Hotel Wifi Not Working? Here is the Fix

Having wifi access is crucial when traveling, allowing you to stay connected, share photos, and get work done.

But what do you do when the wifi at your hotel isn’t working properly? Don’t panic – there are several troubleshooting tips you can try to get back online.

This article will explain easy steps to get your hotel’s wifi working again.

While booking your 18+ hotel in the United States, make sure to check if they have free wifi available or not.

How To Fix Hotel Wifi Not Working?

The problem may simply be with your device’s settings rather than the hotel’s wifi network.

Here are some settings to double-check on your phone, tablet, or laptop:

1. Connect to the Right Network

Make sure you are selecting the correct wifi network name that belongs to the hotel. There may be multiple networks available, so verify you’re connecting to the proper one.

Forget the Network If you’ve connected before, try forgetting that wifi network first. Then search available networks again and enter the hotel wifi password to reconnect from scratch.

2. Turn Wifi Off and On

Toggle your device’s wifi off and back on, then try connecting again. This refreshes the connection.

Reboot Your Device Completely

Power down and restart your phone, tablet, or computer. Rebooting will clear any glitches.

3. Disable VPNs

If you use a Virtual Private Network (VPN), try disabling it and connecting directly to the hotel wifi instead. VPNs can sometimes interfere with hotel networks.

4. Update Network Adapters

Make sure wifi network adapters, network cards, etc are updated to the latest software drivers on laptops and other larger devices. Outdated components can cause issues.

If none of those device troubleshooting tips work, the problem likely lies with the hotel’s network…

5. Check Your Room’s Location

The hotel wifi connection can vary across the building due to the network setup and signal strength. First, try moving closer to the wifi router location if possible – usually the lobby, front desk, or a business center. Distance from the router matters.

You can also try visiting different areas of the hotel to test the wifi such as the bar, restaurant, events rooms, etc. There may be one spot that receives better coverage.

Certain rooms simply suffer from poor reception if the network wasn’t designed well. Ask to change to a different room and see if the connection improves by the next morning.

6. Verify Login Details with the Front Desk Staff

Confirm your wifi login details at the front desk in case there was a mistake. Many hotel networks have a daily password that changes, or long alphanumeric passwords that are easy to enter incorrectly.

Ask the staff to verify the exact hotel wifi name (SSID) and password you should be entering. Confirm whether it’s case-sensitive or not. Having them write it down for you can prevent typos.

Also, ask how many devices are allowed per room. There may be a limit that has been reached if you’re traveling with family or in a group.

7. Inquire About Outages

Just like home networks can go down, so can hotel wifi networks. And they usually don’t have an IT department working overnight to get things back up quickly.

Politely ask the front desk if they are experiencing any wifi technical problems or outages at the moment. See if they have an ETA for when connectivity might be restored.

If they confirm there is an outage, there may not be much you can do besides wait it out, use your phone data, or request an ethernet cable if available. Extended network outages usually warrant a discount on the room rate.

8. Request to Change Access Points

If other rooms seem to be getting better wifi signals, you can ask staff about switching your room’s access point or subnet. Essentially this changes how your room connects to the main network.

This usually requires their IT staff to get involved, if available. Be patient and leave contact details so they can reach you if they can reconfigure your room’s connectivity.

9. Call Tech Support

Does your hotel have a dedicated tech support phone number? Large chains usually offer 24/7 IT support lines for guests. Contact them regarding the wifi issues, and provide your room number, and any troubleshooting details.

If on-site help isn’t available, call the third-party company that installed the hotel’s wifi networks if known. Explain you are a guest without internet access and they may be willing to perform diagnostics.

10. Run Testing Software

For advanced users, download wifi analyzing tools such as “inSSIDer” or “Wireshark” to run signal tests. This software can measure connection strength around the hotel and capture network traffic.

If speeds are very slow, it points to weak signals reaching your device. Apps like “Speedtest” can quantify slowdowns. Provide these diagnostics to staff.

11. Request Ethernet Access

If no amount of troubleshooting gets the wifi working well, ask the front desk if ethernet access is available. Most hotels can provide an ethernet cable to plug into your laptop or devices for a reliable wired internet connection.

Buy a Travel Router As a last resort, invest in your pocket wifi router for future trips. Compact travel routers allow you to broadcast your secure wifi network by plugging into an ethernet jack in hotel rooms. Some models include their own SIM card slots.

Getting a personal wifi router ensures you have a good connection without relying on the hotel’s network.

Conclusion

Staying connected is a top priority for many travelers, so spotty hotel wifi can be very frustrating.

But before getting too discouraged, try the troubleshooting techniques listed in this article to get back online quickly.

Confirm your device settings are correct, change locations as needed, verify network details with staff, run speed tests during outages, or request network adjustments if possible. Reliable internet access is key for an enjoyable hotel stay.