occurred.
  4. If events are also displayed that took place before the time the error occurred, proceed with the next section.

2 Updating FRITZ!OS and Wi-Fi software

Updates contain improvements, bug fixes, and new functions. Therefore, install the latest FRITZ!OS or software version on all of the devices:

Installing the latest FRITZ!OS for the FRITZ!Box

  1. Install the latest FRITZ!OS on the FRITZ!Box.

Installing the latest software for the wireless device

  1. Install the latest software version for the wireless device (for example Android, iOS) or the latest driver for the computer's wireless network adapter (for example from the Intel Download Center).

    Note:Refer to the device's manufacturer for information on how to update, for example consult the manual.

3 Optimizing the FRITZ!Box's Wi-Fi settings

Setting Wi-Fi channel settings automatically

In the factory settings, the FRITZ!Box evaluates the Wi-Fi environment and the connection quality of the wireless devices at regular intervals. Based on this evaluation, it automatically selects the best Wi-Fi channel settings. If you disabled the automatic adjustment of Wi-Fi channel settings, enable it again:

  1. Click "Wi-Fi" ("Wireless") in the FRITZ!Box user interface.
  2. Click "Wi-Fi Channel" ("Radio Channel") in the "Wi-Fi" ("Wireless") menu.
  3. Enable the option "Set Wi-Fi channel settings automatically (recommended)".
  4. Click "Apply" to save the settings. Now Wi-Fi connections to the FRITZ!Box are briefly cleared and then automatically re-established.

Adjusting the name of the Wi-Fi network (SSID)

  1. Click "Wi-Fi" ("Wireless") in the FRITZ!Box user interface.
  2. Click "Wi-Fi Network" ("Radio Network") in the "Wi-Fi" ("Wireless") menu.
  3. Enter a unique name in the field "Name of the Wi-Fi network (SSID)". This prevents your wireless devices from trying to connect to the wrong wireless router if there are Wi-Fi networks with the same name in the vicinity.
  4. Enable the option "Name of the Wi-Fi network visible". This way, all wireless devices can connect to the FRITZ!Box.
  5. If you changed the name of the FRITZ!Box's Wi-Fi network (SSID), remove all special characters from the Wi-Fi network name. Since some wireless devices do not support all of the special characters allowed by the FRITZ!Box, only use letters (but not special characters such as ä, ë, ö, ü, á, é, í), numbers, and spaces.
  6. Click "Apply" to save the settings. All Wi-Fi connections to the FRITZ!Box are cleared when the new Wi-Fi network name is adopted. You must then reconfigure the Wi-Fi connections to the FRITZ!Box.

4 Finding the ideal location for the FRITZ!Box

  1. If possible, place the FRITZ!Box in a centrally located room. The FRITZ!Box has omnidirectional antennas. The Wi-Fi signal is therefore emitted spherically in all directions.
  2. Do not place the FRITZ!Box directly in the corner of a room.
  3. Position the FRITZ!Box so that it is as unobstructed as possible, i.e. not directly in back of or under an obstacle such as pieces of furniture or a heater.
  4. Place the FRITZ!Box as high in the room as possible, for example on a shelf.
  5. Place the FRITZ!Box so that there are as few obstacles as possible between it and the wireless devices. Even small objects in the immediate vicinity of your FRITZ!Box can greatly reduce the range of the Wi-Fi signal. Especially metallic objects or objects containing water, for example radiators, refrigerators, or houseplants, significantly reduce the quality of the Wi-Fi signal.
  6. Place the FRITZ!Box away from other radio transmitters, such as microwaves, wireless speakers, or Bluetooth devices.

Now the FRITZ!Box and the wireless devices are ideally configured. If the Wi-Fi connections of individual wireless devices still drop, then the problem lies with the respective wireless devices. The manufacturer of the wireless devices may be able to give you advice on how to solve the problem.

However, if Wi-Fi connections continue to drop after a certain distance, this is due to the Wi-Fi environment or the range of the wireless devices. In this case you can use a FRITZ!Repeater to increase the range and stability of the Wi-Fi network.

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