Connect To Wi-Fi Networks

Wi-Fi is a wireless networking technology that can provide Internet access at distances of up to 100 meters, depending on the Wi-Fi router and your surroundings.

To use Wi-Fi, you connect to a wireless access point, or "hotspot." Some hotspots are open and you can simply connect to them. Others implement security features that require other steps to set up, such as digital certificates or other ways to ensure that only authorized users can connect.

To extend the life of your battery between charges, turn off Wi-Fi when you're not using it. You can also set your device to disconnect automatically from Wi-Fi networks when it's sleeping.

Turn Wi-Fi on and connect to a Wi-Fi network

If you're adding a Wi-Fi network when first setting up your device, Wi-Fi is turned on automatically.

  • Touch the Settings icon on a Home or All Apps screen.
  • Touch Wireless & networks > Wi-Fi.
  • Slide the Wi-Fi switch to the On position.

The device scans for available Wi-Fi networks and displays the names of those it finds. Secured networks are indicated with a Lock icon. If the device finds a network that you connected to previously, it connects to it.

  • Touch a network name to see more details or connect to it.
If the network is secured, you're prompted to enter a password or other credentials. (Ask your network administrator for details.) To modify a network's settings, touch & hold the network name.
Add a Wi-Fi network
You can add a Wi-Fi network so your device will remember it, along with any security credentials, and connect to it automatically when it's in range. You must also add a Wi-Fi network if the network does not broadcast its name (SSID), or to add a Wi-Fi network when you are out of range.
To join a secured network, you first need to learn security details from the network's administrator.
  • Turn on Wi-Fi, if it's not already on.
  • In the Wi-Fi settings screen, touch Add Network.
  • Enter the SSID (name) of the network. If necessary, enter security or other network configuration details.
  • Touch Save.
The information about the network is saved. Your device will connect to this network automatically the next time you come within range.
Forget a Wi-Fi network
You can make the device forget about the details of a Wi-Fi network that you added; for example, if you don't want the tablet to connect to it automatically or if it's a network that you no longer use.
  • Turn on Wi-Fi, if it's not already on.
  • In the Wi-Fi settings screen, touch the name of the network.
  • Touch Forget in the dialog that opens.
Configure proxy settings for a Wi-Fi network
Some network administrators require you to connect to internal or external network resources via a proxy server. By default, the Wi-Fi networks you add are not configured to connect via a proxy, but you can change that for each Wi-Fi network you've added.
Proxy settings are used by Browser but may not be used by other apps.
  • Touch & hold a network in the list of Wi-Fi networks you've added.
  • Touch Modify network in the dialog that opens.
  • Select Show advanced options.
  • If the network has no proxy settings, touch None under Proxy Settings, then touch Manual in the menu that opens.
  • Enter the proxy settings supplied by your network administrator.
  • Touch Save.
The proxy settings apply only to the Wi-Fi network you modified. To change the proxy settings for other Wi-Fi networks, modify them individually.
Set Wi-Fi notifications, disconnect policy, and other advanced options
To work with advanced Wi-Fi settings:
  • Turn on Wi-Fi, if it's not already on.
  • In the Wi-Fi settings screen, touch the Menu icon and choose Advanced.
These are the settings you can adjust:
  • Network notification: By default, when Wi-Fi is on, you receive notifications in the Status bar when your device detects an open Wi-Fi network. Uncheck this option to turn off notifications
  • Avoid poor connections: Check to automatically avoid using networks with a low-quality or intermittent Internet connection.
  • Keep Wi-Fi during sleep: To conserve mobile data usage, your device stays connected to Wi-Fi when the screen goes to sleep. Touch this option to change this default behavior: either to stay connected to Wi-Fi only when the device is connected to a charger (when battery life isn't a problem), or never to stay connected to Wi-Fi during sleep. The latter choice is likely to increase mobile data usage. You may want to revisit this setting if you receive a notification that you're approaching your specified mobile data limit.
  • Wi-Fi frequency band: Specify Automatic, 5 GHz, or 2.4 GHz frequency bands

This screen also displays the following information:

  • MAC address: The Media Access Control (MAC) address of your device when connected to a Wi-Fi network.
  • IP address: The Internet Protocol (IP) address assigned to the device by the Wi-Fi network you are connected to (unless you used the IP settings to assign it a static IP address).

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