From the course: Android Phone and Tablet Essential Training

Connecting with Wi-Fi

From the course: Android Phone and Tablet Essential Training

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Connecting with Wi-Fi

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- [Instructor] Your phone or tablet connects with the internet either over the mobile data network or more commonly and economically via Wi-Fi. The mobile data connection is available to all Android phones, as well as LTE or cellular tablets. When it's active, a mobile data connection status icon appears atop the screen. The icon indicates the type of network connection, such as 5G or LTE, as well as the signal strength. Your Android always chooses the fastest connection, so there's never any need to worry about changing the mobile data network connection. The Wi-Fi connection is available to all Android phones and tablets. This is the same type of network used by laptop and desktop computers. Unlike the mobile data network, the Wi-Fi connection has a limited range, but the connection is usually free, providing you know the password. Your Android automatically switches from the mobile data network to an available Wi-Fi connection, which saves you from incurring a data surcharge. To establish a new Wi-Fi connection, open the settings app, choose network and internet, then choose internet. On Samsung devices, the main category is called connections, which brings you to the Wi-Fi settings screen. Ensure that the Wi-Fi radio master control is on as shown here. Available networks are listed, though on Samsung devices, you must choose the Wi-Fi item to see a similar list. The currently connected network, if any, is shown first. Otherwise, the list is sorted by signal strength. Tap a network name to connect. Use the onscreen keyboard to type the password. For assistance, tap the show password box, and that way you can help type those long and complicated passwords. Tap the connect button to make the connection. Once connected, you see the Wi-Fi status icon appear atop the touch screen. The device is accessing the internet over the Wi-Fi network. Some locations require that you visit a webpage to complete the connection. The webpage may appear automatically. Otherwise, start the web browser app to continue. If the network is hidden, you must choose add network. Type the network name or SSID into the SSID box. Choose the network's security. Often it's WPA2, which would be WPA2 Personal, for say a cafe, though the same source that gives you the network name should know the security type. Your Android automatically reconnects to any previously connected and remembered Wi-Fi network, providing the password hasn't changed. So when you visit the same cafe, your device instantly uses the familiar Wi-Fi network, no need to retype the password. As a tip, if you have difficulty connecting, or when the Wi-Fi password is changed, you must direct the device to forget the network. On the Wi-Fi screen, you would long-press the network, and then choose the forget action. For a previously connected network, browse to save networks, choose the network by long-pressing, and then choose the forget icon to forget the network. Your task is then to reconnect to that same network, which doesn't happen automatically. You must reenter the password, which is the only way to reset a password on a previously connected network.

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