How to Fix an Xbox One That Won’t Connect to WiFi

The next time your Xbox cannot connect to the Internet, check these fixes to bring your system back online.

1. Reboot Your Xbox and Network Equipment

Whenever something goes wrong with your computer or other electronic equipment, restarting should be your first troubleshooting step. This is easy to do and usually solves your problem, so you should try it first before delving into more detailed solutions.

First, press the power button on the modem and router to turn them off. If they don’t have a dedicated power button, just unplug them.

Read more: How to Connect AirPods to Your Xbox One

With the modem and router turned off, to fully restart the Xbox One, press and hold the Xbox button on the controller for a moment to open the power menu. Select Reboot Console> Reboot to reboot your system. If necessary, you can press and hold the Xbox button on the front of the console for about 10 seconds to force a shutdown.

After the network device has been turned off for a few minutes, reinsert the modem and allow it to fully start up. After all the lights are normal, turn on the router again and allow it to fully boot up.

Now, try to connect again. If your Xbox One still can’t connect to WiFi, proceed to the next step.

2. Run an Xbox Connection Test and Disconnect Headsets

Your Xbox One has a built-in connection test that you can run to learn more about the status of the network. To access, press the Xbox button on the controller to open the guide, then press RB to navigate to the profile and system tab, indicated by your profile picture.

From there, choose Settings > General > Network settings > Test network connection.

Run the test and see what happens. Any specific errors will provide you with more information about the specific issue, which you can resolve with the following fixes.

Also, if you are using a third-party Xbox One wireless headset, unplug it and retry the test. Xbox Support explained that these streams are on the same frequency as the wireless router, which can cause interference.

3. Check Your Wi-Fi Details

Next, you need to check to make sure your Xbox saves the correct network ID and password for your home WiFi. You may have entered the wrong password or your network administrator may have changed your credentials without your knowledge.

Head to Settings > General > Network settings > Set up wireless network to walk through the network setup steps again. Make sure your Wi-Fi network appears, and double-check to make sure you type the password correctly.

If someone else is in charge of the network, ask if they have changed their password. You can also find your WiFi password on your Windows 10 PC (if you are currently connected).

If you still can’t connect on Xbox One, check if you can connect to WiFi from another device, such as a laptop or mobile phone. If you can’t use any other device to connect, see How to Diagnose Home Network Problems for general help.

4. Improve Your Wi-Fi Signal Strength

Many variables affect the quality of the Xbox One’s WiFi performance and even prevent it from connecting to WiFi. Please review the following and make corrections (as far as you can) to solve the problem:

• Make sure your Xbox One is as close to your router as possible. WiFi performance decreases as distance increases, so if your Xbox One frequently disconnects from the router or can’t connect at all, moving them closer together should improve reliability.
• Move objects that interfere with Wi-Fi signals.Placing the Xbox One in a basement surrounded by concrete walls is a problem because the thick surface will reduce the WiFi signal. If there are baby monitors or similar wireless devices nearby, move them to reduce interference. You should try to maintain the clearest possible line of sight between the Xbox and the router..
• Reduce other network activity. If other devices on your network are streaming, downloading, and other heavy network activities, your Xbox network performance may be affected or not working at all. Stop all non-essential activities on computers and other network devices, and shut them down if possible.

As you make these changes, head back to the Network settings page and choose the Test network speed & statistics option to see the Wireless strength, Download speed, and Packet loss. These will give you an idea of your Xbox’s Wi-Fi connection quality.

For more help in this regard, please read our tips on optimizing home WiFi reception and how to increase the speed of your router. There you will learn advanced skills, namely how to change your wireless channel.

5. Review Xbox Live’s Status

Xbox One network problems may not be caused by your home WiFi network, but by Xbox Live itself. Occasionally, Xbox Live may experience interruptions that prevent you from using its services.

Check the Xbox Status page for the latest information. If everything is ok, you will see a green check mark. If you see a yellow warning symbol or a red X, you need to wait for any issues to be fixed until the Xbox team fixes them.

6. Check the Settings on Your Router

At this point, if your Xbox One still cannot connect to WiFi, you need to dig into the router options to see if any settings are preventing your console from connecting.

MAC address filtering is a common option that may prevent your Xbox One from getting online. On your Xbox, go to Settings > General > Network settings > Advanced settings and find your Wireless MAC address.

Make a note of this, and then follow the steps in our guide to restrict router traffic to see if your router is blocking the Xbox’s network connection. To troubleshoot, you can use the alternate MAC address option on the Xbox to enter a new address and see if that solves the problem.

If you see a message Can’t connect to your wireless network or your security protocol doesn’t work when trying to connect to your Xbox One, you should check the encryption type of your router. Make sure to select the appropriate option when connecting the Xbox One to WiFi, as described in n. 3 or more.

If you keep getting this error, try changing the security protocol of the WiFi network on your router. WPA2 (or the new WPA3, if available) is the safest choice, because WPA is obsolete and WEP is basically worthless.

Under normal circumstances, you do not need to change the security type to get your Xbox online. But if it works with other encryption protocols, you should check the firmware update on the router. If no updates are available, consider replacing the router and purchasing a router that supports modern standards.

7. Try a Wired Connection for Your Xbox One

If your Xbox One still can’t connect to WiFi, you should finally try to connect with an Ethernet cable. Wired connections are more reliable because they are not susceptible to all the problems of WiFi connections.

If possible, place your Xbox One close to the router so you can connect them with an Ethernet cable.

and If this is not an option, you will need to purchase a long Ethernet cable or use a power cord adapter so you can run an Ethernet connection through your existing home wiring.

If your wired connection is normal, please check the Xbox One update online (Settings> System> Update), this may solve your WiFi problem. Either way, at this point, you know that some strange problem is preventing your Xbox One from connecting to WiFi.

If you haven’t updated the router’s firmware, please try to update. If this doesn’t work, you should contact Xbox Support for more help. Your router may need to be replaced.

Finally, if the wired connection to the router does not work, try connecting the Xbox One directly to the modem using an Ethernet cable. If this works, then your router has a problem beyond WiFi range. You will need to update, reset or replace the router.

If it doesn’t work, your last step is to take your Xbox to a friend’s house and see if you can get it online there. If your Xbox is working in an alternate location, please contact your ISP. Also, If it doesn’t work elsewhere, please contact Xbox Support, as your Xbox’s internal network hardware may not work properly.

What to Do When Your Xbox Won’t Connect to Wi-Fi

We have studied how to troubleshoot Xbox One network problems over WiFi. When your Xbox One cannot connect, it is usually a problem related to wrong credentials, WiFi interference, or router settings.

With these fixes, you can correct the problem and enjoy your Xbox One online again.