How To Fix The WiFi Out Of Range Problem On A Chromebook

52 thoughts on “How To Fix The WiFi Out Of Range Problem On A Chromebook”

1. We have dell chromebooks that are having this issue when connecting to verizon MIFI devices. nothing worked. Found out the mac was being blocked for that particular chromebook inside the jetpack itself. You have to connect to the jetpack with a device wireless that works then go to http://my.jetpack go to the settings then advanced. then enter the password to get in to the advance part. go to the tab that has mac filtering and check to see if a check mark has been assigned to your devices mac . uncheck it. then save.

2. Thanks for the tip Ken!

3. I power washed my chrome book and it is still saying network out of range. It will not let me set up my chrome book with a wireless network. What do I do?

4. Calla: did you try Fix #2?

5. I had the issue with a netgear cg3000 and a toshiba cb30 b. 3 laptops, 2 phones and a tablet were already connecting so i didn’t think it was the modem/router. Powerwashed a couple of times, reset modem/router but nothing. I went into the wireless config of the router and changed the channel of the wireless and voila !!!

6. Had the same issue as Ken S. I had blocked the chromebook by accident in the ubiquiti access point controller software. Blocking of course prevents the device with the blocked MAC from connecting.

7. I powerwashed my chromebook and still network out of range yet the laptop I’m using to type this is using siad network without issue. Can I get into network preferences or reset the signal strength for the NIC? any suggestions will be appreciated.

8. My daughter has a Dell Chromebook 11 issued by their school. 2 weeks ago her Chromebook could connect to our Netgear WGT624 V3 wifi with no issues. Now we get the “Network Out of Range” message and her book cannot connect YET she can go to school and friends homes it still connects fine to the their wifi networks. I note that I have found other postings that have reported similar issues of connecting wifi to some networks where other networks get the “Network Out Of Range” issue.

   I have been troubleshooting this issue for over an hour with no success. I am about to throw it out the window. Yet being that this electronic doorstop is property of the school I hesitate on turning it into roadkill. I have messed around with all the security settings on my router, changing encryption, password, even disabling the security feature. I’ve power cycled the router, disabled the MAC address access list …. It still will NOT connect. I have yet to do a hard reset on this POS. I am suspecting a possible corruption of the network profile within Chromebook but I see no option to DELETE any listed network profile and start from scratch. If someone knows how to do that I would be grateful. I get some “basic” config settings but it just doesn’t resolve that issue.

   I will have to comment that the above FIX #2 need to be clarified, that one would likely need a “wired” connection to one’s router in order to administer it from your Chromebook or use a separate PC to access it. If your wifi on your chromebook is broke you are not gonna connect to it wirelessly, right? Think about it.

   the ONLY thing I can think that changed within the last few weeks is that I did do a firmware upgrade to my router. I may downgrade it and see how the chromebook behaves but I suspect it won’t fix the issue but might be worth a shot.

9. This is a followup to my previous post (still has yet to be approved by moderators).

   Well I stand corrected. I had upgraded my Netgear wireless router WGT624 V3 to the latest version 2.0.26 for North America and seems my daughter’s chrome book began it’s issue. I downgraded my router back to ver 2.0.16 that it was originally loaded and it connected just fine. Then started walking up the firmware updates. From 2.0.16 to .21 to .25 the chromebook fails to connect with ver 2.0.25 loaded

   The noted bug fixes with ver 2.0.25.1.0.1 are:
   Fixed wireless connection drop under noisy environment.
   Fixed PPTP passthrough issue.

   I’m gonna have to drop a note to Netgear about their versions and ask what might be the underlying cause and if there is a setting I have to enable or disable within the router to use ver .25 or .26. For those still experiencing their own connection issue there likely is an incompatibility with some wifi router setting. maybe the above info my jog some I.T. geek’s brain into the “AH HA!” moment and he’ll know what to do next.

   For those that are wondering about my settings that are working:
   Wifi is set to WPA-PSK [TKIP] + WPA2-PSK [AES], I have an access list enabled with MAC address filtering. No port fwd’ing or triggering set, no parental controls set, no dynamic DNS, no static routes. Rather a simple router setup, nothing fancy, just locked down the authentication to just my devices.

10. I kept getting the “out of range” error on my daughter’s HP Chromebook. Went through all of the cited fixes including

    encryption is set to WPA2-PSK with AES Encryption. Make sure that you Disable TKIP if it is enabled.
    Disable WPS.
    Disable WMM/QoS

    Finally, just changed the channel of the wireless, and success!

11. I agree with a couple commenters above. Changing the channel of the wifi was the solution! It’s pretty simple how to. Google it!

    For those like me that know nothing about wifi:
    1. Your router is on a specific channel; my options were 1-11. I downloaded a “wifi analyzer” app on my phone to walk around the house and figure out which channels would be best (not being used by other networks around you). Choose a different, stronger channel.
    2. Look at your router to login to your wifi settings (on a separate computer).
    3. Change to your new channel. I don’t think this interferes with other devices remembering the wifi or anything.
    4. Try to connect on the chromebook. Hope this works for you!

12. I just fixed mine by attaching to a different wifi (I creating a temp wifi hotspot on my Nexus phone). That worked so then I then disconnected and was able to connect to the original wifi normally.

13. **************FIXED***************
    Just change the Channel on your Wi-Fi. You can change it back if you want later but this seems to fix the issue. I also renamed the network which does wonders for Wi-Fi connection issues.

14. I‘ve experienced the same issue with my HP Chromebook 11. The original Google collaboration version. All of these guesses and assumptions about routers and the like are not a solution, nor are they the cause. Turn off, restart and powerwash are all 1980‘s solutions for PC users in offices who don‘t know a monitor from a PC and throw the monitor out of the window in frustration.
    Lets‘s be honest here. The real ssue is with the chromebook itself and not routers or Access points that you can no longer connect to.
    I have 2 instant plug and play work arounds for all of you experiencing this issue. The first is to buy a USB ethernet adapter and plug an ethernet cable into your router. This will firstly give you full access to your chromebook to make any changes and setup your account again. This may be good enough for most people as a permanent fix but if you don‘t take your chromebook outside, read on.
    I read on numerous forums and HP tech sites that catagorically state that a USB WiFi dongle will not work on a chromebook. I can now assure you that at least the one that I tried worked in a matter of seconds and provides a stable and strong wireless cionnection.
    Q. Do you techies actually try things or do you just theorise and assme because you think you are an expert?
    The dongle that works on the Cheromebook/Google 11 is a TENDA W322U. It also has a dock. Others may work and these days they are tiny so give them a try.
    The ethernet USB adapter that works is a UtechSmart USB 2.0 from Amazon.
    No drivers required, everything is plug and play.
    No guesses here. It all works perfectly.
    Glad to be of assistance

15. Just reporting in that changing the wifi channel rectified my issue as well. Cheers for the tip.

16. A helpful additional note is that both the V1 & V2.0 Tenda W322U work on the Chromebook 11 I can’t confirm the V3.0 yet. Maybe somebody can try and post a comment.
    Also the Tenda W322U V2.0 works with a chromebook 14 (Tegra K1 version).
    I haven’t tried the V3.0 version on this nor the haswell chromebook yet.
    If anyone discovers a nano adapter that works, please post a comment as the others stick out a bit.

17. I have two same model acer chrome book. At my residence the two chrome book work fine but , suddenly the second chromebook internet was disconnected. I tried to connect again but it say your internet out of range. My first chrome book still works fine.

18. Real Solutions, how did you get your Tenda to work? I tried it on my Chromebook and the computer doesn’t recognize it now can I open any of the files on the CD with or without an app

19. had trouble connecting to virgin just after i had a fault, tried all above no luck. went onto media settings on my over laptop and changed auto channel to my own selection and it worked st8 away

20. What do I do if I’m on a shared wifi network that I can’t change or restart?

21. I had this issue for a week and I thought I had tried everything. Then read fix 2 again and I missed a step. So I tried fix 2 again and it worked!
    I am so happy right now, I thought I had to buy a new computer.

22. Just to clarify, the Tenda dongle work around has only been tried and tested on HP Chromebook 11 G1 and K1 version Chromebook 14.
    No additional drivers are required, no CD needed.
    It is also advisable to disable the wifi on your Chromebook before inserting the dongle. This ensures that you connect to the dongles wifi signal and not the Chromebooks wifi card as there will be 2 possible connections.

23. Can’t connect to public WiFi or frequently disconnect! No access to modem or router!

24. After weeks of frustration, changing the router channel worked.

25. My wifi connects fine when I do it manually but when i try to use the admin console to push out wifi to my chromebooks in mass I get the out of range issue

26. This works and I can connect my Toshiba Chromebook – until it close it down.

    I have to refresh or change the wireless channel every time I log on…..

27. 1) chromebooks do NOT have CD-ROM.
    2) i only use public wifi – i CANNOT change someone else’s wifi – ie: the public library; mcdonalds, publix, etc. ….
    3) does this TENDA W322U work on a hisense c-book??
    3b) where available?
    4) powerwashing does nothing to wifi card/sound card/video card – only the chromeOS/RAM is affected
    5) screw some techie that’s on the corporate dole that will lie to you

    now lets get an honest answer.

28. Guys after multiple attempts I finally fix it! For me worked just disabling the TKIP and enable just AES Encryption!

    Thanks a lot!!!

29. Any chance TENDA W322U will work on an Acer c720 Chromebook?

30. I have tried everything on this list, but nothing. I’m even right by the modem. My laptop worked well before, but my WiFi was shut off for maybe an hour or so. When it got turned back on, I was still on it. I shut it off later that night. I wasn’t on my laptop for maybe a week for two, then this showed up when I got back on. I don’t have this problem with anything else in the house.

31. I have a hP 14 Chromebook. We live in an RV park, so I do not have access to the WiFi server. A while back I stopped being able to connect to the network. (Network out of range) I can connect through my mobile WiFi or if I am out and about I can connect through other servers. My husbands Chromebook will connect just fine. I have done several power washes and I still can not connect. I am at my wits end. Any suggestions?

32. Thank you. You really, really, really helped me out. 400 stars. The first suggestion that you made helped me. I had also put in the wrong password so I put in the correct one in. Thank you again.

33. Changing the wifi channel was the solution for me too ! Thanks everyone for charing the info. Much much appreciated ! :D

34. I have tried every step except #2 as when I type in the web address of my WiFi router, I am not taken to the page. Instead I am told my connection was interrupted and that “a network change was detected”. Can anyone help?

35. Really wish I had not got this laptop!!!! should have went with a apple or dell oe anything other than this.. I can pick up a wifi that is 3 miles away it will connect but nothing happens but to connect to wifi that I am sitting in front of YEA! Forget that….. I have had this laptop 5 months and would rather just get my money back but cant now … #1 pain in my ass!!

36. Changing the chanel in wireless setting worked for me

37. Got mine working on virgin superhub2, enable the 2nd guest network with defaults.

38. I also had this problem and have found the solution after months of confusion. My solution is specific to my setup but I hope others can find it useful. My setup:

    Samsung Chromebook (Jan 2013) with
    Samsung Galaxy S5 Verizon hot spot

    Wifi worked fine when on the regular home network or even in hotels. It would not work when trying to connect to the Galaxy S5 hot spot: Chromebook would see the network as an option to connect to the hot spot, but it would return an “OUT OF RANGE” error, despite the device sitting next to the computer.

    Turns out, the error has nothing to do with the range. It has to do with PERMISSIONS on the phone! On the MOBILE HOTSPOT PAGE (on the phone — on the page where you turn on mobile hotspot), the top of the page includes the name of the device (I think this is referred to as the SSID). Mine is named “Verizon-SM-G000V-0000”. READ THE GRAY LINE UNDER THIS DEVICE NAME. It should say, “Allow all devices to connect.” Mine said something different, like “accept allowed devices only,” or something like that. If it says the restrictive sentence, then click that text, which will take you to a dialog box where you can select to “allow all devices” to connect.

    Once I said to “allow all devices”, my Chromebook connected automatically (since it had used the phone’s hotspot before and remembered the device). Problem over!

    I hope this helps someone. Good luck.

39. #2 worked for me, thank you so much!

40. Caging WiFi channel worked a treat for me.

    Thanks!!

41. I also have the same issue with my wifi router that time this post helps me the steps given in this post really work and solve the problem Thanks for sharing this post with us.keep sharing this type of informational post with us.

42. I am using Acer Chromebook-11 and had been using my neighbor’s Wifi for years with their permission and their password. Few weeks ago I lost connection and it says, “out of range”. I find it too much to ask them to do anything to the router. So, what can I do in my end to get the connection back? Those who suggest changing the channel, first do they mean in my laptop or router? If it’s the former then which channel? Stable? Beta? Developer? Thanks.

43. I also experienced this problem. I use my neighbor’s Wifi with their permission and their password and have been doing it for a while now. But lately I keep getting the “out of range” note. It’s too much to ask them to do anything to their router for me, therefore my question is what can I do in my end to get the connection back? I am using Acer Chromebook-11. Thank you.

44. I’ve had this problem on a Toshiba Chromebook 2 CB30 (“swanky”) when connecting to access points using channel 13 (living in Europe). I own six Chromebooks in total and the other variants have never had any problem with this “restriction”. Moving from channel 13 on the AP solved the problem for this particular Chromebook model. Others have already reported that changing the channel has solved the problem. The suggestion to not use channel 13 might add to the logic behind the problem in some cases. I haven’t found any link between the system language used and restrictions when it comes to regulatory domain so changing to anything that is not US English based doesn’t help to “unlock” the possibility to use channel 13. I will run GalliumOS on this Chromebook so the problem is most likely just temporary for me though :-)

45. FWIW, the write up is contrary to Google Support for Wifi Security. WPA-PSK or WPA2-Enterprise are supported. ***WPA2-PSK*** is NOT listed as a supported security for Chrome OS, and probably leading to most the problems. I had the WIFI out of range issue, until I siwtched to WPA-PSK. Not as secure, but for a headache free experience is necessary if using Chrome OS.

    https://support.google.com/chromebook/answer/1047420?hl=en

46. Changing router setting is not an option for a lot of us, so the Chromebooks are unfortunately defective by design.
    I’m working around the problem by connecting my phone to WiFi, then sharing the phone’s connection with the Chromebook.

47. I recently purchased an HP Chromebook 14 for my son. The CB is trying to connect to a TP-Link AC1750 Wireless router. I also get this “out of range” problem.

    This problem is specifically associated to the CB and TP-Link router. In other words, the TP-Link router communicates fine to a number of devices in our household (MacBook, Roku, RaspberryPi, etc.). In addition, the CB communicates fine with every other wireless network I have tried. Only the CB, TP-Link router connection fails with this “out of range” error.

    I have tried:

    – Getting within close distance of the router
    – Power cycling the router
    – Powerwashing the CB
    – Experimenting with router security including turning router security completely off.
    – Experimenting with a number of 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz channels
    – Scrutinizing the netlog via chrome://system

    Nothing works. I have spent hours trying to resolve this. At this point, I am going to return the CB. It is easier and cheaper than buying a new router, configuring it, and updating the wifi settings on all the devices in my house.

    My conclusion is that the network card in the HP Chromebook 14 is poor quality.

48. Update from last night’s post. My last ditch effort before returning the CB to the store was to update the firmware on the router. That worked! Updating the router firmware has resolved the issue. On a related topic, also ensure your router SSIDs abides by recommended best practices.Mine had a space in the name which is not recommended.

49. Yep, router channel change worked.

50. My Chromebook is a acer and some of the steps the names arent on my chromebook so it is not working and this is a big problem. Please help me if anyone knows how to fix it.

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