Tried Google with no luck, thought I 'd try here

[G+_Jim Hofmann]

Tried Google with no luck, thought I'd try here. I volunteer for Habitat for Humanity at an after school program. They have wifi. I can see the wifi on my phone but not on my laptop. Why?

 

I suspect my firewall but if it's blocking I am NOT turning the firewall off.

 

Anything else I can check?

 

Thanks,

[G+_Ben Reese]

I'd suspect 2.4 vs 5 Ghz. If your phone is Android, check out Wi-Fi Analyzer to see what the frequency is:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.farproc.wifi.analyzer

 

I haven't found any analogous apps for iOS.

[G+_Sean Miller]

If it's an "Older" laptop, it might not see 5Ghz. And your wifi might be in the 5 Ghz band. Wifi analyzer is an app (at least) for Android, I think for IOS too. It will tell you what channel each wifi network is on. It also might have to do with the standard your laptop is capable of: 802.11 a/c or n or g, etc.

[G+_Jim Hofmann]

I always wanted an excuse to load wifi analyzer, now I got one.

This is a new laptop so I can see other 5GHz. The phone is iOS.

My wife has had her laptop on the wifi. But not recently might take hers up again.

[G+_Giligain I.]

Humm, I doubt the firewall will keep you from seeing the ssid show up on initial scanning. My computer sees many more sources than my iPhone does when I try to see surrounding wifi.

A separate wifi dongle of good quality will confirm this. If you already know where the wifi router is already located, then just bring computer closer to source to see if it will see the signal when closer.

 

• oh, ya...signal could be 5ghz instead of 2ghz which is another reason for not seeing it on the computer.

[G+_Jim Hofmann]

Yea, I'm confused. I thought maybe there's a list of blocked sites that just happens to have a entry as this ssid but where would it hide.

Then I was think, I have Xfinity at home and maybe Xfinity snuck something in to force me into using there roaming service. But that just sounds paranoid.

I do have a wifi dongle for my pi matbe I'll try that.

[G+_Jim Hofmann]

When I searching Google I found a reset cashe tried it, no change. There was also some chatter about updating the wifi driver. AHhh ... this is an HP laptop that appears to be working elsewhere soooo, we'll save that one.

another reason to try the dongle.

[G+_Eric Boyle]

It might be that the network is shoeing as hidden. If another laptop connected at one point it will remember a hidden network. If it is ios it should have a hidden network option. Possibly shows up under that. Or if you have the connect details like SSID and security info you should be able to add a network and type that info in.

[G+_Jim Hofmann]

I "think" I've tried to use hidden network but ... the second thing to go. I'll try again just to make sure.

[G+_Jim Hofmann]

Here's a thought. If the ssid wasn't hidden and I joined it on my phone, awhile ago, and then they hid it. Then I tried after that with my laptop, would I still see the network on my phone since I already joined when it wasn't hidden? Might try Forgetting the connection on my phone and see if it still shows up on my phone list. Things that make you go HMMMmmm.

[G+_Joe Valasko]

Is it possible that your laptop is WiFi in the 2.4GHz band and your cell phone handles the 5GHz band? Might explain why laptop does not see the wifi s but your cell phone does see it.

[G+_Golden Retriever]

Joe Valasko I was thinking the same.

[G+_Steven Atkinson]

I know you say the WiFi is working elsewhere but I would still look at updating the drivers. I've had laptops that worked on WiFi, went to sleep and then refused to connect even after reboots. I updated the WiFi drivers and everything worked again. (I work as an IT manager in a school so come across a lot of laptops).

[G+_Eric Boyle]

I have ran across lots of laptops where the power management on the wifi was set to disable the wifi card to save power. I am Also an IT administrator in a school district. Hundreds of these types laptops

[G+_John Sullivan]

Your firewall does not block wifi signals, but it would block individual programs from using the wifi (and any other Internet connection) if you set the firewall to do so.

[G+_Jim Hofmann]

Thanks for all the info. I'll be on site Tuesday. I got some things to try out. I'll let you know what I find.

[G+_Golden Retriever]

There are free apps you can install on your cell that will display how your connected to wi-fi eg.. 2.5 or 5 ghz band. I have to limit my wi-fi router at home because one of my wife's laptops cannot connect to or see 5ghz band, if not for that computer I would disable 2.5 all together.