Fix Samsung S21 and S21 Plus WiFi Issue | Not Connecting, Slow or No Internet

Start With The Basics

Assuming that you are facing trouble using Wi-Fi on your Samsung Galaxy S21 and S21 Plus (or other Android smartphones), there are a few basics that you should take care of.

Firstly, check if you have switched on Wi-Fi or not. This might sound bizarre, though, but you could be trying to connect to the Wi-Fi without turning it on. Another possible basic issue here is that you tapped on the Wi-Fi tile on the Notification Panel, but the phone didn’t register the stimuli.

In simple words, although you tapped on the Wi-Fi icon to enable it, it either didn’t turn on due to non-registry on touch or it could be a minor glitch preventing you from enabling Wi-iF in the first instance. Simply tap on the Wi-Fi icon multiple times to subside these instances. On the router’s front, check if you are connecting to the right router.

Turn Off Bluetooth

Bluetooth causes various Wi-Fi issues if you use Wi-Fi over the 2.4GHz band. This is because both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth use the same frequency; thereby, Bluetooth does end up interfering with the former. There is a simple fix available, and that is to simply fire up the 5GHz frequency, and this should fix the problem. Samsung Galaxy S21 and S21 Plus supports both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, so check if your router supports it.

Check if you are connecting to the right band

Your router and the phone should connect to the same band to allow a seamless Wi-Fi experience. Check which bands your phone supports; in the case of the Samsung Galaxy S21 and S21 Plus, it supports both 2.4GHz and 5GHz you need a router that supports both the bands in order to connect to whichever band you want. Some older devices support 2.4GHz, which means their devices are not compatible with the 5GHz frequency band.

Reboot

Rebooting the smartphone is like a swiss army knife to fixing problems. Be it Wi-Fi not connecting issue or if Wi-Fi is working properly and so on, this method will surely work (in most cases). Take your smartphone, long-press the power button, and shut it down or restart it.

If the Wi-Fi router is not working, disconnect the router from a power source, keep it idle for a few minutes, and power it ON. Check if the Wi-Fi problem is sorted or not. If not, proceed with this guide.

Toggle the Airplane Mode

Another effective method to fix impending Wi-Fi problems on the Samsung Galaxy S21 and S21 Plus is to toggle the airplane mode. Once enabled, all cellular and Wi-Fi connections are disconnected automatically, albeit you can enable the latter during an airplane mode too.

Toggling ON the airplane mode will give your phone a quick refresh from any radio transmissions, possibly fixing any impending issues with the Wi-Fi. Disable it after a few seconds to check if this troubleshooting method worked in your favor or not.

Refresh Connections

Issues like “not able to connect to the WiFi network” or the “Wi-Fi connection problem” or “if Wi-Fi keeps dropping”, and others, you can use this method to get fixed.

Step 01: To pull it off, go to the Wi-Fi options either via tapping on the ‘Wi-Fi icon via Notification Panel’ or via ‘Settings >> Wireless & Networks’.
Step 02: Tap on “Wi-Fi”.
Step 03: Long press on the said network (for e.g. GetDroidTips Wi-Fi) and select “Forget”.

Once you are done forgetting the said Wi-Fi network, wait for a few minutes and then reconnect by entering the right password.

Refresh Network Settings

Many times, network settings can affect working on a connectivity feature and there are many reasons for that such as incorrect network configuration or some glitch that caused the settings to go haywire. Here’s how to reset network settings on the Samsung Galaxy S21 and S21 Plus.
Step 01: Tap and launch the ‘Settings’ app.
Step 02: Now, proceed to ‘System’ and Reset, and then select ‘Reset Wi-Fi, mobile networks, and Bluetooth’.
Step 03: Select ‘Reset Settings’ and it is done.

Connect a different device

One way to determine if it’s your phone or if the router/ISP is to be blamed for Wi-Fi problems is to simply connect to another device. For this, you need a separate phone or tablet, connect it to the Wi-Fi network in talks and check if it works. Assuming that you place the phone in the same place, you would usually use it to see if the distance between the two nodes was to be blamed or if your main smartphone is at fault.

Wi-Fi Keeps Disconnecting Issue

This is one of the common Wi-Fi problems reported by Samsung Galaxy S21 and S21 Plus users, and pretty much any smartphone can end up with this issue.

One of the most common reasons is distance. Although you can connect to a said Wi-Fi network over a long distance (assuming you are still in range), the phone could sometimes lose a Wi-Fi connection. This is perhaps what’s causing the Wi-Fi to disconnect intermittently. As it goes without saying, drawing closer to the router will do the trick and would help you get away with the issue. Also, using a set of routers and amplifiers to boost the Wi-Fi range will do the trick as well.

Wi-Fi Authentication Error

If that’s the problem you are facing, you can do either of the two possible troubleshooting methods you can deploy. The first is to check whether the password you entered is correct or not. If not, you will get an authentication error for sure, so rectify it.

On the other hand, if the password is correct, here’s what you can do.
Step 01: Firstly, go to Settings >> Wi-Fi >> Advanced Settings.
Step 02: Proceed to “IP Settings”.
Step 03: Change the IP from ‘DHCP’ to ‘Static’, enter your router’s IP address, and save the settings.

Check if the problem is sorted or not.

Update the software

This works on both ends, i.e., the smartphone and the router. Outdated software updates can open up and allow bugs to infiltrate over time. A bug may be causing the Wi-Fi to drop intermittently or causing the Wi-Fi not to work. Software updates will bring the firmware to the latest ones, probably fixing the issue for good. Check out for updates on your Samsung Galaxy S21 and S21 Plus and the router to verify it is to the latest patch level.

Restore Factory

This is the last resort towards fixing the Samsung Galaxy S21 and S21 Plus Wi-Fi Problem if nothing works, although you must be aware that it will delete all the data stored on the device. Take a backup of the phone before going forward.
Step 01: First up, open the Settings app.
Step 02: Proceed to the ‘About Phone’ section on the device and then, tap on ‘Factory Reset’.
Step 03: On the bottom of the screen, you will see “Erase All Data”, tap on it and it is done.

Note that the procedure could take a few moments to complete but once it does, you will have almost a new smartphone so you will have to install apps and change settings just as you would set up a new smartphone.

Could It Be A Hardware Issue?

If nothing works and you have done everything listed here or technically anywhere else, it is possible that it could be a hardware issue. Although it is rare for a smartphone to have such an issue, it happens, especially in older devices or new ones with faulty Wi-Fi-related hardware. You can’t fix it yourself unless you know what needs to be fixed and how, and it will also void the warranty. Take the phone to a nearby service center, diagnose it as a problem, and seek a fix.

You can go to an authorized service center where you have skilled technicians; the phone will stay in warranty, and so on. On the other hand, third-party service centers might provide a fix faster and cheaper, but it will void the warranty, so decide wisely.

These were some troubleshooting methods for fixing the Samsung Galaxy S21 and S21 Plus Wi-Fi problems that you could sometimes intercept. Also these troubleshooting methods work for other Android smartphones as well.