Connect to a Wi-Fi network

  • Article

4/14/2014

Whether you're at home, work, or out and about, chances are you'll find Wi-Fi networks your device can connect to. Some are open to everyone and some are secured, requiring a password to connect. Using a Wi-Fi connection can help reduce your cellular data usage to save on costs, and it's usually faster than a cellular connection.

To connect to a Wi-Fi network

  1. In the App list, tap Settings > Wi-Fi.
  2. Make sure that Wi-Fi networking is set to On. (When Wi-Fi is on, your device will search for available Wi-Fi networks in the area. If a network is found, you'll see its name listed, along with whether it's an open or secured network.)
  3. Tap the network you want to connect to.
  4. If you're connecting to a secured network and are asked to enter a user name and password, enter them and tap Done.

Tip

See a notification at the top of your screen when Wi-Fi networks are available? Tap it to go to Wi-Fi Settings, and tap a network to connect. If you want to see your status bar or dismiss the notification, flick it to the right.

Find Wi-Fi hotspots

If your mobile operator offers Wi-Fi hotspots, good news! Your device may be set up to automatically connect to them, so you'll use Wi-Fi instead of cellular data when you're in range of one (at some coffee shops, for instance). You can find the Automatically connect to Wi-Fi hotspots setting in Settings > Wi-Fi > Advanced if your device is set up to do this. (The name of this setting can vary, and not all mobile operators offer Wi-Fi hotspots.)

If you're out and looking for Wi-Fi hotspots, you can also go to Settings > Wi-Fi and tap Find nearby Wi-Fi. The Data Sense Wi-Fi Guide shows you a map with Wi-Fi hotspots that are nearby. (Not all mobile operators offer Data Sense.)

You can help other people with devices running Windows Embedded 8.1 Handheld discover nearby Wi-Fi hotspots by opting to automatically send public Wi-Fi connection data to Microsoft. When you participate, your device will send the network name, service quality, bandwidth, authentication type, and other details of public Wi-Fi networks you connect to. This info is used to identify and increase the visibility of Wi-Fi hotspots near you.

If you don't want to participate and send this connection info, in Wi-Fi Settings, tap Advanced, and then clear the Send information about Wi-Fi connections to help discover nearby Wi-Fi check box. For more info, see the Windows Phone 8.1 Privacy Statement.